Marie-Eve Albert is the host of 120 Secondes, a trilingual podcast based in Quebec focused on female professional boxing. This week, we sit down with her to discuss the rise of the female fight game both globally and within Canada — as well as the career prospects of United’s two female boxers.
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Carlos Verde, United Boxing Promotions (CV): First off, tell us about your podcast and a bit about yourself.
Marie-Eve Albert, 120 Secondes (MEA): I started 120 Secondes a year and a half ago, because I realized nobody was talking about women’s boxing in Canada despite the boxing scene booming. The timing was there. A lot of girls in the UK are doing this, and they encouraged me to do it. I have a Linktree on my Instagram, all my platforms are there but we are mainly on Instagram. I’m even on TikTok — I guess I’m modern! I operate in three languages, with content in French, English and Spanish so there’s something for everyone.
CV: Quebec is the Mecca of Canadian boxing, and specifically Canadian female boxing. But that movement is coming to Ontario, too — Sara Haghighat-Joo drew well in her pro debut, Melinda Watpool had a strong group behind her in September. Give us a lay of the land in Ontario.
MEA: It’s growing a lot in Ontario! We’re seeing a lot of quality girls added on cards, with promoters also deciding to build a female squad within their team. Everyone has one, two, even three women’s boxers. Now, Ontario girls can fight in Ontario — I saw Mary Spencer on the United show last year, fighting Reynoso in Brampton, and it was filled with her fans. She’s a big star in Ontario, and she’s opened doors. When a fighter does that, it takes a few years to see the impact — and we’re just starting to see that in Ontario, but it could be pretty incredible!
CV: Let’s talk about United’s two contracted boxers. Melinda Watpool is fighting on a major card in Pickering on Jan. 28th, a big opportunity in her home region. She started her career with a dominant unanimous decision win in September. What is in her near future?
MEA: The interesting thing for Melinda is timing. We all knew she is talented, she’s already well-known on the amateur scene in Canada with her championships. Her timing to turn pro is perfect, in weight categories where there is space, a spot for her. She can climb very fast, become ranked and rated very fast and yes, even have access to titles quickly.
If the team surrounding her is smart with her matchmaking, the steps, if she fights four or five times this year, who knows where she will be. Mary Spencer fought five times last year and had a shot at a belt by the end of the year! Sometimes you hear ‘oh, these weight classes are weak’; that’s not the case, there is just a larger divide between the top boxers and other boxers.
These categories are booming. Everyone is interested in the undisputed champions, in Claressa Shields, and everyone is interested in those belts. Melinda could have a look at those belts, maybe not this year, but fast.
I think she will fight a lot in 2023, they will want to add her on various cards to help her transition from the amateurs to the pros.
CV: Sara Haghighat-Joo is a different proposition on the United side. She started with a win over Nayeli Verde in November, and is taking a different approach with a fight in February but also still aiming for the Olympics. What do you want to see from her in the one or two pro fights she’ll have this year?
MEA: What will be important for Sara is not to mix both styles. It’s still a risk. The strategy around her has to be very clear, so she can focus on being a pro when she’s fighting pro without losing sight of being Olympic-ready.
She started against a strong opponent and nailed it — she performed beautifully. Starting on an eight-rounder is not common! We don’t see that a lot. I’ve watched a lot of pro debuts, even in England where they have big amateur resumes, they usually don’t start on eight rounders.
The commission considered her background, and the background of her opponent, significant enough to sanction eight rounds.
If she didn’t have the Olympic goal, and was focusing only on pro, I think by the end of the year she’d be very high-ranked because her first two opponents are strong. We’re talking 8- and 10-rounders, which isn’t standard for someone starting out.
CV: As somebody in the scene, and having seen many women launch their careers, I want your opinion here. Melinda fighting a Mexican fighter who’s 1-3-1, and others will see Mayela Perez on Sara’s schedule and say ‘well, she’s 19-24’, but there’s a real learning opportunity and threat posed by these fights. What do they offer Melinda and Sara early in their career?
MEA: Mexican girls are tough. They are different than girls we see in eastern Europe. You’ll see girls over there that are 10-75, and perfect for pro debuts, but those girls are runners. They run, they run, and OK for a pro debut it’s comfortable. But you don’t learn a lot.
Mexican girls, however, come at you with pressure. No matter if they are excellent or average, they put pressure. It’s always a chance to learn, and always entertaining for fans.
Sara’s opponent has a lot of fights, and while she may not have a winning record she has a lot of victories. This is critical. Sara will face someone with way more experience than her as a pro — and that counts a lot. Never forget the experience someone has in front of you.
For Melinda, she has time. There’s a wide gap between the lower portion and the top of her divisions, and she will have to face sometimes opponents that are less-skilled than her. That’s how it is, but it’s changing — more quality girls are going to enter the division in the next year or two.
For now, she can take her time and get ready. She needs time to learn the pro game.
CV: Lastly, the growth of women’s boxing in Ontario. Obviously GYM does a wonderful job in Quebec. Where do you think professional women’s boxing can go in Ontario? Could we see a Sara or Melinda headlining a show, being the main draw at a 3,000-seat venue?
MEA: Why not? If they are putting on a great show and following the proper steps career-wise, people will love them. We had three women’s fights on Kim Clavel’s card in Quebec. One is Caroline Veyre, she’s 1-0 and fighting on Clavel’s card! So why not in Ontario?
Maybe United and other promoters will continue to sign good fighters with potential.
Everything is possible! Sara is very talented, she has everything she needs to become a great, great star in Canada. Opportunities are there.
Before those girls become the main show, they need to properly learn how to box as a pro. The timing is right and 2023 is the perfect moment for both of them!
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Marie-Eve Albert is the host of the 120 Secondes Podcast. She lives in Rimouski, Quebec.
United Boxing Promotions’ first-ever event at the Pickering Casino Resort, featuring many of Ontario’s top fighters, on January 28 is sold out.
Sara Haghighat-Joo and Josh Wagner return to the ring on February 25 at the CAA Centre; tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca.
Ringside with Carlos is a bi-weekly column written by Carlos Verde, featuring reflections on Ontario boxing, fighter profiles and feature stories on those in the fight game.
