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PARIS (AP) — The house of the French Open tennis championship will host boxing matches in September, 75 years after French nice Marcel Cerdan fought and gained there.
The French Tennis Federation mentioned Wednesday that French boxer Tony Yoka and different boxers will battle on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros on a Friday night time card on Sept. 10. Roland Garros final hosted fights in 1973.
Yoka gained Olympic gold within the tremendous heavyweight class in Rio de Janeiro 5 years in the past and has gained his 10 skilled bouts as far as a heavyweight. He’ll face Croatian Petar Milas, who has gained his 15 professional fights.
Frenchmen Mathieu Bauderlique, a bronze medalist in Rio, will face Russian Igor Mikhalkin for the European Boxing Union light-heavyweight title.
Yoka’s spouse, Estelle, can be combating however her opponent will not be but recognized.
Three different fights are going down at Roland Garros, which can host tennis and boxing occasions on the 2024 Paris Video games.
Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier, which has a capability of 15,000 and a brand new retractable roof, has witnessed fights earlier than.
In 1946, Cerdan beat American Holman Williams on factors. Cerdan, a European middleweight champion, gained 110 of his 114 fights and is extensively thought-about his nation’s most interesting boxer. Considered one of his defeats got here towards Jake LaMotta in what proved to be Cerdan’s ultimate battle.
Frenchman Jean-Claude Bouttier beat Carlo Duran in 1971 however then misplaced on factors to Carlos Monzon, who retained his WBA and WBC middleweight titles in 1973.
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