'Prospect of the Year' all set for first main event on November 12

Double Continental champion Jhon Orobio handed first headlining slot

After 19 wins in as many fights and a meteoric rise through the world rankings, Jhon Orobio is ready for the next step.

On November 12, at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal, Eye of the Tiger will hand the reins of a main event to its 22-year-old Colombian prodigy for the very first time.

“I made it a point of honour to give Jhon Orobio his first main event after his last fight. 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,” said EOTTM President Camille Estephan.

Widely regarded as one of the best young talents in the sport, Jhon Orobio (19-0, 17 KO) was nominated for The Ring Magazine Prospect of the Year award in 2024 and 2025.

Already a two-time WBC and WBA continental champion at super-lightweight (140 lbs), he has won and defended his titles by demolishing Zsolt Osadan, Ivan Basurto, Xolisani Ndongeni, Yomar Alamo, Jonathan Montrel and Antonio Moran over the past 18 months alone. With 17 stoppage wins in 19 fights, an impressive 89% rate, Orobio has quickly carved out a place among the elite of his division.

At just 22 years old, the protégé of trainer Marc Ramsay is already ranked No. 7 in the world by both the WBC and WBA, while also holding the No. 12 spot in the IBF rankings.

But Orobio’s rise in Quebec has not taken place solely inside the ring. Arriving in Montréal in 2023 without speaking French, the Colombian learned the language in just three years, demonstrating his desire to fully integrate into his new home and the community that quickly embraced him.

“It is a great honour for me. 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. 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,” said the fighter known as “El Tigre.”

The co-main event will feature Lenar Perez (17-0, 15 KO), who will make a quick return to the ring after scoring one of the biggest victories of his career on September 3. That night, the WBA continental cruiserweight (200 lbs) champion stopped two-time world title challenger Thabiso Mchunu in the eighth round, becoming the first boxer to accomplish the feat since Oleksandr Usyk in 2016. Now ranked No. 4 in the world by the WBA, No. 9 by the IBF and No. 10 by the WBO, the powerful Cuban now wants to capitalize on his momentum and continue his progression toward his first world championship fight.

While Orobio and Perez look to solidify their places among the world elite, two familiar faces to Quebec boxing fans will have something very different to prove on November 12 — both to EOTTM and to themselves. Steven Butler and Erik Bazinyan will square off in a pivotal bout that could very well determine the direction of their respective careers.

“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. That being said, the final decision was Steven’s, and out of respect and honour 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,” commented Camille Estephan, who has worked with Butler since 2014.

Last June, two-time world title challenger Steven Butler (38-6-1, 32 KO) delivered a valiant performance at the legendary Madison Square Garden, where he notably sent hard-hitting New Yorker Edgar Berlanga to the canvas. But if the Montréal native wants to prove that he can keep the flame burning, his opponent, Laval’s Erik Bazinyan (32-1-1, 23 KO), will have to show that he still possesses it as well. Out of the ring since his September 2024 fight against Jaime Munguia, “Bzo” has since withdrawn from the aforementioned fight against “BangBang” on three occasions, prompting EOTTM to suspend the Armenian-born boxer. Saying that he has overcome his demons, and having displayed impeccable dedication in training over the past few months, Bazinyan now says he is ready to return stronger than ever.

The opponents for the main event and co-main event will be announced in the coming days, as will those for the undercard. The latter will include undefeated prospect Avery Martin Duval (16-0-1, 8 KO), Canadian Olympic medallist Wyatt Sanford (8-0, 4 KO), as well as EOTTM’s newest signing, Keven Beausejour (4-0, 4 KO), joined by the five-time Golden Gloves champion Nickenson Denis (2-0, 2 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 (HERE). The event will also be broadcast on Punching Grace, with its undercard airing on TVA Sports.