Boxing: Mohamed Kani and Lorenzo Lopez headline the first edition of the Jean-Farré Trophy in Montpellier

Kani is going to win back a European belt. Laurent Léandre Vilarem

The Jean-Farré Trophy, in tribute to this figure of Montpellier boxing and the gypsy community who died last summer, will take place next Saturday, June 8 at the Albert-Batteux gymnasium in front of more than 500 people. Headlining the bill are Montpellier residents Mohamed Kani (33 years old) and Lorenzo Lopez (19 years old), boxers who train at the Jean-Farré room, home of the Figuerolles Boxing club.

Kani, the return to grace ?

Defeated in March 2023 by an Italian at the FDI Stadium, Mohamed Kani makes his return to the ring against another transalpine, Stefano Ramundo (29 years old, 13 victories, 1 defeat).

The boxer will try to regain a European belt in a new category, lightweight (-63.5kg): "I lost my title in 2023. In the process, I’ I changed category and coach, he explains. I won a ranking fight at lightweight in June to move up the rankings. I put all the chances on my side to win this European belt again. Going down a category allows me to diet to be more efficient on the day of the fight, the day after the weigh-in, and benefit from a greater balance of power."

After two weeks of preparation in Montpellier, Kani left for Toulouse in the room of 2016 Olympic vice-champion and triple world champion Sofiane Oumiha with his cousin Mehdi Oumiha as coach.

Back in the Hérault capital to fight on June 8, Mohamed Kani expects a tough fight in 12 three-minute rounds: "My opponent is Italian champion with one defeat in 14 fights. It will be a stylistic opposition. He's a brawler who seeks to suffocate his opponent while I'm a technician who likes speed."

Lopez, the future of Montpellier boxing

At 19, Lorenzo Lopez began to make a name for himself beyond the borders of the Figuerolles district where he came from. For his fifth professional fight, he will face Nestor Maradiaga, a boxer from Nicaragua, experienced but who has accumulated defeats (9 victories, 20 defeats, 2 draws) unlike the Montpellier who has not yet had one. knee to the ground: "It’s a fight to move up the rankings, to gain more experience, believes the young Lopez. He's a good boxer for me, he'll make me shine, I'll be able to use my qualities: my defense, my aggressiveness, my power, my look…hellip;"

For the second time in his young career, the boxer trained by his father will fight at home: "Boxing at home is an added motivation. I want to pay tribute to Jean Farré and my grandfather, a veteran of Figuerolles. When he left, I made him a promise that I was going to succeed in boxing. I feel that there is more waiting than usual, there will be people there for me."

Program (from 5:30 p.m.)

Issa Ouardi – Noham Duranthon, Mami Chaynese – Maëly Panizutti, Maya Bouisri – Anna Coffi, Toni Gimenez – Richard Giannini, Sohan Krupka – Mokthar Taleb, Dorian Pires – Bastier Ritchy, Lorenzo Lopez – Nesto Maradiaga, Adam Goumidi – Kylian Chabane, Amine Magomayev – Maxime Hezez, Fahd Boudal – Mani Bermudez, Valentin Guth – Rayane Matache, Tarik Akbar – Elyasse Azap, Abdelkader Benaissa – Miguel Ritchy, Tariq Rahisi – Jordi Desnoyer, Mohamed Kani – Stefano Ramundo.

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