Jamie Moore: I Want to Make a Statement by Terry Dooley Apr 12th 2007

BBN had been scheduled to join Jamie Moore for his final day of training ahead of his Friday the thirteenth showdown with Sebastian Andres Lujan. A scheduled visit from the Queen threw public transport into turmoil so BBN trekked on foot to Oliver Harrison's Salford gym. This long walk was a good opportunity to reflect on the nature of boxing and boxers – in this case Moore. Last Saturday's increasingly infamous promotion has left many a lover of boxing feeling gloomy yet for BBN it underlined one of the charms of the sport. Following boxing is a little like suffering from manic depression; deep troughs of turpitude and despair followed by periods of jubilation and joy, a cycle that is repeated endlessly. If last weekend was a dip in the mood of boxing – a dip that has lead to some borderline schadenfreude – this weekend has the potential to be an uplifting episode for British boxing. For this writer this weekend will showcase a fighter, Jamie Moore, who generates a healthy amount of goodwill amongst all involved in boxing. Moore copped a shoulder injury straight off his win over British rival Matthew Macklin yet bounced back in March with a win over Mugurel Sebe. Jamie was then hoping for a showdown with highly rated American Sechew Powell only for Powell to pull-out of a potential showdown citing a fear of the judges, a fear of a loss at the hands of Moore may also have been a factor. Therefore Lujan has stepped into the breach and in recent years Andres has stepped into the ring against some solid operators. So the upshot is that Jamie will not be plucking punches at the Sechew and instead faces a tough Argentine over twelve rounds here in Manchester. As BBN watched Jamie go through his paces the fighter confided that, to his way of thinking, Powell had not fancied the task of meeting him. On BBN's first meeting with Moore this writer had sensed that beneath his friendly air there is a deep-rooted will to win in Jamie. You can see it in his eyes and it easy to imagine that in the ring there is something in Jamie that is like biting down on tinfoil, a toughness that has earned him the plaudits that have flown his way. After Jamie had finished his session he stayed behind to discuss the fight with BBN. BBN: Hello Jamie, how did you feel when the opponent had to be switched, were you disappointed? Jamie Moore: “I was at first but I think I've got as good an opponent as you can get at short notice. I'm probably a bit happier about this one because style-wise it makes for a better fight and he won't be as negative as Powell.” BBN: Your team have found you a good opponent at short notice yet you must be disappointed Powell did not come over here. JM: “Course I am yes. Powell decided not to come over and we wanted a good name in the division so when they came back with Lujan I was over the moon.” BBN: You have done your stint at British level so do you feel you deserve this chance to test yourself at a higher level? JM: “Exactly. I've been saying that for eighteen months. I want to move up to international level and this kid has fought in world-class so it is a good yardstick and it will be a tough test for me. If I can do a proper number on the kid it is going to put me right up in the world-ratings.” BBN: Would you like a stoppage if possible? JM: “I never look for the stoppage I just go and do my job and my style is basically that I am a good box-fighter who can fight at a pace. More often than not I can force a stoppage by the sustained beating I put on people and hopefully I can get the stoppage and make a statement. But the statement is making sure that I get a good win whether it is by stoppage or points over the twelve rounds.” BBN: Lujan is a good test. JM: “This lad fought Margarito and gave him a tough fight and fought a draw with Kotai for the IBO world title and most people gave him that so like I say he is world-class. I want to prove to people that I'm world-class as well.” BBN: Are you at a tricky stage of your career right now in terms of getting the type of fights you want? JM: “Well yeah I'm at that funny stage where I'm just getting on the fringe of world-class and people aren't really willing to fight me (at the higher level).” “There are people who do want to fight me so it just a matter of finding them. We found Lujan and I think it is going to be a cracking fight while it lasts.” BBN: How is the sparring going? JM: “Fantastic I've been sparring with Mark (Thompson) and Alex (Matvienko) so it has been great, it couldn't have gone better really. I carried on training after Sebe and that fight was just a warm-up for this one really. It has all set me in good stead and I feel I'm peaking at just the right time.” BBN: In your last fight the opponent spoiled a little, was that good preparation for some of the canny fighters you get at the level you are aiming for? JM: “Yeah, I mean obviously these lads operate in world-class