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• Its an aural extravaganza – the sound of F1 cars breaking from 300 to 60kph, thumping down through the gears, locking a wheel, and roaring off again down the Casino Straight – all to a background track of a few thousand buoyant fans is deafening. The other great benefit of these seats is their proximity to the metro station.
• The Canadian Grand Prix is located in the thriving metropolitan city of Montreal, offering an abundance of entertainment both on and off the track. The circuit itself is designed to include a wide range of breath-taking corners and straights, providing spectators with great views of the drivers handling ability of their vehicles.

Silverstone has announced today that it will be renaming its famous International Pits Straight to honour Lewis Hamilton’s outstanding achievements following his seventh Formula 1 World Championship title win. This section of the circuit, which is flanked by the Silverstone Wing, will become known as Hamilton Straight and is the only part of the world-famous.

Every year at this time, Montreal hosts the F1 Grand Prix race, and it represents the unofficial kick-off of summer in The Fight City. And, as is often the case on Grand Prix weekend, fight fans got a Grand Prix treat on Saturday night with a seven-bout card from Groupe Yvon Michel at the Montreal Casino. This year the show featured super middleweight contender Shakeel “The Jamaican Juggernaut” Phinn (21-2-1) as he took on Elio German Rafael of Argentina (15-3) in a bout Shak could not afford to lose.

This was a big opportunity for Montreal’s Phinn as both the IBF North American and NABF belts were on the line. But despite Rafael being several years older at 34, it was Shak who had the experience advantage going into this bout, having accumulated 126 rounds as a pro compared to 90 for the Argentinean, testament to how well Shak’s career has been guided by Ian MacKillop. In the end, that experience and the ability to bring the pressure to bear in the late going got Shak the big win he was looking for.

Phinn started off slowly, staying patient in an attempt to figure out Rafael’s unorthodox rhythm. Rafael has an awkward style, bouncing in and out with his hands down and flicking out punches from odd angles, and he continued to cause problems for Shak in round two. But by the fourth Phinn had found his range and timing as he landed a number of hard rights and left hooks that snapped Rafael’s head back.

And just as this writer was starting to become bewildered with the lack of a body attack on Shak’s part, the Montrealer shifted his assault to Rafael’s midsection in round six and soon enough several flush body blows had the Argentinean in trouble. Phinn punctuated the round with a hard right hand that sent his foe to the canvas, but Rafael beat the count and was saved from further punishment by the bell.

From that point on Phinn was in control as Rafael was tagged more and more frequently with flush shots. But despite the punishment, he showed great heart, never ceasing to fight back and push for the victory. However, he just didn’t have the power to discourage Phinn and Shak’s relentless pressure took its toll, with Rafael visibly fatiguing in rounds seven and eight.

Rafael and Phinn rumble.

Phinn intensified his attack in the ninth, pinning Rafael to the ropes and landing flurries of heavy shots. A big left hook sent Rafael’s eyes rolling back but he showed his tremendous chin and warrior spirit to stay upright and keep fighting back to the end of the round. In turn, Shak showed his determination to get the finish as he kept unloading in the final round, eventually scoring a huge right hand that froze Rafael. Shak poured it on and threw everything he had until he put his opponent down for the second time. Rafael beat the count but a follow-up onslaught had him helpless and the referee finally ended the match.

It was an emphatic victory for the rising super middleweight contender, but one that Shak clearly had to work hard for. Rafael undoubtedly deserves credit for being such a game and tough foe, a fact not lost on Phinn as he was quick to give credit to his opponent after the contest.

“Honestly, I think after the knockdown in the sixth, I rate my performance very good, maybe an eight out of ten,” said Shak. “But in the beginning it was just difficult to find my range and my timing against such an awkward southpaw. He gave me problems with his jumping in with weird angles, which made it hard to find my timing with the jab. But I can’t take away how tough he was. He’s fought against some of the best guys in the world so I’m happy I could give him his first stoppage loss just to show everybody I can still punch.”

Shak was admirably objective and honest in assessing his performance and he knows there’s still work to be done.

“I give myself a ‘B-plus,'” said the charismatic contender. “I want to get back in the gym and just work more on using my jab, finding my punches and just being more loose. I was a little bit too tight and loading up too much. I think I could have finished it earlier if I would’ve just put my shots together a little better. If I had started the way I finished, I could have made it an easier fight for myself.”

