by Dave Spencer, FightNews Canada
2009-12-11
He’ll go down as the beloved boxer ever to come out of Quebec , someone who transcended the sport and found his way into a population’s heart. An ordinary boxer with an extraordinary work-ethic, Eric Lucas turned that work into gold when beyond all odds he came back and not only won the WBC super-middleweight championship, but did so against Glenn Catley, the man who had stopped him one year previous, exactly ten years ago today.
Lucas despite achieving everything there is to in the sport and leaving the sport in good health, like so many others, just couldn’t keep away and will be returning to the ring tonight on the undercard of the Jean Pascal versus Adrian Diaconu rematch.
Fightnews had one question for local Quebec icon. Pourquoi?
The humble boxer managed to erase most of the collateral damage created from the man he succeeded as world champion, fellow Montrealer Dave Hilton, who was stripped of the title when he went to trial for sexual assault charges against him after winning the WBC belt in 2000. The image of the sport was very much tarnished with major sponsorship walking away and leaving a wound that might, if not for Lucas, have taken years and years to repair.
Lucas would go on to defend his title three times including once against Omar Shieka who had come to the city more for a coronation than a fight and returned home empty-handed without the belt.
Lucas personified what hard work was all about and when he travelled to Germany to face off against Markus Beyer, two-million viewers tuned in throughout Quebec and witnessed what they believed was a robbery.
The split decision loss to former champion set into motion what would be downfall of the giant Interbox. Months later the promotional firm would see its other champion, Leonard Dorin, lose his belt on the scales and Lucas would soon follow suit losing out on rematch with Beyer when fighting injured he could not get by the hard hitting Danny Green. The loss to Green basically spelled the end of Interbox and only through a bitter break-up would rise from the ashes and reemerge with new financing under the control of Lucas in 2004.
‘Lucas the Boxer’ had turned into ‘Lucas the Promoter’ and once again helped save boxing in the province. All the more so when Lucas’s Interbox and new rival Group Yvon Michel emerged and went head-to-head in a battle that fans were the beneficiary of. When Lucas lost to Green in 2003 it was just the 2nd was one of five cards held that calendar year in the Province, three of which would be classified in the minor variety. Two years later in 2005, no less than a staggering 34 cards were held across the province, rivaling it with only Las Vegas for number of shows held.
Lucas the promoter was soaring thanks to young hopeful named Lucian Bute making waves but Lucas the boxer was being thwarted at an attempt to close the book on a career that he was hoping to do with another shot at Beyer and a world championship. One more kick at the can was all he asked and when Beyer was not forthcoming, Mikkel Kessler was. Lucas was definitely second best that day in Denmark and when he returned to Canada retired shortly afterwards in a moving and emotional ceremony.
It seemed Lucas had done all there was to do in the sport, and at age of thirty-five, it was time to hang them up, going out with his head held high.
Now, close to four years later, Lucas is making a comeback Friday night at The Bell Centre, home of some of his greatest triumphs as he battles Roman Moyano, son to the great Carlos Monzon.
So why exactly the comeback?
“The adrenaline, the crowd, I was missing it,” said Lucas likening the situation to hockey star Guy Lafleur and countless other who felt they had a little more to give before fully saying goodbye. “Others have made it coming back and I want the chance too, it’s hard to do but it is the path I’ve decided, we’ll see if I make it Friday.
“We’ll see how it goes on Friday, we’ll see if I can take the pressure and see if I’m okay with it. After that we’ll talk to some local fighters like Demers or Alcine if everything goes well.”
Asked if it he’ll abort the comeback attempt should Friday’s fight not go to plan, Lucas leaves things to his harshest critic, trainer Stephane Larouche. “He’s harder on me than anyone, I’m going to have to impress him to go on.”
If you wish to contact the author of this article, email Dave Spencer at FightNews Canada