Wilkens Mathieu Retains the NABF Title by Split Decision
Wilkens Mathieu defeated Vladimir Shishkin by split decision to retain the NABF super middleweight title. Judges Benoit Roussel and David Therien scored it 98-92 for Mathieu, Richard De Carufel had it 97-93 for Shishkin, and the fight went all 10 rounds on Thursday at Capitole de Quebec.
The bout was the co-feature on the Eye of the Tiger card that Osleys Iglesias headlined against Oliver Zaren. It streamed on DAZN in Quebec City. Mathieu got the hand and the green belt. One card still went the other way.
Mathieu, 21, moved to 17-0 with 11 knockouts. Shishkin, 35, fell to 17-3 with 11 knockouts. The Montreal fighter was at home. The Russian from Stepnoe was the man who made the scorecards arguable.
Mathieu had the clearer start. He used speed and a counter right to keep Shishkin from settling. The veteran began to close the gap in the second half, pressing forward and finding the body as Mathieu’s output slowed.
The last round brought Mathieu back into it. Shishkin was looking for a stoppage. Mathieu landed counters and heard the decision. Two judges gave him eight rounds. The third gave Shishkin seven.
That spread is the argument. A pair of 98-92 cards is a wide reading of a fight that had long stretches of pressure from the older man. De Carufel’s 97-93 was the card that matched the ringside split.
Mathieu came in off an eighth-round stoppage of Olympic silver medalist Esquiva Falcao in June at the same venue. The Ring listed him at No. 8 with the WBA.
Shishkin’s only losses before Thursday were an eighth-round stoppage against Iglesias in September 2025 and a unanimous decision to William Scull for the vacant IBF title in October 2024.
The experience did not swing two of the cards. Shishkin made Mathieu work and quieted the building in spots. He did not take the NABF belt.
Mathieu leaves Quebec City still unbeaten and still the NABF champion, with a split decision over a former world-title challenger on the record. Shishkin has a third loss and the one card that said he won. The other two sent the belt back to Mathieu.
