|
UPDATE: Result changed to
No-Contest on December 27, 2017
due to doping violation by
Lallemand. Da Costa Reinstated
as champion.
With only six professional
fights under her belt, against
limited opposition, 25-year-old
Justine Lallemand was considered
the underdog on Saturday night,
October 28, when she challenged
for the World Boxing Federation
(WBF) Womens World Light
Flyweight title against French
compatriot and reigning champion
Anne Sophie Da Costa.
But, on a show promoted by CSNA
Boxe at the Salle Polyvalente de
Mon Idee in Auvillers Les
Forges, Lallemand appeared
unfazed by any pressure and
boxed a near perfect fight
against the much more
experienced and accomplished
titlist.
With fast combinations to both
head and body, and some
perfectly timed uppercuts,
Lallemand at times made it an
uneven fight. However, Da Costa
(35) had no intentions of giving
up her world title without a
hard fight, and gave it
everything she had despite the
onslaught coming her way.
Da Costa had some good moments
in rounds five and seven, but in
the rest of the fight she was
struggling badly and at times
appeared hurt and unsteady on
her legs. Lallemand was just far
superior, and made and
extraordinary impression as she
gatecrashed the world scene.
As the bell sounded to end the
tenth and final round, there was
no doubt that the crowd had
witnessed a changing of the
guard. Judges Bertrand Chagnoux
and Mohamed Hireche agreed on
98-92 scores in favour of
Lallemand, while Judge
Christophe Hembert had it
slightly closer at 97-93.
The new World Champion extended
her unblemished professional
record to 7-0 (1), and there
will unquestionably be many more
outstanding performances to come
from Justine Lallemand in the
future. Da Costa, also a former
WBF World Strawweight Champion,
drops to 24-3 (11).
|
