‘Losing is just not an option’
Rozicki, Whitall ready for Saturday’s pro fight card
As Ryan Rozicki and Steve Whitall exchange jabs at Thunder Boxing, it’s not hard to tell the two sparring partners don’t go easy on each other.
“I can’t thank him enough. He pushes me in the gym,” Rozicki said of Whitall. “He’s got unbelievable counterpunching ability, so I can’t afford to make mistakes with him. Every punch I throw has to be sharp and on point, or he’ll let you know that it wasn’t.”
They were preparing for Saturday’s professional fight card at Centre 200, a night of boxing that’s being billed as the first pro card held in Cape Breton in close to 30 years.
“Thunder” Rozicki of Sydney Forks, 22, who sports a 3-0 professional record, will tangle with Kristof Demendi of Slovakia. Demendi, 25, is the No. 3-ranked fighter in his class in his home
country, and has a 10-3 record with six knockouts.
“He’ll be my most dangerous opponent yet,” Rozicki said of Demendi. “He’s got twice as many knockouts as I have fights alone. He’s done more rounds in one fight than I have in my whole (pro) career.
“He’s got all the tools to stop me in my tracks, but as long as we follow the game plan, and the support I get, I know everybody is coming to see me win, so losing is just not an option.”
Rozicki’s coach, Glen Williams,
said the local fans are in for a surprise when his fighter hits the ring.
“We’ve been focusing on his balance, his control and his patience in the ring,” he said. “He’s a totally different fighter from where he was even a year ago.”
Whitall will make his boxing debut, but he’s far from being a rookie. The 31-year-old from Eskasoni is a former Atlantic Canadian kickboxing champion and has competed in the sport off and on for the past 22 years. He made his pro debut in July.
“It’s going to be a different mindset for me,” said Whitall, a coach at his family-run Whitall’s Martial Arts in Sydney. “When I’m in trouble, if my upper body gets tired, I usually go to my legs. I know I can’t do that in this one, or I’ll be disqualified.
“I think everything’s going to go great. I’m pretty comfortable with my hands now.”
Much like Whitall, opponent Nick Naccarato of Ontario comes from a mixed martial arts background.
“I think it’s going to be a good matchup, but I still think it’s going to be an early night for him, though,” said Whitall.
Saturday’s fights begin at 7 p.m. General tickets are available by calling the Centre 200 box office at 902-564-2200 or online at tickets.capebreton.ca. Ringside/table tickets are available by calling 902-304-6493 or 902-565-2025.