Shak blitzes late sub Karami in round two

Pitters has Karami covering up. Picture: GBM Sports

SHAKAN Pitters put the turmoil of the past days behind him to register a quick stoppage at Sheffield’s Park Arena last night.

The tall Birmingham light-heavy – still mourning the recent loss of his father, former middleweight Colin - should’ve been fighting for the European title.

Instead, he found himself in an eight rounder against late substitute Bahadur Karami, a Manchester based Iranian who has now gone 18 fights without having his hand raised in victory. Overall, Karami has won four of 32 (two draws).

Pitters took out the frustration of seeing his title opportunity slip away through no fault of his own on Karami.

The 35-year-old former British champ sized him up in the first and swept him away in the following round. He dropped Karami with a heavy right in the second, then finished the show with a salvo of body shots.

Referee Michael Alexander called a halt at two minutes 13 seconds after Pitters connected with jarring uppercuts.

It was an emphatic victory soured by the disappointments encountered in the GBM promotion’s build-up.

Shakan was to have challenged Daniel Blenda Dos Santos for his European belt, but the Frenchman failed his medical. A title replacement was found in Belgium’s Lee Ingelrest, but he failed to receive clearance from our own Board of Control.

At least, after over a year out of the ring, Pitters shed some ring rust. And he will still fight for the European title – possibly against Ingelrest on a GBM show in April.

This morning, manager Jon Pegg was contemplating what might have been. He said: “You could see how razor sharp and ready Shak was. I felt sorry for the substitute because he doesn’t usually go for an opponent like that.

“He was so sharp and relaxed and didn’t let what had happened bother him. Dos Santos would’ve been outpointed, he would’ve done a similar number on the Belgian.

“Even the referee went over to him after the fight and said, ‘I’m really sorry – you would’ve been European champion tonight’.”

Pitters said: “I could tell my shots were hurting him so I thought mixing body and head was the way to get him out of there. It would have been the same result with Dos Santos tonight, I’d have taken that EBU belt. I am on fire right now and next it’s the EBU - let’s run it, 100 per cent.”

GBM boss Izzy Asif was full of praise for the Brummie belter – and pledged he’ll get his title opportunity.

Izzy said: “He lost his father not long ago but kept disciplined and he’s made his dad proud. Testament to him. He’d have been trouble for anyone tonight. So determined, so ferocious. This was more than just a fight for him - it was a tribute to his father.

“Next week we’ll be formally announcing that Shakan will be fighting for the now-vacated EBU light-heavyweight championship in London in April. This year we’ll see him become European champion and gain a world ranking. It’s going to be a big year for Shakan.”

.