Jerome Pampellone in his fight against Paane Hart in April. Photosport
Jerome Pampellone in his fight against Paane Hart in April. Photosport
Jerome Pampellone, a talented light heavyweight boxer whose dream of representing New Zealand at the Olympics was dashed by Covid-19, is set to take his professional career to the next level next month.
Pampellone, 24, will headline the Sky City Fight Nights event at the Sky City theatre on July 23 in a 10-rounder against Australian Michael van Nimwegen.
It will be the first boxing event in New Zealand featuring an international fighter since Covid struck and a big step up for the undefeated Pampellone who has raced to a 7-0 record as a professional since leaving the amateur ranks last December.
Pampellone, who was born in London and moved to New Zealand with his family as a 10-year-old, fought 52 times as an amateur, with one of his most impressive performances coming in a split decision defeat to heavyweight David Nyika, another rising star in Kiwi boxing, in Taupo last October.
"He gave away 12 kilos," Pampellone's trainer Isaac Peach told the Herald. "He jumped straight up and had a crack. A lot of people thought he won and a lot of people thought David won. It was a bloody close fight. That shows how good he is."
Pampellone said: "Being able to fight someone like David was only going to make me better and knowing I was able to compete with him showed I'm on the right track. David is a good friend. We've been overseas together on the New Zealand team. As I grew as a boxer I watched him as well. It was cool being able to fight him."
Unfortunately for Pampellone, who took up boxing only five years ago to get fit for rugby and league, Covid forced the cancellation of the final Olympics qualifying tournament so the organisers switched to a points system.
"The points system started before Jerome was even boxing," Peach said. "So he missed out on a hell of a lot of points. It's crazy because he actually beat the world No2 and the No5 twice and they've qualified. We got shafted – we've tried to appeal it but … we're just concentrating on trying to make him a world champion."
That is the aim of just about every professional boxer, but Pampellone, who has signed a four-fight deal with P3 Promotions, is seen as a special talent even when compared with undefeated training partners David Light, a cruiserweight, and super welterweight Andre Mikhailovich. Light is ranked world No4 by the WBO.
"We've got one or two world class boxers in our stable and I think he's the best," Peach said. "He improves all the time. As an amateur he accomplished things that were kind of crazy considering how inexperienced he was and as a pro I've rushed him to 7-0 and now we're going to slow down and fight bigger names."
Pampellone linked with Peach because they are former West Auckland neighbours. "I had been waiting to ask him for so long and I was so nervous," Pampellone said. "I finally struck up the courage and it went from there. He welcomed me into his family."
"He just turned up and asked 'can I have a go?'," said Peach, who added: "Six months after I started training him I told everybody he was going to be a world champion… he's a freak. There are no guarantees in this sport… but he's very good. Over the next year he's going to go a long way.
"What makes him special is the way he sees the punches. It's just so natural. Not many people can get into the zone when people are trying to punch their head in. Jerome is relaxed. He just belongs in that situation."
Jerome Pampellone, right, during his win against Anthony Amouta in the Parker-Fa undercard in February. Photosport
The Sky City Friday Night Fights event will be the third edition of a concept that P3 Promotions' Nick Randell believes fills an important niche for the sport in New Zealand. The ring is set on the stage, along with 18 corporate tables and corporate box, with the 700 general admission seats allowing spectators an uninterrupted and unique view of the action. The fighters begin their ring walk from on high through what is generally a boisterous reception.
"It's an intimate, boutique, theatre-style setting which holds a great atmosphere," Randell said.
Randell said the events also provided a key platform for aspiring Kiwi professional boxers. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and tickets sold through Humanitix, a ticketing service that channels its profits into funding literacy programmes for young girls, Maori and Pasifika people and helping disadvantaged learners get equal access to digital education.
For Pampellone, who has a son, Jermaine (who turned one this week), with partner Jeaney, standing on the brink of the biggest opportunity of his career is exciting. "This is what I love to do," he said. "I'm 100 per cent committed."