and when you fight at that level you have to be able to spoil a bit at times in the fight. A lot of these world-class fighters know a lot of tricks and I'm prepared for that now.” “I showed it last time with Sebe when I knew what he was trying to do and he (then) realised how experienced I was because I didn't get frustrated and throw wild-swings to try and take him out. I stayed composed and broke him down and got the win. I didn't look outstanding doing it but I didn't look bad and that is the main thing.” BBN: Will this fight answer some questions about your ability to go further up the ladder? JM: “It should do. Going off the people Lujan has been in with and how he has been tested at that level if I win it should let the governing bodies know that I am a good fighter and it should send me up the rankings.” BBN: Would you like to go over and fight in the USA at some point this year? JM: “Yes. Last year I should have been going to America and for one reason or another it never came off. Powell was saying he didn't want to come over here in case he got a bad decision so there is no problem – I'll go over there and fight him.” “I could go over there and get the bad decision but I don't think it will happen because I'm confident I can stop him and even if it did go to points I'm confident I would beat him on points anywhere.” BBN: Do you think Powell was worrying too much about the judges? JM: “I don't think it was as much to do with the judging over here it was more to do with him not being confident and if he felt confident enough to come over here and do a real number on me then he would have been over here.” “The money was decent and it just goes to show that he wasn't confident in himself and he used the judging as an excuse. As I said I'm happy to go over there and prove him wrong about the judges.” BBN: Are you saying you are ready to fight any fighter at this level? JM: “Course, not just Powell but any of that sort of fighter, Ishe Smith - who gave Powell a good fight - and Sergio Martinez - who I have been mentioning for the last two years - are on the list. Martinez came over here and beat two of our lads in Britain and I don't like that so I want to get him over here, or anywhere, and show the lads how to beat him.” BBN: The accolades coming your way lately paint you as the fighter's fighter and a similar fighter in attitude to Nigel Benn, is that flattering for you? JM: “Course. I'm a massive Nigel Benn fan too and some of what he had has obviously rubbed-off on me. Benn had a massive heart and I like to think I have a massive heart and you can't teach that so maybe that is why I have such a fascination with Benn.” “I'm there to entertain people and if people compare me to Nigel they must enjoy my fights which I'm over the moon about.” BBN: You do entertain and go to war but in many ways you fought a cautious war against Macklin by blocking shots and drawing his sting, is your boxing intelligence a big part of your style? JM: “I think that is part of my skill because I can box on the back-foot and give ground but not in a negative way. I coax people out and draw the lead then counter them and that makes it exciting. It goes to show that you can box on the back-foot and not make it a bad fight and that is what I try to do. That is part of my appeal and hopefully I can build on that as I move up the rankings.” “I hope to get a lot of fans in Britain behind me and push on for a world-title fight. If you think where I was two years ago with the injuries and the DQ (against Michael Jones) then to be in this position, well I think it is a testament to my belief in myself. “It is a bit of a Rocky story really as I went from the verge of seeing my career in tatters to being on the verge of the world top ten so if I can go that extra mile and win a world-title for Britain then I will have made a good story out of my career.” BBN: You must be happy after welcoming a new baby into your family. JM: “Yeah, I've got my little girl now. I'm missing the quality time with both my kids and it's not nice to do all the training and miss out on your kids growing up but it is part of the job and as soon as I've achieved what I want to do I can get out and enjoy my life.” Hopefully tomorrow night Jamie will box a tight fight without worrying about stopping Lujan. This is a tough fight and there are rewards for both men yet for Jamie in particular it represents a chance to measure himself against a guy who has had the type of fights Jamie craves. Home advantage will be a massive benefit; the Altrincham leisure centre crowd will cheer on their man all the way. Stifling heat within the arena may also play a part as a hot weekend is forecast. As discussed above Jamie has developed a controlled warring style and this should be enough to guile him to a point's win or a late stoppage. Tickets will be available on the door for any boxing depressives in need of a welcome boost.

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