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As grateful as he was to get the chance to fight this past summer, Wendy Toussaint wasn’t about to let the feat define his 2020 campaign.
The unbeaten junior middleweight has emerged as more fortunate than most as he gets to enter his third fight of a pandemic-stricken year. Toussaint does so as a considerable underdog versus Cleveland’s Charles Conwell (12-0, 9KOs), a rising prospect who represented the United States in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Their bout airs live on Showtime’s ShoBox series, Wednesday evening at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
“This is a great opportunity for me, an opportunity I accepted as soon as they offered it to me,” Toussaint (12-0, 5KOs) told BoxingScene.com. “I was just coming off of my last fight in Las Vegas (an eight-round win over Isiah Jones on August 22) when they offered me the fight. I said yes right away, I didn’t want to just stay home and not fight again.”
Remaining active has never been of concern to Toussaint, a renaissance man from the Huntington section of Long Island, New York by way of Haiti. When not preparing for a fight or even maintaining at the Academy of Boxing in Huntington Station, the 28-year old spends his days as a school bus driver while also volunteering his time with the Huntington Fire Department.
“I don’t like to stay inside, sitting around doing nothing. I like to keep moving,” notes Toussaint, whose win over Jones aired live on ESPN+. “I like helping people and doing my thing.”
Keeping busy in the ring became a focal point for his team. Toussaint is promoted by Star Boxing, who managed to secure the boxer a slot on the August 22 show headlined by their best-known client, top-rated light heavyweight contender Joe Smith who stopped former champ Eleider Alvarez in their 9th round. The event was promoted by Top Rank, while Conwell’s Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment takes the lead on Wednesday.
Still, entering as the perceived B-side and in a position to pull off the upset is far more appealing than watching from home and wondering when the next opportunity will come.
“It was my main objective for Wendy to be active,” notes Frankie Globuschutz, Toussaint’s renowned boxing manager best known as ‘Frankie G.’ in boxing circles. “I told him this was going to be his year. When COVID hit, I was afraid that we would grow a little bit stagnant. So, I did go into overdrive, got these two fights and just got him what he needed to train.
“He’s strong, he’s always in shape and is going to be a great, great champion.”
Of course, Toussaint has to continue to do his part in the ring and this time against one of the sport’s most prominent young talents.
Conwell is a -1000 favorite to emerge victorious and continue his ascension from prospect to budding contender. Toussaint has yet to land on anyone’s radar, not even after his strong showing on ESPN+ just 6 ½ weeks ago. The belief within his team is that a win on Wednesday should not only change that perception but open up even more doors to keep him in the ring and on the rise.
“Once I beat Charles Conwell, it will put me in the Top 10 and help to get even bigger fights,” believes Toussaint. “As long as I have the opportunity to fight on TV, it will be great for my career,” notes Toussaint. “More people recognize me. It’s another level. I am going to try to stay active, God willing.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox