Tammara Thibeault signs with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions

Tammara Thibeault at a media day organized by the Canadian Olympic Committee in Montreal on December 14, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi)

Quebec’s Tammara Thibeault has taken a major step in her career by becoming one of the featured boxers for Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the promotion company founded by promoter, boxer and influencer and influencer Jake Paul.

MVP, which includes Puerto Rican Amanda Serrano in its ranks, announced on Friday that Thibeault, who will make her professional debut on Friday evening, will take on Canada's Natasha Spence (8-6-2, 6 KOs), ranked 10th contender for the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title.

In this first clash, Thibeault and Spence will become the first women to fight three-minute rounds in the middleweight division at professional level.

Originally from Shawinigan, the 27-year-old boxer represented Canada at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Paris.

After reaching the quarterfinals in the 75 kg category in Tokyo in 2021, the tournament favourite in Paris was unexpectedly defeated in her first match, losing by split decision to Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba of the Refugee Olympic Team.

This defeat ended a three-year streak in which she won gold medals at the 2022 IBA World Amateur Championships, the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Pan-American Games.

Thibeault recently moved to Sheffield, England, where she is completing a master's degree in urban design and planning after earning her bachelor's degree in urban studies at Concordia University.

The gala, presented by Boxlab Promotions, will be available on DAZN.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 13, 2024.