Photo: Vincent Ethier – Steve Claggett : a “Dragon” with a “Samurai” mindset…
The final fight concludes at the Montreal Casino. On the evening of November 14, Steve Claggett, also known as the “Dragon,” has just emerged victorious by unanimous decision after an explosive yet decisive 10-round battle against Californian Miguel Madueno. The crowd cheers for him, and the announcer Patrick Lono hands him the mic.
“J’adore Montreal, it’s my favorite city to fight in, I just love it here. Merci à tous, merci à vous… à mes amis, all my friends here, I love you guys and I could not do it without you, so thank you… thank you so much!” declares the Albertan, whose use of French would make the Montreal Alouettes’ defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy proud… and likely more envious, the fans of the city’s hockey club.
Those who know him will say that the “Dragon’s” story has the air of a Hollywood script. The scene is perfect, but the script is still incomplete. “The ultimate goal is a world championship. That’s what I want. That’s why I’ve worked my whole life, and I won’t stop until I get there,” he adds, concluding an evening of work that will move him from 15th to 8th place in the world rankings.
But as an African proverb says, “To know where you are going, you must know where you come from.” So, to understand the path taken by the right-handed boxer, a journey back in time is necessary.
From ice to ring
A few weeks earlier, the “Dragon” landed in Montreal to begin the final phase of his preparation for his potential victory against “Explosivo” Madueno. At dawn during training, Punching Grace met him at the Annex of the Underdog Gym. Passing through the back staircase of the building on Henri-Bourassa Boulevard leads to the 2nd floor. On the left: the boxing gym. On the right: a large window offering a panoramic view of the lower-level ice rink. This clash is not unfamiliar to Stephen James Claggett, whose boxing story began at the age of 13, in the heart of the Crowchild Twin Arena in Calgary.
“I was a rather aggressive child […]. I was always fighting, at school, in my neighborhood, in hockey. Once, I was going to fight, but I slipped while walking on my stick, so the guy hit me several times without me being able to do anything. He got me, as they say. After that, I got kicked out of the match, and I was so angry… My parents knew it, so much so that when I came back from school the next day, my mother was waiting for me with a paper and announced, ‘I’ve enrolled you in boxing classes so you can calm down without wanting to fight elsewhere,'” he recalls.
Romantic violence
Entering the Teofista Boxing Gym, he found a passion but also a solution to his problems. “From my first training session, I loved it. For me, it was the best way to manage my anger; I could put all my energy into it.” Shortly after, in the same year, he had his first amateur fight. While the initial bursts of violence in the ring might deter some, it was quite the opposite for Steve Claggett.
“I remember, I went there thinking it was going to be like sparring, but my opponent, he came to fight. I was moving, throwing jabs, and BOOM, he hit me with a right on the nose… I started bleeding right away, and I heard his friends in the crowd saying, ‘KO in the first round!’ That’s when I got mad, stopped thinking about my technique, and started fighting. I came back in the fight and beat him,” he recounts.
“After the fight, my nose hurt, my head hurt, I hurt everywhere actually, and yet, it was worth it. I had won, and I had never felt better in my life,” he testifies about the moment he decided to become a boxer.
From troubled waters
Adding fuel to the already existing flame of the future “Dragon,” this fight was the first of a long series, leading to four provincial championship conquests and three golden gloves victories. Despite these successes, problems resurfaced and caught up with Claggett in adulthood.
“My parents said, ‘you can’t stay here if you keep this up.’ They didn’t kick me out, in the end, I just left,” he specifies, having subsequently moved in with friends at the age of 18.
Earlier that year, he had received an offer from Milan Lubovac to move into the professional ranks in Alberta with KO Boxing. Not immediately accepting it, he let the offer linger until…: “I got arrested twice in the same week, and that’s when I told myself I had to dedicate myself to boxing” he explains candidly.
Just like amateur boxing had set him on the right path during adolescence, professional boxing did the same in adulthood. Thus, at the age of 19, he finally accepted Lubovac’s offer and made his debut on September 12, 2008, in Edmonton, where he won by decision against Brandon Carlick.
The birth of the Dragon
With a few initial victories under his belt, around 2009, Claggett traveled to California to visit various local boxing gyms with friends. During a day off, while driving around in the City of Angels, one of his friends was astonished to learn that the Calgarian still didn’t have a nickname.
