For Nicolas AICARDI in the under 70 kg category, his journey after the pool rounds ended in a tie-breaker in Nantes with a superb fight against the Marseillais A. FREMONT. For last year’s two finalists, Fradj OULED MILED in the under 60 kg category and Yves REYNAUD in the under 80 kg category, both failed in the quarter-finals. Fradj was narrowly defeated by the 2009 junior world champion Ozkan KYRIUK after an intensely fought bout. As for Yves, despite his determination, he couldn’t find a solution against the experienced Kader BENZINIA and logically bowed out.
All hopes of the club then rested on Thomas BESSON, in the under 85 kg category, one of the youngest in this Elite A championship. A pure product of NICE BOXING, where he started Savate with Frank MAY at the age of 11, Thomas has steadily climbed all the ranks with three titles as vice champion of France Esperance and junior categories. Despite his defeat in the pool round in Strasbourg against the reigning world champion Slimane SISSOKO, his performance did not go unnoticed and suggested a promising journey.
Qualified for the semi-finals, Thomas faced Nabil FAJARI, a member of Ulys in the Paris region, and the favorite of this championship.
There was no observation round for these two tough competitors, and from the outset of the fight, the Parisian wanted to assert his rank and status as the favorite by going for the hard hits. But the Niçois was not intimidated and showed incredible toughness against the pounding blows both from Fajari’s feet and fists, responding powerfully.
The Parisian still kept the pressure on and was slightly ahead at the end of the first of the five scheduled rounds.
During the rest minute, Frank MAY asked Tom to advance and push his opponent a bit, which he did from the start of the second round. It was then that the dramatic turn of events occurred. On a feint from BESSON’s front arm, followed by a back leg whipping kick, the Parisian attempted a rotational dodge, but his head too low and forward hit the knee of the Niçois and he also received a kick to the body. Fajari, severely hit, collapsed for the count.
The judges declared Thomas BESSON the winner by knockout, qualifying him for the final of the 2010 Elite French Championship.
For Frank MAY, the Niçois coach: “This victory could have left a bitter taste if Tom or the judges had made a mistake. But that’s not the case, the only error was committed by Nabil and the video confirms it. Thomas BESSON will compete in the final and will face his opponent from the final of the French Tournament and the 2007 World Champion, the Nord-pas-de-Calais native Mike LAMBRET, a member of the Pôle France in Paris, for a new challenge and a new war of left-handers.”
Join us on May 29th in Montpellier or Nîmes for Thomas BESSON and the NICE BOXING Team Frank MAY as they prepare for an explosive final.
Article taken from the Portail des Sports Nice Côte d’Azur
