What to Know
- Power punching super lightweight contender Jhon Orobio will headline a fight card for the first time on November 12 in Montreal.
- The two-time Ring Magazine Prospect of the Year nominee will face an opponent to be named later.
- The fight card will also feature Eye of the Tiger Management talents Lenar Perez, Steven Butler, Eric Bazinyan, and Wyatt Sanford.
Super lightweight prospect Jhon Orobio will step into the spotlight on November 12 at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal in his first main event appearance for Eye of the Tiger.
Now 19-0 with 17 knockout wins, the Colombian-born fighter, who has learned French and quickly settled in as a Canadian favorite, will face an opponent to be named later.
“I made it a point of honor to give Jhon Orobio his first main event after his last fight,” said EOTTM President Camille Estephan. “It’s one thing for us, as promoters, to say that our boxers are the best, but in this case, it’s practically unanimous. His two nominations for The Ring Magazine awards already prove it, but I would add that after the fight against Moran, a WBC executive told me that he already believed Jhon was capable of beating anyone in the division.”
See Jhon Orobio in action.
Orobio was nominated for The Ring Magazine Prospect of the Year award in 2024 and 2025. Already a two-time WBC and WBA Continental Americas champion at super-lightweight, he has wins over Zsolt Osadan, Ivan Basurto, Xolisani Ndongeni, Yomar Alamo, Jonathan Montrel and Antonio Moran over the past 18 months. Do the math – that’s a fight every three months.
With an impressive 89% knockout rate, Orobio has quickly carved out a place among the elite of his division at age 22. Orobio is a protégé of Canadian trainer Marc Ramsay. He is currently ranked seventh in the world by both the WBC and WBA, and holds the No. 12 spot in the IBF rankings.
Orobio Embraced by the Québécois Community
Orobio came to Montréal in 2023 without speaking any French. He learned the language in just three years, demonstrating his desire to fully integrate into his new home and the community that quickly embraced him.
“The trust my team has in me is worth its weight in gold in my eyes, so I don’t intend to disappoint them, nor the Montréal public that welcomed me so warmly when I arrived here in 2023,” said Orobio. “I will continue to train hard to put on a performance that will allow me to thank them on November 12, and at the same time, prove that I am the best.”
Lenar Perez Takes Co-Main Spot
The co-main event will feature cruiserweight Lenar Perez (17-0, 15 KO). Perez makes a quick return after scoring an eighth-round stoppage win on September 3 over two-time world title challenger Thabiso Mchunu. Ranked fourth in the world by the WBA, ninth by the IBF and tenth by the WBO, the powerful Cuban wants to capitalize on his momentum and continue his progression toward his first world championship fight.
Montreal Showdown Set Between Butler and Basinyan
Two familiar faces to Quebec boxing fans have something to prove on November 12 to EOTTM and to themselves. Veterans Steven Butler and Erik Bazinyan will square off in a pivotal bout that could determine the direction of their careers.
EOTTM promoter Camille Estephan was blunt in his honest assessment of Butler, hoping he would consider retiring after a loss to Edgar Berlanga last June.
“I recently stated that I wanted to see Steven Butler retire, and I won’t hide from that. His health is, and always will be, my priority,” said Estepahn.
“That being said, the final decision was Steven’s, and out of respect and honor for everything we have accomplished together over 45 fights, I told him that if he can prove to me that he still has what it takes for one last run, I would be ready to do it alongside him.”
Butler of Montreal (38-6-1, 32 KO) delivered a valiant performance at Madison Square Garden, where he scored a knockdown against Berlanga in a losing effort. Now Butler will need to prove he can keep the flame burning against Bazinyan.
Bazinyan of Laval, Quebec (32-1-1, 23 KO) will also need to show that he’s still got something left to give boxing.
The Armenian native hasn’t fought since his September 2024 loss to Jaime Munguia. He’s turned down a fight against his stablemate Butler three times. EOTTM chose to suspend him. Now Bazinyan has few options.
Saying he has overcome his demons and has shown dedication in training over the past few months, Bazinyan says he is ready to return stronger than ever.
Also set for the undercard, with opponents to be named later, are undefeated prospect Avery Martin Duval (16-0-1, 8 KO), Olympic bronze medallist Wyatt Sanford (8-0, 4 KO), and the latest athlete signed by EOTTM, Keven Beausejour (4-0, 4 KO).
Tickets for the event featuring Jhon Orobio, Lenar Perez and the all-EOTTM showdown #ButlerBazinyan, scheduled for November 12 at Casino de Montréal, are on sale now through the Ticketmaster platform. The event will also air on Punching Grace, with its undercard on TVA Sports.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.
