Heavyweight champion Simon Kean retires after last defeat to Joseph Parker
On the eve of his 35th birthday, Simon Kean has decided to hang up his gloves and retire from boxing after a highly impressive amateur and professional career. His KO loss to Joseph Parker last October was the catalyst behind his final decision.
After an amateur career of 70 fights, marked by participation in the 2012 London Olympics, 25 professional fights, including 23 victories and 22 before the limit, leading him to the biggest heavyweight boxing card to date, the man nicknamed the “Grizzly” hangs up his gloves.
The Canadian turned to boxing to implement structure and discipline in a previously turbulent life. It was the beginning of a great adventure that took him on to travel to the four corners of the globe, delivered performances that made him proud, but above all, made him grow as an athlete and as a man.
Read the testimony he gave to Jonathan Roberge from Radio-Canada here
A proud competitor with a growing desire to perform at the highest level, Simon invested body and soul in boxing.
2007 marked his first major success, winning the junior championship title. Subsequently, in 2009, he stepped onto the 3rd step of the podium at the senior national championships, where he was crowned champion in 2011 and 2014.
His journey on the national stage, as a member of the Canadian team, would be punctuated by his participation in Olympic qualifications as well as obtaining his ticket to the 2012 London Olympics. Once there, he defeated highly-regarded Frenchman, Tony Yoka, before succumbing to the Kazakh giant, Ivan Dychko, thus ending his Olympic journey.
It was in 2015 that the Trifluvian heavyweight made the leap into the professional ranks with Eye of The Tiger Management where a brilliant career awaited him.
Bestowed with raw power, he scored 15 consecutive knockout victories, including the 15th, against Adam Braidwood, which left a lasting impression. Facing a crowd chanting Kean’s name, he delivered a brilliant performance against the former footballer, “The Boogeyman”. Braidwood couldn’t keep up with Kean’s relentless pace and suffered a resounding defeat. It was with immense pride that Kean victoriously greeted the crowd in Shawinigan. Four months later, the story was different as the Quebecer suffered his first career defeat against the heavy hitter Dillon Carman, who caused an upset. Once again! In the rematch between the two fighters, it was Carman who got surprised and visited the canvas in the 3rd round. He would not be able to continue and conceded victory to his rival.
With each of his performances, the Quebecer stood out even more, climbing the rankings, and being offered to fight for certain titles including the IBO Inter-Continental, NABF heavyweight, as well as the WBC Francophone, Silver, and International belts.
All his performances will have prepared him to contest major fights and cross swords with equally powerful and talented athletes. This was the case in his last fight as he faced former WBO champion and IBF, IBO, and WBA contender Joseph Parker on the biggest boxing card in the history of the heavyweight division in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately for Simon, the end was not in his favour and Parker prevailed via knockout.
Following these fights, which thrilled boxing fans in Quebec and wrote a page in the history of his sport, it is time for Simon to bid farewell and move on to other life projects.
BBN would like to wish Simon all the very best in retirement.