Mr. Business

JAMIE PITTMAN – He Means Business

Thirteenth ranked Aussie middleweight Jamie ‘Mr. Business’ Pittman takes on the WBA champ Felix Sturm in Germany on April 4^th. Pittman might only have 16 pro fights under his belt but this former Olympian had over one hundred amateur blues. He got ripped off in Athens by a German boxer and Jamie wants to get some revenge.

This is a pretty big opportunity isn’t it? Are you ready for this?

Yeah I believe I am. I’m hungrier than I’ve ever been and I’m improving with every session, getting strong in every session, so yeah, I really believe I am.

Are you worried about fighting in Germany? It is notorious for its hometown decisions.

I believe I’ve got a different style to the guys that have been there and been ripped off. I’ve got a very European style and it’s something I think the Germans will like, including the judges. They like boxers, they don’t like brawlers or big hitters so I’m confident I can steal the judges away from him and steal his hometown crowd away from him.

Well Sturm did get a draw in his last fight against Otis Griffin so they don’t favour him all the time.

Yeah and that was to a guy who was flatfooted and didn’t have much of a workrate and he’s American. So, you know, if he can get a draw I believe I can beat Sturm.

Has he made a mistake then, picking you out, thinking he’d have an easy fight against a young bloke with not too much experience, not a big KO record.

He’s definitely picked the wrong bloke. He’s fought one left hander in his career and the guy was slow and flatfooted and he didn’t handle him very well. I’m fast, good on my feet, got a big work rate so I think he’s chosen the hungriest middleweight in the world at the moment. I’ve got a totally different style to all those guys he fought. A very awkward style, I throw a lot of punches. I think they’re crazy, our styles clash and he doesn’t have the style to face a southpaw. He’s definitely going to run into trouble.

You mentioned being a lefty. You southpaws always get a bad name because of your style. No one wants to fight a left hander. Does that ever worry you?

It doesn’t worry me how I win a fight or how I look, long as I win.

Fair call. You’ve had an extensive amateur career, well over a hundred bouts. Does that experience help you here in the pro ranks?

Well, I’ve already been to Germany four times as an amateur. And the Olympics was a big eye opener for me. You know, nothing’s bigger than the Olympics so I’m not over awed by this fight at all.

Speaking of the Olympics, you got ripped off in Athens against a German fighter didn’t you?

Yeah, Lukas Wilascheck, he’s ranked no. 12 in the world now (supermiddleweight) and he’s actually managed by the same guy as Felix Sturm. So I’m hoping he’s at ringside so I can say, “Where’s my rematch?”

I’ve got ripped off twice with him. I fought him in his hometown two years before the Olympics and got ripped off there as well so this one is to get even with all the Germans.

Now you’re related to one of Australia’s most famous fighting families, The Sands aren’t you? Does that add pressure do you think? Trying to live up to that bloodline?

Yeah, my cousins are Richies, which is Dave Sands grandson, so it’s definitely in my blood and it’s in my blood to be world class. I guess I’ve got to back up my ancestors and fight well. You know, there was Dave Sands and Tony Mundine, two aboriginals go for middleweight titles and two of em got beat, so hopefully I’m three times lucky.

You’ve been sparring with a couple of good fighters to prepare too.

Yeah, Sakio Bika is my main sparring partner, I probably do sixteen to twenty rounds a week with him. And I’ve been sparring with another aboriginal boxer, Edgar Wymarra too who’s very fast with his hands. By the time I’ve done eight rounds with Sakio I’m tired, you know so those last four rounds it’s good to get a fresh face in front of me.

What’s it like sparring with Sakio.

There’s no such thing as sparring for Sakio, he goes hard all the time. Even walking into the gym, it’s like you’re his enemy you know and it’s only a spar!

That’s got to be good preparation for the fight.

There’s no way in hell that Sturm’s going to be as strong as Sakio. If I can go ten rounds with Sakio Bika I’ll be able to go thirty rounds with Felix Sturm.

An edited interview appears in this week's People Magazine. buy it and keep the publisher happy! (and me in work)