Tony Yoka won his tenth fight, in Nantes.

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JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / AFP

A knockout just before the limit to wash away the affront of a well-chambered weigh-in from the Belgian Tambwe Djeko.

Tony Yoka did not let himself be destabilized to afford his first belt, admittedly minor (the title of the European Union), but which validates a certain progression over the fights.

Yoka, unbeaten in ten outings for the pros now, won by KO in the twelfth and final round after a series of straights and a last uppercut which knocked out the Belgian at 1:30 from the end.

"It was chambered at the weigh-in, but boxing is like that"

“It was my tenth fight, my first twelve rounds, I knew that it was an opponent against which it was necessary to use a different tactic, to advance, to chase it, to frame it, explained the 2016 Olympic champion of Rio at the microphone of Canal +.

It allowed me to work on things, because I want to be as complete as possible.

In the end, it's a victory before the limit and a nice belt ”.

Yoka wasn't fooled the day before, when his opponent tried to mentally mark him by slapping him at the weigh-in in front of his family.

“It took place yesterday at the weigh-in, now it's boxing that is like that, there has always been this adrenaline.

This little buzz, it was not done on purpose at all, the spirits were heated, but we calmed down, and the most important thing was to be present in the ring ”.

Above all, the French validate a real physical progression, one more stone to the edifice that he is building himself little by little.

“If you look at the last few years, there are quite a few heavyweight fights that have gone to the decision, or that have gone far in the rounds.

You have to be ready to do twelve rounds and not just tell yourself that you are going to take it down in 4 or 5, because if you don't have the cash register afterwards it's complicated ”.

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Boxing: Tony Yoka wins his first pros title

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Tony Yoka takes a slap during the weigh-in and promises to "fix it in the ring"

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