Mackillop was pleased with his charge’s performance, pointing to the stylistic challenge that his opponent Rafael presented. “I thought it was his best performance to date, definitely. He showed us something against this awkward, tough opponent who had never been stopped, a guy who just lost a majority decision to Marco Periban. For Shak to go in there and stop this guy the way he did shows he’s ready for the upper echelon at 168.”

But while both fighter and trainer believe they are ready to take the next steps up the ladder, they also know there is still room for development.

“Give me a couple more fights against some tougher opponents to build me up,” said Shak. “Because I know I can shake up the guys at the championship level. Maybe two or three building fights to reach that level.”

Phinn gives Rafael his props after the bout.

Mackillop is clearly on the same page: “I’m in no rush because Shak is still a baby in the sport of boxing. He’s going into his eighth year, amateur and pro combined. All the guys he’s fighting are at their peaks while Shak’s still at about seventy percent. So he’s getting better and better each time out. And he’s got a long shelf life because he didn’t have any of the amateur abuse. He’s still fresh as a daisy.”

With Shak taking a big step forward with this hard-fought victory, I am curious to see what decisions MacKillop and Groupe Yvon Michel now make. Even though, as MacKillop says, Shak is still young in the sport, he’s also 28-years-old and the clock is ticking. For what it’s worth, it’s the opinion of this observer that he needs to face and vanquish nothing but serious, world-ranked contenders from this point forward as he closes in on a shot at a world title.

The undercard of Saturday night’s “Grand Prix” show featured several competitive contests, with local GYM fighters getting valuable experience against game foes. In the co-main, Wilfrid “Free Boy” Seyi (5-0), the 2016 Rio Olympian and Cameroon flag-bearer, stopped tough Polish foe Bartosz Barczysnki (2-2) in three rounds. Seyi showed mobility and fluid upper body movement to avoid incoming punches, while countering with sharp blows. I was impressed with his poise, as well as his finishing instincts after he had his opponent hurt. Seyi is definitely a prospect to keep a close eye on going forward.

Seyi strides to a neutral corner as Barczysnki tries to rise.

Terry Osias (9-0) of Longeuil, Quebec won a hard-fought unanimous decision over awkward Argentinean opponent, Maximiliano Agustin Corso (6-4-1). Osias scored a first round knockdown and landed the sharper punches throughout, especially to the body, but Corso showed enough craft and movement to make it difficult for Osias to land clean consistently.

Whitney Baille (8-0) of Laval, Quebec won a unanimous decision against Julian Mendo (6-3-1) of Mexico. Mendo’s aggressive, bull-rushing style made it a rough and tumble affair, forcing the referee to work hard. Baille was definitely the more skilled fighter, as he showed solid footwork from the southpaw stance as well as the ability to counter effectively. And he also showed necessary grit in the last round, surviving to the final bell after getting rocked twice.

Baille (right) is now 8-0.

Jessica Camara (5-1) of Montreal earned a majority decision over Dalila Velazquez of Mexico in a fight I thought she lost. While Camara’s punches were sharper, it was Velazaquez who dictated where the fight took place and was consistently more active, throwing many sharp body shots on the inside. It was a very close fight, so not a robbery by any stretch, but Camara had to work tirelessly to earn the decision.

Roodsy Vincent (3-1) of Montreal scored a mild upset over Dwayne Durel (6-3) of Laval by majority decision in another hard-fought contest. Vincent was quicker and more athletic and beat Durel to the punch time and time again. He threw more combinations, while Durel threw single shots and just didn’t let his hands go enough.

Durel (left) and Vincent rumble.

Finally, Marie-Pier Houle (1-0), a training partner of Marie-Eve Dicaire, scored a decision win in her pro debut over Maria Guadalupe Duran of Mexico. Good match-up to start her career, as Houle was forced to work against a game opponent and got some quality rounds in. — Jamie Rebner

Photos by Ariane Théberge.

