Jamie Pittman looks to a big 2013 - Interview By Daniel Smart, Doghouse Boxing (Dec 17, 2012)
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To listen to the full interview with Jamie Pittman, conducted by Daniel Smart - Press play on the video player above.
I
recently caught up with world ranked Australian super middleweight and
former WBA middleweight title challenger, Jamie “Mr.Business” Pittman
and spoke about his elite amateur career, his title challenge to Felix
Sturm in 2008, his renewed enthusiasm through his close friendship with
world champ Daniel Geale, and his big plans for 2013. Jamie
Pittman is an interesting story. The man from the NSW central coast
town of Gosford, is a relaxed and personable character, who speaks with
pride about his career to date and his close friendship with IBF
middleweight champ Daniel Geale and how that has changed his career. For
those in the boxing fraternity, the name Jamie Pittman has been
synonymous with talent and possibility for well over a decade. Clocking
up an impressive 111 wins out of 137 amateur bouts, en route to three
Oceania titles, three Australian titles, six state titles, and the
prestigious honour of captaining the Australian Boxing team at the 2004
Athens Olympic Games, Pittman has been one of the country’s greatest
amateur fighters of all time. He has fought some of the very best at
amateur level, 3 world champions in fact, Jean Pascal, Gennady Golovkin,
and his good mate, Daniel Geale. Whilst we were on the Geale subject, this came up…
“I
was looking for a new direction in my career and I rang and spoke with
Daniel (Geale) and Bill Treacy and was encouraged to come down to the
Grange (Boxing Gym based in Sydney, Australia) and try my luck there. I
was having some problems personally and the change done me the world of
good, we are a really close team down at the Grange and have some of the
best coaches in the world.”
Back in 2008, Pittman challenged then WBA middleweight champion, Felix Sturm in Germany, only to lose by 7th round KO. What was interesting to note was it was only Pittman’s 16th professional fight and the Australian admits that he was somewhat caught up in a false sense of security.
“Looking
back, having the 15 fights I had up until the Sturm fight, I was
sweeping through everyone up until that fight. I just thought to myself,
I’m gonna win this fight, these guys won’t know what hit them, I might
have been the only one.”
Outside
the ring, Pittman has a big heart. Before he went full time in his
career, he was working for the Department of Children’s Services in his
hometown of Gosford. Jamie was a foster carer for children who are either without parents or with special needs.
"Some
of these kids have had it very tough, they've had a bad upbringing,"
Pittman said. "Some have been sexually abused and others physically
abused – my job is to help rebuild those children.
"I
tell them at 15 or 16 they are still young enough to finish their
schooling and that they can still make something of their lives."
After
injury, fight cancellations, amongst other things, “Mr. Business” is
returning to the ring after 18 months on the undercard of Daniel Geale v
Anthony Mundine on January 30th in Sydney against the strong and talented Zac Awad.
One
feels, after all Pittman has endured of late in and out of the ring,
that this is going to be a tough night for his opponent. Pittman is a
renowned training fanatic, and feels at ease and is finally in a good
place in all aspects of his life.
“I
am really looking forward to 2013, I am really happy personally, and I
try not to put too much pressure on myself anymore. Never felt better,
it’s time to do the business.”
Headlining the undercard
with Pittman, is unbeaten featherweight prospect, Joel Brunker who is
slated to take on the world’s first openly gay boxer, Orlando Cruz of
Puerto Rico in a world title eliminator. Also
taking place on the card is Australian Olympian and indigenous boxer,
Damien Hooper, who will make his long awaited pro debut. Hooper was a
Quarter-Finalist at the 2011 World Championships and was eliminated in
the second round of the 2012 Olympic Games in London by eventual winner
Egor Mekhontsev.
The fight is available on Optus, Austar, and Foxtel subscribers in Australia on Main Event PPV .
-- Questions? Comments? Contact Daniel Smart: bellebelle78@yahoo.com.au
--
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