Alexis Barrière Heads into the Lion’s Den

INSIDE THE MATCHMAKER’S EYE
By Vincent Morin

Heavyweight Alexis Barrière (12-0-0, 10 KOs) from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu may have fallen short of qualifying for the Olympic Games last year, but his next outing offers him a major platform for exposure. On June 14, he’ll step into the ring at the world-famous Madison Square Garden in New York, fighting on the undercard of the world title bout between George Kambosos Jr. and Richardson Hitchins, broadcast live on DAZN.

It’s a massive opportunity—but one that comes with equally high stakes. The southpaw, trained by Marc-André Gauthier and Javan “Sugar” Hill, will take on another unbeaten fighter: American Robert Hines (14-0-1, 8 KOs), with the WBC Continental Americas title on the line.

Could the reigning Canadian heavyweight champion be just weeks away from adding a second pro belt to his collection?

Barrière vs. Hines: The Breakdown

Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Hines shares a number of similarities with his Quebec-born opponent. He’s a former national amateur champion, a tall southpaw, and also 29 years old.

At 6’6”, Hines stands two inches taller than Barrière. But like his rival, he’s had to contend with inactivity—he hasn’t fought in over a year.

Hines’ amateur résumé is no joke, with wins over Fernely Feliz Jr. and Sonny Conto on his way to claiming the 2018 U.S. National Golden Gloves title. However, his eight-round draw in December 2022 against journeyman Haleman Olguin raised eyebrows and cast doubts over his progression—and possibly his dedication to training. Since then, Hines has bounced back with two decision wins over regional-level opposition.

June 14 will mark Hines’ first 10-round fight. To date, he’s only gone the distance in eight-round bouts twice.

As for Barrière, he’s also had to navigate a stretch of inactivity. However, he’s stayed sharp as a sparring partner for Tyson Fury ahead of both of the Brit’s recent clashes with Oleksandr Usyk, logging quality rounds in the gym under the guidance of Sugar Hill, the nephew of legendary trainer Emanuel Steward. Barrière will wrap up training camp in Florida under Hill’s watchful eye.

Barrière last fought on February 28 at Gatineau’s Casino du Lac-Leamy, where he turned heads with a sixth-round TKO over tough Mexican slugger Ubaldo Illagor Resendiz, in a bout broadcast on DAZN. That fight marked his return to the pro ranks after a brief detour with Team Canada, where he impressed at the national Olympic trials in December 2023, winning all three of his fights with ease. He later advanced to the finals of the World Olympic Qualifiers in Italy this past March, picking up wins over top-tier opponents—Armenia’s Davit Chaloyan and Ecuador’s Gerlon Congo—before dropping a close decision to France’s Djamili Aboudou Moindze.

Interestingly, all three of Barrière’s opponents in Italy went on to qualify for the Paris Olympics. Moindze, the man who ended Barrière’s Olympic dream, even claimed a bronze medal.

June 14 will be a true test of Barrière’s progress since that heartbreak. It will be just the second 10-rounder of his career—and so far, he’s never gone beyond eight.

First Quebecer at MSG Since Lemieux

The last Quebec fighter to appear at Madison Square Garden was Montreal’s David Lemieux in October 2015. He was stopped in the eighth round by Kazakh superstar Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin in a middleweight title unification bout (IBF, WBA, WBC, IBO).

That night, Lemieux found himself in too deep against one of the sport’s pound-for-pound elites.

While Hines is nowhere near Golovkin’s level, he should still provide a legitimate measuring stick for Barrière’s potential.

A showdown between two undefeated southpaws, with similar age and experience, has all the makings of a compelling matchup—on paper, at least.

Since neither fighter has yet gone the full 10 rounds, conditioning will likely be the deciding factor if it goes deep. And that’s where Barrière could shine—his superior fitness and better footwork may give him the edge.

This is a true pick-’em fight, one that could swing either way. On June 14, we’ll find out if Barrière is ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple… once he’s thrown into the lion’s den.