Rising Kiwi fighter ‘Panther’ Pampellone is stalking world title
Medina comes forward and knocks guys out. It’s a real test for Jerome and that’s what I need. Isaac Peach
In a bid to fight his way into the world title picture, Jerome Pampellone has been searching for an opportunity to prove to the world just how good he is.
Now, his team believe they have found that fight.
The Weekend Herald can confirm Pampellone, who trains at Auckland’s Peach Boxing gym, will return to the ring on December 2 against Mexican veteran Rogelio Medina (41-9) in Whanga¯rei in a fight that will test the championship credentials of the “Panther” (17-0).
Medina, a former challenger for the IBF super middleweight world title, was one of several options available for the rising Kiwi light heavyweight, but there was one main reason behind Pampellone’s team locking him in.
Medina has fought and gone the distance with some of the world’s best boxers. Five of his former opponents have held world titles — including former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant and WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez. Benavidez was the only opponent to stop Medina.
“Medina is dangerous,” Pampellone’s coach Isaac Peach told the Weekend Herald.
“Medina comes forward and knocks guys out. It’s a real test for Jerome and that’s what I need. I think he’s the perfect opponent for what Jerome needs right now. That’s what it’s about — trying to bring out the best in Jerome and prepare him for that big fight; that world title shot.”
While unbeaten through his professional career, Pampellone has been particularly devastating in his most two recent outings with back-toback finishes in the first 90sec of the fight.
“Obviously I’m expecting it to go longer,” Peach said of Pampellone’s next assignment. “Medina’s got a chin of granite. He’s seriously tough. I’m expecting Jerome to beat him up and stop him in the middle rounds, show everybody in the world how good he is and call out for those bigger names.”
Following his win over Luvuyo Sizani in August, Pampellone now features as a top-15 ranked fighter in three of the four major organisations in world boxing, including the No 7 ranking with the IBF.
“Everyone’s pricing themselves out. Medina is as good as a lot of those ranked guys so I think we’ve got the perfect opponent for this fight. We’ve got a dangerous, live opponent from Mexico who has fought five world champions.
Medina was the best option available to them as Peach said other ranked fighters were pricing themselves out of the match up, but added Medina was “as good as a lot of those ranked guys”.
A win over
Medina will send
Pampellone further down the pathway towards a world title, and Peach said he was hopeful a fight for a mandatory title challenge wasn’t too far away.
“It’s a bit of a waiting game, but we’ll keep fighting, keep getting better, and as soon as we get the chance we’ll knock [unified champion Artur] Beterbiev out. That’s the plan.”
The card in Whanga¯rei will be headlined by Pampellone’s Peach Boxing teammate Mea Motu, who will put her IBO super bantamweight world title on the line, while Lani Daniels is also booked for a defence of her IBF world heavyweight championship.