Maintenance. Sofiane Oumiha: “My dream is to box in Toulouse for a professional title”
By Guilhem Pouiol
Published on
The big day is approaching for Sofiane Oumiha. the Toulouse boxersilver medalist at the Rio Olympics in 2016, will make his professional debut on Saturday February 26, 2022 at Barcelona. A few hours before the fight, he took the time to give himself up for Actu Toulouse. Maintenance.
News: In what state of mind are you a few hours from your first professional fight?
Sofiane Oumiha: The state of mind is very good, I prepared myself in my boxing gym in Toulouse but also in Spain. I fought against many “sparring-partner”, I am ready for the big meeting. I’ve been waiting for this fight for a year (his first pro fight was supposed to take place in early 2021 but it was postponed due to the Covid, editor’s note). It was very long but the Tokyo Olympics helped me hold on, it allowed me to have a goal. I don’t know my opponent well but I will fight instinctively, as usual. Again, I’m ready.
For your first professional fight, you will fight in Barcelona. Why this city?
SO : I absolutely needed a first pro fight to launch my career. A lot of meetings were canceled due to Covid, so I didn’t have many opportunities. I was offered to box in a gala in Barcelona, I accepted immediately without thinking. Regardless of the place and the opponent, I need this first pro fight to get started.
A global chance in the next two or three years
What is your professional career plan?
SO : The idea is to try to have a world chance in the next two or three years, that’s my objective. If I win my first pro fight in Barcelona, I will then go fight in England because my promoters are English. Then the goal and to chain the fights and why not to fight in France rather quickly. For example, we could organize a meeting with Tony Yoka and Souleymane Cissokho, my friends from the solid team (the nickname of the French team at the 2016 Olympics, editor’s note). But for the moment, it is not on the agenda.
You were eliminated in the round of 16 at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Did you manage to digest this failure?
SO : Not really, I still have this elimination across my throat, I often think about it and it’s still a huge disappointment. At the time, I was really disgusted. But we have to move on and move on. Fortunately for me, I managed to win the amateur world championships a few weeks after Tokyo, which allowed me to move on fairly quickly. I proved that I was a champion.
I am a man of challenges
You will eventually be able to participate in the Paris Olympics in 2024 as you embark on a professional career. Isn’t it a little too ambitious to aim for these two objectives at the same time?
SO : Yes, it’s a big challenge but I’m a man of challenges, I’m ready to give it a shot. As an amateur (the Olympic format, editor’s note), the blows follow one another very quickly, it goes all over the place and the fights are very short. In professional, it’s totally different, it’s a more calm boxing, where you hit to hurt. It won’t be easy but I am convinced that I can manage to reconcile the two.
Boxing in Toulouse as a professional, is that something that’s on your mind?
SO : Of course ! It’s funny, I just talked about it just yesterday with my staff. Boxing in a room in Toulouse, if possible for a title, it would be fabulous, I know that I will have a lot of support. It’s a dream for me, but to achieve it, you have to win fights.
Was this article helpful to you? Note that you can follow Actu Toulouse in the My Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.