Shak faces mystery puncher from India
Shakan Pitters…fights at the Excelsior Club on September 28
FORMER British light-heavyweight champ Shakan Pitters takes a step into the unknown at Cannock’s plush Excelsior Sporting Club on Thursday, September 28.
The towering Birmingham fighter faces a mystery man in the form of India’s Kartik Kumar who makes his UK debut at Scott Murray’s black tie venue. They meet over six rounds.
The 22-year-old is unbeaten and can evidently bang: three of his four victories have come by stoppage. Kumar will, therefore, come with ambition and belief.
But the opposition has been very short on inexperience. Russia’s Maxim Reyter, outpointed by Kumar over four rounds in Shimla last June, was having only his second outing.
Add to the mix, Shakan is taking part in his first sporting club engagement and you have the ingredients for an intriguing night.
Kumar, however, has performed at a level way, way below Pitters and may be simply bamboozled by what’s before him. Shak’s ramrod jab may puncture Kumar’s confidence very early on.
Pitters, unbeaten and near untouchable, appeared to have the world at his feet before being stopped by Craig Richards in the first defence of his Lonsdale Belt. Last year he gave Dan Azeez, now European champ, a very hard fight in an unsuccessful bid to reclaim his old title. Those are the only losses on a 20 bout record.
For Shakan, who is making waves outside the ring as a model, September 28 is an exercise in staying sharp.
“It’s about staying busy,” said the 34-year-old. “I have nothing against dinner shows, but it’s the first and probably last time I’ll be on one.
“I don’t believe I’m better than anyone else, but I want to be back headlining on big TV shows. There are other good Birmingham boxers coming through and seeing me operate on the show (the Excelsior) will, hopefully, help them.”
Shakan, who has a seven-year-old daughter, insists the hunger is still there, that he’s wiser and better for the setbacks.
“I don’t let what’s happening outside the ring distract me,” he said. “I know I’m a good fighter. If you beat me, you have to be something special.”
Is Kumar something special? There’s nothing on his record to suggest so and, therefore, his first experience of a British ring may prove a painful one.