“He said to me, ‘you gotta have a nickname!’ so we spent the day in the car thinking about it, and he finally asked me, ‘what are your origins?’ I told him Chinese, and he replied, ‘perfect, why not the Dragon?'” recounts the man who, 15 years later, is still known by that name.
Behind this nickname is his maternal grandfather who came from China many years ago, bringing his family along. But it’s not just a nickname he incorporates into his boxing life; he also uses Chinese culture to mentally prepare for a fight. Serene amidst chaos, one can often spot the “Dragon” deeply engrossed in reading in his locker room before stepping into the ring. His favorite read – and this isn’t made up – is “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu…
Teach Me
After his first victory under the Quebec banner, the pandemic strikes. Limited by health measures, Camille Estephan’s company must organize local fights and decides to put together an all-Canadian tournament, the “Carré d’As,” involving Montrealers Junior Ulysse and Mathieu Germain, Sorel’s David Théroux, and the newcomer… Steve Claggett. Following an initial win against the pride of Sorel-Tracy, Claggett gets his chance to avenge his draw against Germain at the Hilton in Quebec City. However, in this second bout, it’s “G-Time” who manages to convince the deciding judge, thereby winning by a split decision.
This defeat leaves a bitter taste for Claggett: “He didn’t beat me because I wasn’t in shape or didn’t have enough time to prepare. That night, he truly beat me because he boxed better than I did,” describes the athlete.
Fortunately for him, one of his most important strengths is his resilience and ability to learn from his defeats. Thus, following his 7th loss—his last to date—he delved much deeper into introspection than before. “I contacted Mathieu Germain’s trainer, Mike [Moffa], and told him: ‘What you showed him against me, I want you to teach me how to do it.’
The dynamic duo
Fast-forward, 30 months minus one day after his defeat against Germain, on the evening of November 14, Steve Claggett boosts his record to 37-7-2. His partnership with Mike Moffa remains flawless, with eight victories in as many fights, including six by knockout. Approaching his 35th birthday, he even savors an 8th consecutive win for the first time in his career.
“He’s always been someone who does things his way. I noticed it when he arrived here, but for me, it’s my way or the highway… I’ve always worked that way, and I think Steve understood that my way was the right way,” explains Moffa.
“He’s a very serious guy, he doesn’t cheat. He’s not just a fit guy who applies pressure; he’s more than that. He’s talented, athletic… for me, it’s just that he didn’t learn the right technique and movements. ‘Is it too late,’ at 34 years old? No, it’s not too late because every month, he adds little things that I teach him,” Moffa adds regarding his protégé’s success.
“More than that”
If Moffa mentions that his protégé is always fit, it’s because it’s somewhat his boxer’s trademark. Laurent Poulin from Boxing Town Quebec once said, “He has lungs of steel, or maybe three lungs.” As an example, the “Dragon” once gifted himself a very special birthday present.
“A few years ago, I showed up for training on my birthday and decided to spar for 15 rounds, just like that, to prove to myself that I could do it… and I did, almost one after the other with the guys from the gym,” he recalls with an almost nostalgic smile.
But make no mistake, cardio is just one tool in his arsenal. ‘He’s got skills,’ as his trainer says, or even better, to quote his promoter, Camille Estephan, “He’s a samurai,” sharpening and refining each of his weapons.
All aboard
An eternal student of the sport, Claggett draws inspiration from the greatest. He brings a bit of the punch volume from “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, a bit of the cardio from “Sal” Sanchez, a bit of the movements from “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko, a bit of the ferocity from the legendary “Iron” Mike Tyson and creates a style that is uniquely his own. With these attributes and his broad smile, the Western “Dragon” has captured the heart of the country, from coast to coast.
For so long, he was the only one who believed, but today, he and his pack of Tigers have spread the word and are now embarking on a global conquest. “For so long, I felt like I was swimming alone at sea. Today, I feel aboard a great ship,” he testifies with gratitude.
Yes, the story is yet to be written because, as Claggett assures, “the best is yet to come.” So, while waiting for a conclusion to bring his story to the big screen, it can be seen in real-time on the small screen, streamed from Punchinggrace.com to TVA Sports or ESPN+ in the United States. Before, during, and after each fight, viewers witness a crowd cheering for the “Dragon.” This crowd that once booed him a few years ago, now applauds him, asking for more tomorrow… just like the man himself.
“When people were against me, I used that as motivation to prove a point… but being applauded and having people on your side, genuinely, it’s so much better!” concludes the son of the Stampede City, shining brighter than ever in the Quebec metropolis.
