A new injury to Erik Bazinyan has forced Eye of the Tiger Management to revise the main event for November 13th. However, the finale will remain 100% Candian, as Montreal’s Stéphane Fondjo will now face two-time title challenger Steven “Bang Bang” Butler at the Casino de Montréal. Butler (36-5-1, 30 KOs), who is finishing the final weeks of training camp in Connecticut, had this to say about the change in opponent. “I’ve been away from my family for weeks, making sacrifices to prepare for my fight against Erik Bazinyan. If he can’t fight, that’s his problem, but I never back down — there was no way I wasn’t fighting on November 13th. I’m not afraid of anyone, and for once, I’ll be facing an opponent just as hungry as I am. Fans will still get a great local fight, but in the end, I’m going to remind everyone — including Fondjo — that I belong on the international level.”

Fondjo (14-1-1, 9 KOs), originally from Cameroon, was also already in training camp for a fight scheduled on November 8th. Standing over 6’3”, he was serving as Shakeel Phinn’s main sparring partner ahead of Phinn’s important fight next Thursday against Wilkens Mathieu. Having previously sparred with Christian Mbilli, Moreno Fendero, and several other Eye of the Tiger fighters, Fondjo sees this bout as an opportunity to prove that he, too, belongs among the elite — not just in the gym, but in the ring. “To accomplish great things, you sometimes have to suffer. I left my family behind eight years ago to cross the Atlantic and one day give them a better life. Every day since, I’ve made sacrifices to achieve that goal. I respect Steven Butler, but I’ve suffered enough to get here and earn this opportunity. So once we’re in the ring on November 13, it’ll be him who suffers,” promised Fondjo.

“Steven Butler is a high-level boxer who’s never turned down a challenge. He’s proving that once again, and I respect him for it. Both camps will bring the will to win, but beyond toughness, I believe Stéphane’s youth and superior athleticism will make the difference,” said Butler’s trainer, Ian MacKillop.

Although an intriguing all-local main event remains in place — and the health of athletes remains EOTTM’s top priority — the team cannot hide its disappointment over this third cancellation. “I won’t hide it: our entire team is extremely disappointed. And we’re even more so for our fans, who have been waiting for this fight for months. Our athletes’ health will always be a priority, but after three consecutive injuries, it’s clear we’ll need to sit down with Erik to evaluate the next steps in his career,” said EOTTM President Camille Estephan.

UNDERCARD

The rest of the November 13th card remains unchanged. In his first career co-main event, Montreal-based Jhon Orobio (15-0, 13 KOs) will face South Africa's Xolisani Ndongeni (33-7, 19 KOs) at junior welterweight.

On the undercard, Quebec’s Luis Santana (14-0, 7 KOs) will face Portugal’s Pedro Manuel Gomes (13-3, 3 KOs), who is coming off a win over Canadian champion Mark Smither...

EOTTM’s Prospect of the Year, Moreno Fendero (12-0, 10 KOs), will fight in his first scheduled ten-round bout against William Langston (14-4-1, 9 KOs) of the United States...

Canadian Olympic medalist Wyatt Sanford (4-0, 2 KOs) will meet Czech fighter Petr Novak (3-0-1, 2 KOs) in a clash of undefeated boxers...

Erik Israyelyan (2-0, 2 KOs) will continue his development against Chile’s Mario Esparza (2-1)...

Finally, Trois-Rivières native Daylen Pepin will make his professional debut in an all-Quebec bout against Alexendre Giraldeau Perron (2-1, 1 KO).

The  event has already sold out on November 13 at the Casino de Montréal. Fans will be able to watch the event starting at 6:30 p.m. on Punching Grace.