Boxing: Jerome Pampellone ready if shot at Artur Beterbiev and world title emerges

Jerome Pampellone. Photo / Photosport

One of the most menacing figures in boxing is on the radar for yet another Peach Boxing star closing in on a world title opportunity.

The gym based in the foothills of West Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges have their foot on the gas. Not only has super bantamweight Mea Motu become a world champion and David Light contested for a world cruiserweight belt, but middleweight Andrei Mikhailovich and light heavyweight Jerome Pampellone have moved themselves into title contending positions.

For the latter, last week’s Fight for Life was a statement.

A first-round stoppage of Mose Auimatagi, in a bout many expected to be more competitive, took Pampellone’s professional record to 16-0.

It could well see the IBF world No 8 jump inside the top five, with the sanctioning body set to update their rankings next week.

Pampellone’s promoter Dean Lonergan of D&L Events insists it also means the 26-year-old New Zealander is just two wins away from a shot at the IBF belt held by Russian star Artur Beterbiev.

Based in Canada since turning pro after the 2012 Olympics, 19-0 Beterbiev is boxing’s only world champion to win all his professional bouts by knockouts.

“The bigger the occasion, the harder the opponent, the better you’ll see from me,” Pampellone told the Herald on Sunday this week.

“It’s crazy what Beterbiev’s done. He’s a world champion. He’s knocked everyone out, but I know in this game everyone’s punching hard.

“If I had the opportunity to fight him, I’m going to be confident.”

They’re sentiments backed up by Isaac Peach.

The unwavering faith Peach Boxing’s head trainer has in all his charges is on full display as he talks about Pampellone’s prospects.

“I’ve had Jerome since he threw his first punch - he’s just a freak, he’s got freakish talent.

“I really want people to wake up and see this guy because this guy can be a world champion for a long time, and New Zealand’s got something really special here.

“When I say he wants Beterbiev, that’s the fight we want. I believe we will win that fight.”

Lonergan is in the process of mapping out next steps.

A fight against a top 10 opponent in a few months is in the pipeline, with the hope the IBF would rule that bout to be for their vacant No 2 position.

Win that and Pampellone likely takes on the IBF’s No 1 ranked German Michael Eifert for the right to challenge Beterbiev.

“Isaac Peach has been massive on Jerome Pampellone for a very long time, saying he’s ready to break out,” says Lonergan.

“Jerome is one of those guys who doesn’t talk too much, but he certainly does his talking in the ring.

“We’re going all out to get [to the title shot] as quickly as we possibly can for Jerome because we think he’s got the ability; he’s got the talent and he’s improving all the time.”

He’s also got one other key ingredient. True belief – a quality developed and molded in a gym where a relentless day in-day out grind has a singular purpose.

“We’ve got one goal in the gym, to win world titles. We don’t do smaller goals,’ says Peach.

“All the work is towards it and mentally that prepares them. We’ve developed a culture that no-one’s scared to fight. No one’s scared of taking that risk. No one’s scared to lose.

“I’m 100 per cent sure if I rang Jerome right now and said ‘you’re fighting Beterbiev in two months’, he’d be over the moon.”

Make his next steps in successful fashion and this rising Kiwi star might just get his wish.