RIVAN CESAIRE ON FACING CHALLENGES, BEING THE BEST IN AUSTRALIA

By Aus-Boxing.com

IN many ways, Rivan Cesaire is an emperor without a throne.
The Cameroon native, who relocated to Melbourne shortly after the 2006 Commonwealth Games has held the Australian welterweight title for the best part of two years. In this time, he has only been challenged once.
This all changes on Saturday night when Cesaire (13-5-1, 3 KOs) makes his second title defence against talented former Olympian and Australian title challenger Todd Kidd (12-2-2, 6 KOs) at Brisbane’s Fortitude Stadium.
Cesaire and Kidd previously met in 2011, with Cesaire unanimously outscoring the credentialed Kidd in Melbourne.
The ten-round title defence will be Cesaire’s first appearance in 19 months, having been idle since outscoring Paddy Murphy in 2014. The 31-year-old admits it has been frustrating sitting the sidelines through no fault of his own.
“It’s been difficult for me to get a fight, I don’t know why,” said Cesaire. “I’ve just been training and keeping fit.”
“I just train hard – and I do what my trainer says – and look forward to fight night.”
Having fought so infrequently, Cesaire acknowledges that it is difficult to see where his next challenge will come from. But if he successfully defends his title for a second time against Kidd, Cesaire has someone in mind.
“I don’t like to judge people but I really want to fight Cameron Hammond,” he added. “I feel he hasn’t fought the best in Australia. I feel if he fought me it would be a good test for him and it would be a good test for me as well,”
“He would be a good challenge. He needs a good test like me to see where he is at.”
When speaking to the proud Melburnian, it is easy to see that he takes great pride in holding the national title. But with one eye on future challenges ahead, Cesaire believes that fighting abroad may be an option.
With no sponsors of financial backing, Cesaire understands that when he fights, he is brought in as an opponent.
“The Australian title means a lot to me,” he quipped. “I’m champion of Australia; it’s great being champion of where you live I’m very proud, but my ultimate goal has always been to be a world champion,”
“I just need to have someone to get behind me who can take me up there. I don’t have any sponsors. If I had sponsors it would help. I’m studying at the moment and working part time as a fitter and turner.”
“I’ve stopped working to concentrate on training. Once the fight is over I’ll return back to work.”
“If I win this fight I really hope my next fight will be overseas. I just want a chance to prove to the world that they have someone special here from Australia.”
Cesaire’s trainer Sam de Moor has echoed his fighters thoughts about fighting abroad, providing they score their first win as a team on Saturday night.
“Rivan is pleased he has been able to secure this upcoming Australian title fight against Todd Kidd through Steve Deller,” said de Moor. “Since then, he has been training hard. He’s had plenty of padwork and of sparring.”
“He really is a world-class fighter and he should really be a main event fighter,”
“We just can’t get a fight that’s the trouble. If we could get a fight overseas we’d take it,”
“We had a fight lined up in America last year and it fell through. They probably looked up his record and didn’t want to fight him, it’s heartbreaking. We’ll fight anyone in Australia who wants to put us up.”