 |
|
‘Diamond’ Dale Westerman
|
Australia’s ‘Diamond’ Dale Westerman will face one of the biggest challenges of his professional career when he faces world ranked super middleweight Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch for the Englishman’s Commonwealth title at York Hall in Bethnal Green, England on Friday night.
But the likeable Melbournian refuses to view himself as the underdog and insists that Froch will be in for the shock of his life when they meet in centre ring as the main event of the Hennessy Sports promoted card.
“I’ve seen his last half a dozen fights and I’m not that impressed,” revealed Westerman. “I think I’ve fought better fighters than him to be honest. He’s got a good record, but gee there’s some openings there and I don’t think anyone has exposed them. Even some of the commentary on those videos says he hasn’t been tested or been hit by a puncher. I’ve been around mate and I’ve fought ’em all. I’ve had twice as much experience as this guy so I’ll be testing him.”
Froch, who is rated in the top ten by both the WBC and the WBO and the top fifteen by the WBA, already has a domestic grudge match lined up for next month against rugged Irishman Brian Magee. In a press release issued this week by Hennessey Sports the unbeaten 28-year old from Nottingham insisted he is not overlooking Westerman despite outlining his plans for 2006.
"This is going to be a big year for me," said Froch, 17-0 (13). "Within the next 12 months I want the winner of Calzaghe-Lacy, but I have to get past Westerman before I can think about other fights seriously, including my British title defence against Brian Magee.
"This is not some warm-up that I can afford to coast. This is a genuine championship defence that I’ve taken because I want to prove myself against the best challengers out there. If anything I think Westerman is a tougher opponent than Magee. My main focus has to be on him."
Since launching his comeback in 2003 after a four-and-a-half year layoff, Westerman has made a career out of upsetting his more fancied rivals. In 2004 the 36-year-old former kickboxer derailed the promising career of then unbeaten Ercument Aslan, breaking his jaw and forcing a fourth round stoppage. Westerman backed up fifteen days later to win a six round unanimous decision over the talented but inconsistent Tim Bell before dropping back down to super middleweight in an unsuccessful bid for Juarne Dowling’s Australian title.
After winning the vacant OPBF light heavyweight title from Colin Hunia in China, Westerman added the Australian 175-pound championship to his collection with a dominant win over Justin Clements on the undercard of the Robbie Peden vs Nate Campbell rematch in Melbourne. A quick trip to Japan earned him another successful title defence over two-time world challenger Yoshinori Nishizawa before he stole the show on the Ray Joval vs Shannan Taylor undercard with an action-packed tenth round stoppage of rugged Sydneysider Brett Culey in November last year.
At 6’1” Froch is one of the taller opponents Westerman has faced, but it certainly won’t be the first time he’s been at a height disadvantage.
“Nishizawa was taller than me, as was Aslan, Justin Clements, all of them,” said Westerman. “I seem to be able to work in under them and make them pay. They tend to leave their chin up and boy, does Carl Froch leave his chin up and his hands down. You can’t do that against seasoned fighters mate, they’ll knock it off. It doesn’t matter who you are.”
According to Westerman, Froch is yet to face a boxer who takes the fight to him for the duration of the contest.
“No-one has attacked with power and constant pressure, all they’ve done bits and pieces,” he said. “I tend to do that but I move well also. On the night I’m hoping to be a bit too much for him on all accounts. I can adapt in the fights whenever I need and I’ve got the ability to fight a number of styles.
“To be honest I’m surprised that Carl Froch is so highly rated with the number of opponents he’s fought with his style. But having said that, the guy has a lot of credibility and a great amateur record so he’s obviously good at what he does, but I think I can exploit it.”
A win over Froch will not only earn Westerman the Commonwealth title, but it will also force the various sanctioning bodies to seriously consider including him in their next set of ratings. And while Westerman has only had one fight at 168 pounds in the past two years, insists that the super middleweight division is the right fit for him at this stage of his career.
“I’m going to make weight easy,” he said. “I’ve been at light heavy but it wasn’t my best weight, but the OPBF gave me an opportunity and it served its purpose. I’ll start campaigning at super middleweight now, it’s my best weight. At this level, fighting top twenty, top ten fighters, you’ve got to be at your best weight to be the best you can be.”
Westerman’s late career resurgence can largely be attributed to a change in his training and diet largely thanks to nutritionist and exercise physiologist Paul Taylor at Harper’s Gym, where Westerman works as a personal trainer.
“It’s been a total attitude change,” admitted Westerman. “I would say the biggest thing with Dale Westerman is he’s changed his attitude. With that comes all the necessary changes to get to the top. Training regularly, watching what I eat, mental aptitude, just changing my how outlook on what it takes to get to the top as opposed to just punching in the paid ranks around Australia. I’ve broken that scene now and I need to embark and stamp some sort of authority on the world scene.”
While making 168 pounds is no walk in the park for Westerman, he has 24 hour access to quality dietary advice whenever he needs it.
“All I’ve been doing is listening to myself and doing the same things I tell my clients to do,” laughed Westerman. “I know a lot about food, it’s my game, so now I’m just taking a bit of my own advice.”
Tickets to the Hennessy Sports ‘East Two’ promotion on 17th February at the York Hall in Bethnal Green are available by phoning 0870 444 5556. |
|
|
|
© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2006
|
By Anthony Cocks (February 16, 2006) 
