Boxer Michael Eifert meets veteran Jean Pascal in Canada next week. The 25-year-old gets the finishing touches in unfamiliar surroundings.
03/10/2023 | Status: 5:15 a.m
Boxer Michael Eifert got the finishing touches for his biggest fight to date in the Bavarian Forest. In the middle of the densely forested low mountain range, Eifert and his trainer Ali Celik worked on strength and condition for three weeks. “I feel good, my form is good. Now the long wait is finally over,” says Eifert.
Eifert competes in the IBF Eliminator fight
On the night of March 16/17, the 25-year-old from Kempten meets 40-year-old Jean Pascal in the Place Bell multi-purpose arena in Laval, Canada (province of Quebec). The duel against the Canadian is advertised as an “eliminator fight” by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) – the winner could then face the reigning IBF light heavyweight world champion, Artur Beterbiev (39). Russia line up
Eifert planned 120 hours of sparring in preparation
While Eifert was preparing in the Bavarian Forest and most recently on the grounds of the Ses boxing stables in Magdeburg, Pascal was drawn to Miami for the final training sessions. “We’ll see where the preparation was ultimately better,” says Eifert’s coach Ali Celik smiling. It is clear that both boxers are ready for their clash. During the sparring – 120 rounds were planned in total – Eifert got a cut over his nose, but that doesn’t cause any problems anymore. On the other hand, Pascal has recovered from his Covid disease, because of which the fight was postponed to March.
Up to 10,000 spectators could follow the duel against Pascal
The hall in which Eifert meets Pascal on the night of March 17 (between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. German time) can hold up to 10,000 spectators. It will be the most important fight so far for the native of Bautzen, who flew to Montreal on Thursday. In the coming days, in addition to light gymnastics training, there will be appointments with the promoters, such as press conferences and public training. “I need a day or two to get used to the time change,” says Eifert. “During the training camp, we often trained in the early hours of the morning. to prepare the body for the unfamiliar time of day.”
Michael Eifert wants to win his twelfth professional win
Before the flight to Canada, the 25-year-old made a relaxed impression and tried a comparison from his school days: “We are positively tense. It’s like before a homework – we have prepared intensively, on Thursday it will be serious.” Eifert goes into his 13th professional fight with “a hot heart and a cool head”. So far he has won eleven duels (four of them by KO). Pascal has 36 wins from 43 fights.
