In his Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) debut, former world kickboxing champion, Jonathan Giovanni Di Bella (2-0, 1 KOs), squares off against experienced Mexican bantamweight Lamberto Macias (16-8-1, 12KOs) in the eight-round main event on Thursday, September 7, at Montreal Casino.
Di Bella, a 26-year-old with an impeccable track record in combat sports, whether in amateur boxing (6-0), pro kickboxing (11-0), or pro boxing, steps into the ring for his third pro boxing fight. He brings momentum from his knockout victory over Jesus Velazquez (3-3, 2 KOs) in his last outing in July 2022 at the Montreal Casino.
Macias enters this fight off the back of a 10-round decision loss to Carlos Cuadras (40-5-1, 27 KOs), the former WBA world champion currently ranked No. 5 in the world by the WBC.
The co-main event features Canadian light heavyweight Terry Osias (12-0, 6 KOs), known for his swift victories, needing just two rounds in each of her last two fights. Osias will meet Abraham Hernandez Meja (9-5-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round duel. This fight marks Osias’s 12th appearance at Montreal Casino.
Promoter Lou DiBella’s protégé, Steven Rolls (22-2, 12 KOs) of Toronto, will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) North American middleweight title against Sladan Janjanin (36-15, 25 KOs) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a 10-round bout.
The impressive fight card also includes world welterweight contender Marie-Pier Houle (8-1-1, 2KO), ranked No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Houle will be back in the ring for the first time since her notable performance against world champion Sandy Ryan last April in Cardiff, Wales. Houle is set to take on skilled super lightweight Cindy Reyes Espinoza (4-1) in an eight-round showdown.
Adding to the star-studded lineup, the multitalented Caroline Veyre (4-0) will compete in her fifth fight in under a year. She’s slated to face off against Karina Travieso “The Relentless” Chavez (5-1) in an eight-round bout.
Montreal light heavyweight Abed Almoty El Safadi (4-0, 1KO) going toe-to-toe with Dylan Rushton (3-9-2, 4 KOs) in a four-round bout. Meanwhile, light heavyweight Mohamed Zawadi (6-1, 5 KOs), promoted by Lee Baxter, will face off against Edison Demaj (10-2, 5 KOs) of Germany, in a six-round clash.
Di Bella’s journey began under his father’s tutelage at the tender age of two. Trained by Angelo Di Bella, a two-time world kickboxing champion, Jonathan’s first kickboxing fight was at age 10, with his first professional fight taking place the following year. He has fought all over North America, including the iconic Madison Square Garden. Known throughout Quebec and the United States, Di Bella has served as a training partner for many boxers, including several world champions. Despite receiving offers from other boxing promoters, Di Bella chose GYM for his career path.