Tokyo (AFP)

Obsessed by the quest for Olympic gold, Sofiane Oumiha would not have missed the Tokyo Olympics for anything in the world where he will try to win the supreme title that escaped him in 2016 in Rio, his ultimate amateur challenge before the big one. leap into the ruthless world of professional boxing.

After the money won in Brazil, the Toulouse lightweight (26) wondered at length about the follow-up to his career.

Should he continue his journey in the anonymity of amateur boxing or immediately engage in the glitter of the professional world?

The reflection will have lasted a year before a decision which, in the end, was obvious to him.

"I was still young and I said to myself that it was worth it to continue the Olympic adventure to go for the gold, explains the French (-63 kg), who enters the competition Saturday in the 8th final against the "American Keyshawn Davis. It would be the culmination and the reward of all my hard work for so many years. I know I'm going to have the pressure but I like it, I'm prepared for it and I accept it. It" is a challenging and competitive sport and I am a competitor. "

The coronavirus pandemic, which caused the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics for a year, could have diverted him from his Olympic goal and hastened his transition to professionalism.

But Oumiha has dreamed too much of gold to suddenly drop everything along the way.

"It was mentally hard to hold on, we were in a state of limbo for a year, he says. We moved forward without knowing where we were going and we had to quickly re-mobilize. But we got back to it quickly."

- Natural leader -

In the meantime, the Frenchman has nonetheless signed a contract with English promoter Frank Warren, who notably deals with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and has managed the careers of some big names in British boxing in recent years ( Prince Naseem Hamed, Ricky Hatton, Frank Bruno, Amir Khan).

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A first fight was scheduled for March in Poland but the health crisis decided otherwise, leading to the cancellation of the meeting.

"We have not set a precise number of fights but Frank Warren suggests that I move up the rankings fairly quickly, according to Oumiha. The idea would be to have a world championship within 2 or 3 years. Amateur boxing and pro boxing, they are two different worlds, but if I beat Teofimo Lopez (unified world champion of the lightweight, editor's note) in Rio, I can also do it pro. But you have to be structured, want to, hurting yourself and not skipping steps. "

While waiting to stand on his own feet, Oumiha therefore continued his career within the France team, of which he is the natural leader and captain, with his experience in Rio.

The only survivor of the "Solid Team", who in 2017 became the fourth French world champion in the history of amateur boxing, is no longer the same pugilist as he was five years ago.

Gone are also the days when Oumiha, without an appointed training venue, was forced to prepare alone and sometimes on a football field.

Now owner of his room, the Frenchman has everything he needs to achieve his lofty ambitions.

"I matured and gained experience. In 2016, I was the fiery and outsider Sofiane. There I am expected, limit the man to beat. But it is a role that I like. I have matured and maybe that's what will make the difference ", declares the child from La Reynerie, a city of Toulouse.

"He began to densify his boxing by signing with the pros, assures John Dovi, the coach of the Blues. Everyone knows the mobile and twirling Sofiane but he will bring other strings to his bow and that's what will allow him to surprise his opponents. He will have a pressure to manage, we expect a lot of him but he knows how to draw strength from it.

© 2021 AFP