Steven Butler Survives Tough Test to Stop Fondjo

By William Dumoulin
Photo credit: Bernard Brault

Originally slated to face Erik Bazinyan, Steven Butler (37-5-1, 30 KOs) was forced to adjust his preparation and instead square off against fellow local contender Stephane Fondjo (14-2-1, 9 KOs). The late opponent switch didn’t stop him from securing a ninth-round knockout, marking his third straight win in the super-middleweight division.

But the road to that stoppage was far more difficult than expected. After being dropped in the first and third rounds, Fondjo clawed his way back into the fight and found notable success against Butler, particularly with his left hook. His performance caught Butler off guard:

“To be completely honest, he surprised me. I knew he was good, I knew he came to fight and he came to win, but not like that. I thought I was going to break him down quicker.”

Fondjo’s power forced Butler to make in-fight adjustments:

“I saw he had real punching power. I respected it and started boxing instead of just looking for the knockout. I knew my moment would come.”

With this win, Butler extends his streak to three consecutive victories at 168 pounds. What comes next for him will be interesting, as he remains a marketable name in the boxing world. A call for a major fight might come sooner than expected.

Jhon Orobio: Québec’s Top Boxing Prospect

In the evening’s co-main event, Colombian-born standout Jhon Orobio (16-0, 14 KOs) showed exactly why many consider him the best young prospect in Québec boxing. He made quick work of veteran Xolisani Ndongeni (33-8, 19 KOs), stopping him in the second round after scoring two knockdowns.

Despite being only 22 years old, Orobio already looks ready for major challenges at super-lightweight—one of the sport’s deepest divisions. His promoter, Camille Estephan, calls Orobio “the future of Québec boxing.”

Other Results

• Luis Santana (15-0, 7 KOs) earned a competitive unanimous decision (98-92, 96-94 ×2) over Pedro Manuel Gomes (13-4, 3 KOs).

• Moreno Fendero (13-0, 10 KOs) won his first scheduled 10-round bout by unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93, 96-94) against William Langston (14-5-1, 9 KOs).

• Wyatt Sanford (5-0, 2 KOs) claimed a unanimous decision victory (60-54 ×2, 59-55) over Petr Novak (3-1-1, 2 KOs).

• Daylen Pepin (1-0) picked up a unanimous decision (40-35, 39-36 ×2) against Alex Perron (2-2, 1 KO).

• Erik Israyelyan (4-0, 2 KOs) defeated Mario Esparza (2-2) by unanimous decision.