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• Timeline
• 2002 to date
• 1996-2001
• 1994-95
• 1991-93
• 1988-90
• 1979-86
• 1978

2002 to date

• Grand Prix Circuit

  2.710 miles / 4.361 km

Circuit Info

Address: 2170 Pierre-Dupuy Avenue, Office 100, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3R4

PH: +1 514-350-4731

Circuit type: Temporary closed road course

Website:http://www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca

Circuit History

One of the most relaxed and enjoyable race meetings on the calendar, the Canadian GP has found its long-term home in Montréal, on a circuit now named after the nation's favourite driver, Gilles Villeneuve.

In fact, it was Villeneuve who provided the fans with a fairytale debut victory on the first running of the race in 1978. It was perhaps inevitable the the Circuit Notre-Dame would be renamed in Villeneuve's honour after his untimely death in 1982.

But it was not with motorsport in mind that the man-made island in the St Lawrence Seaway was originally constructed; it was created instead as a venue for Expo '67. The futuristic parkland setting included one of Buckminster Fuller's first domes (remnants of which remain to this day) and a lagoon in the centre.

When Expo vacated in 1968, the site struggled on for years as a standing collection of international pavilions known as 'Man and His World.' However, as attendance declined, the physical condition of the site deteriorated, and less and less of it was open to the public. However, for the 1976 Olympics, a rowing strip was created alongside and roads were built connecting the various points on the island.

When the Olympics finished, the island had only a short period of inactivity, as Canadian motorsport needed a new venue for its premier race - and driver - as Mosport havd become unsuitable for modern F1 cars.

The Ile Notre-Dame was thus prepared in double-quick time to a design by Roger Peart for the penultimate race of the '78 season. A capacity crowd, which included Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, was thus able to spur Gilles onto victory.

Genrally popular with the drivers, the circuit was given a few modifications in time for the 1979 to remove initial complaints. Characterised by twisty sections joined by high-speed straights and tight hairpins, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is certainly a test of endurance and braking for the cars.

Initially, the pits were located directly after the hairpin at the northern end of the course, with temporary structures leaving the teams exposed to the elements. A lull in activities in 1987 caused by a dispute between sponsors Labatt's and Molson allowed time for a circuit upgrade and new pit facilities to be built further around the lap, while the corners before the Island hairpin were 'smoothed' to form a longer pit straight.

Further modifications to the final chicane before the new pits were conducted after Derek Warwick crashed heavily during practice for the 1988 race. In 1994 and 1995, in the heightened safety consciousness post-Senna's death, a temporary chicane was inserted before the Casino curves, making use of what was the exit tarmac for the original pitlane. More major changes came with the removal of the sweepers on the back straight altogether and further reprofiling of the final chicane - which has certainly proved to be a corner that 'bites', as messers Hill, Villeneuve and Schumacher have demonstrated in recent years! In fact, the chicance is now usually referred to as 'Champion's Corner'...

Other significant changes came in 2002, with a modification of the pit lane exit into Turn 1, which had itself had seen greater runoff installed. The Turn 10 hairpin was also taken further back towards the Turn 8/9 chicane, allowing a tarmac runoff to be used instead of gravel. The wall at the infamous Turn 15 'Champion's Corner' has also been moved further back and a rubber-belted tyre wall added.

Circuit Gilles Villenueve has earned a relatively unique distinction, in being one of the few circuits to hosts both Formula One, ChampCar, Grand Am and NASCAR races ion the same layout, providing an interesting comparison between the various formulae. Bewtwen 2002 and 2006 it was the turn of the ChampCars to take up the second race meeting slot, whereas from 2007 the NASCAR Busch/Nationwide Series held a double card event with Grand Am's Rolex Series. From 2013 the circuit has reverted to being a Formula One host only.

Getting There

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on Île Notre-Dame in central Montreal. The nearest airport is Pierre Elliott-Trudeau International Airport. From the terminal, you can reach the downtown core in less than 20 minutes. Shuttle buses, taxis and limousines, service all major downtown hotels from the airport. On Grand Prix weekends, there is no parking on the island itself and spaces are in short supply in the downtown areas near to the circuit. Racegoers are strongly advised to make use of Montreal's public transport network. Plan a 40-minute subway ride if you are departing from the North End of Montreal, a 25-minute ride from any downtown station and 15 minutes from the South Shore (Longueuil Station). By buying your transport tickets in advance for your return trip at the end of the event, you will avoid queues at fare vending machines and metro fare collectors.

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