Exclusive Interview With Kim Clavel Ahead Of Her World Title Fight Vs. Bermudez
Kim Clavel will face Evelin Bermudez, the unified light flyweight champion, as the latter defends her IBF and WBO titles on October 7th, 2023.
This will be the first defense of Bermudez’s unified titles against the former champion. Bermudez initially beat Maria Guadalupe Bautist and then Debora Rengifo to secure the IBF and WBO belts, respectively. Thereafter, she would lose the belts to Yokasta Valle. But after they had become vacant, she managed to win her titles with a victory over Tania Enriquez.
In contrast, Clavel defeated Yesenia Gomez to grab the WBC light flyweight title after having turned professional in 2017. In the aftermath of that process, however, she suffered a defeat in a unification fight against Yesica Nery Plata this year. But after having suffered that loss, Clavel managed to bounce back with a victory over Naomi Arellano.
With that being said, FIGHTSPORTS caught up with Clavel for an exclusive interview.
Key Quotes
Mindset ahead of the fight: “I feel ready for that fight…It’s gonna be a big fight. I did everything I had to do for that fight. I had a really good training camp, good sparring. I know I have all the tools in my bag to become a unified champion.”
How she felt after her first loss: “That [loss to Plata] taught me a lot. Being in a world championship fight is something different. You have to be ready physically and mentally because at that level everyone is a good boxer. You have to excel in every department. Just forget about the show and just focus on winning.”
Toughest part of her journey: “That loss [against Plata] was very hard. That was the hardest part of my professional boxing career. In six months I was a world champion and then I lost my belt. That was two completely different emotions that I had to deal with.”
On the pressure: “I feel pressure of course. It’s normal when you love what you are doing. Pressure makes diamonds so I learn to deal with that pressure. It’s my dream, I choose to be there.”
What it means to win: “It would mean everything to me. Everything I did in my life was for boxing. I just loved boxing. My first motivation was for the passion of the sport…I want to open doors for little girls, [who] some day can be world champions.”
On Bermudez’s strengths: “She has a lot of character. [She] fights, does wars and is here to win. She grew up in a boxing family. She knows boxing, she knows the game. She knows what it takes to become a world champion. She’s really tall for a light flyweight. She has a good right hand. She fights until the last second. She punches hard. We have to be ready and I am.”
On her opponent’s weaknesses: “I’m not gonna talk too much about that as it’s part of the strategy. She always does the same kind of fight, but she does that very well. That’s it.”
On her own strengths: “I have the capacity to adapt to a lot of things. I will always try to find a solution for everything.”
Importance of this fight: “Each fight for me is the most important of my life. Each time it’s really important. This fight is really important since it will put me right back on the map again, on top of the world again, to make history. That fight can change my life.”
Future goals: “I would love to rematch Plata because she has the two other belts. It would be amazing to do it and to fight to have all the belts. It’s probably gonna be the next move after.”
Prediction: “It’s gonna be a hard fight. I will be [a win] by a unanimous decision. The fight will look closer than the score. It’s gonna be close and hard to judge.
Ultimate goal in boxing: “I want to unify all the belts, but now I want to make money. It’s time to make good money. I want to be healthy, have enough money to buy a house and be smart.”
Who she wants to fight in the US: “I would like to fight…Seniesa Estrada or even Marlen Esparza.”
Where And When
The main card starts at 7pm ET. Make sure you catch the fight live on FIGHTSPORTS and FIGHTSPORTS MAX in the territory’s below.
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FIGHT SPORTS MAX:
Pan-Asia-Pacific (excluding China, Australia, NZ)
India + Sub-Continent
Spain
Portugal
Belgium
Nordic/Baltic
MENA