THE SHORT WAY
qualifier in April. The new record (improving on Lauren Price’s mark of obtaining the Ring welterweight belt in her seventh pro bout) took the boxing world by surprise, even though Thibeault, a fighter with a superb amateur pedigree, was already facing more experienced foes very early in her career. Thibeault insists that there was no plan to rush toward a title shot. “I knew I wanted to become champion soon. But it happened very naturally; it wasn’t forced,” she said. “It was just the next step, and then we took it.” But her trainer, Pearce Gudgeon, suggests that it was inevitable. “I think that after three fights, Tamm was already ranked number one, so I think it was a calculated move,” said Gudgeon, referring to Thibeault’s decision to face Australia’s two-belt titlist Desley Robinson in August after a previously scheduled bout had fallen through. “Style-wise, Desley was made for Tamm. So we always knew she could beat her. It was just about making sure Tamm performed to her best and kept a sort of composure on the big occasion.” It wasn’t only the clash of styles that benefited Thibeault in this fight. Her height (close to six feet) and her reach have also been factors in her success – though they do complicate her search to secure fights. “It’s definitely been challenging to get the right opponents,” said Thibeault. “But I also think that’s one of the reasons why things have gone so fast. We didn’t really have a choice. If I’m going to be the best, and if I want to do big things in professional boxing, then I have to take these risks.” Thibeault has no problem acknowledging that her physical frame is an advantage: “I use my attributes to the fullest. [If] I’m super tall, then I’m gonna use it. But I think it surprises people how aggressive I am [while] being so tall. They’d expect me to be a little bit more on the back foot, but I’m not. I’m pretty aggressive and pretty much a front-foot fighter.” With women’s boxing having only
will allow me to be a better all-around athlete, no matter what discipline I’m in. Whether it’s Olympic-style boxing, whether it’s professional boxing, I see them as complementary,” she said. Gudgeon agreed wholeheartedly, saying that “she’s sparring some of the best females all over the world. When she goes into camp with Team Canada, a lot of these fighters that she’s sparring who are amateur would probably beat I’d say 85% of the professional girls that she’s going to box. And she’s always constantly training. She never really has any ring rust.” It is the balancing act between both disciplines that will give Thibeault the career choices that would eventually lead to making the best decisions, according to Gudgeon. “She probably might not be as active in the professionals as maybe some would like, but it’s just about managing the styles. She’s boxing more like a professional and sitting on her shots, whereas the amateur game’s more about work rate. She adjusts well to it,” said Gudgeon. He pointed out that it’s up to Thibeault and her manager, Sean O’Toole, to come up with an 18- to 24-month plan in order to make the most out of Thibeault’s dual schedule and adjust it to her career goals. “If she becomes undisputed at 160 and then gets the Olympic gold medal [in 2028], I think that’s her Olympic dream done. She’ll never go back to the amateurs again, and then she will mainly be focusing on the pros. But we’d look to make legacy, become undisputed at 168 at some point, and strive to become one of the best middleweights ever.” With a more diplomatic approach, Thibeault agrees and hopes that the matchups will be there to complete her ambitious puzzle going forward. “We’ll see how professional boxing for women develops in the next couple of years,” she said. “But hopefully, we’ll see more talent making the transition over [to pro boxing], and hopefully women will get a chance to have the same prestige as men in professional boxing.”
Trainer Pearce Gudgeon puts the imposing Thibeault through her paces.
a small fraction of the amount of fighters per division in comparison with men’s boxing, the limited amount of fights needed to reach championship level is also a factor. But it is also for that very reason that Thibeault’s rise to championship level by any means necessary was essential in her quest to secure fights – any fights – in the future. “In professional boxing, you have to be very adaptable. You have to be able to take chances. You have to be able to take risks. I took a unified world championship in my fifth fight. It’s not something that people would normally do. I think it takes a certain amount of courage,” said Thibeault. “I think Tamm’s got the stature. She’s tall. She seems bigger than six foot. She makes middleweight quite comfortably,” added Gudgeon. “But she’s got the
ability to potentially go down to maybe get some big fights. She’s also got the size to go up to super middle and get the fights as well.” Of course, when mentioning those weights in women’s boxing, one name comes immediately into the conversation. But they both believe that the fight in question will happen only if the timing (which so far has been on Thibeault’s side) is right. “Tamm’s here to make legacy fights,” said Gudgeon when asked about a possible blockbuster fight against pound-for-pound queen Claressa Shields. “She wants to be one of the best females to – when she’s retired – to have ever boxed. I think she’s gonna maybe potentially go to 154, which I’m not saying is going to happen. It could happen if there’s a big fight there, say
time pound-for-pound glory on the line. “When it comes to Claressa Shields, I would like that fight to happen. But at the end of the day, it’s up to my promoter and my team to make it happen. I mean, I’m here. I’m always in the gym. I’m always working to get better. I’m not worried about whether that fight’s gonna happen or when it’s gonna happen. It’ll happen when the time’s right. It’ll happen when people start talking. At the end of the day, my job is to get better and to fight.” In the meantime, Thibeault is benefiting from her position in Team Canada to access world-class training and competition opportunities that help her pro career – and at no additional cost. “Being able to do both and being able to stay at the top of both I think
like Mikaela Mayer, for example. If a big opportunity comes, and we believe she could make the weight and still perform, then it would be something we’d do. However, it would have to happen in the next 12 months. I think if it hasn’t happened in the next 12 months, I see her career being at middleweight and super middleweight. And who knows? If there’s ever a big challenge at a heavier weight, then yeah, we’d look to go there as well.” Thibeault is a bit more enthusiastic about the prospect of facing the self- proclaimed GWOAT in a battle with middleweight bragging rights and all-
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