NARRAGANSETT, RI — Reigning IWBF world lightweight champion Jaime Clampitt was able to raise $1,320 for victims of Hurricane Katrina, both human and animal. Clampitt sold the trunks she wore in her first world title winning fight, October 31st, 2003 against Eliza Olson, on eBay for $660. The proceeds of that auction went directly to the American Red Cross.. In the process of auction, Clampitt was contacted with an offer to match that amount for a signed pair of gloves. That $660 went directly to the SPCA for help with animal relief from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
“I was hoping to raise a few hundred dollars, but the support has been great,” said Clampitt. “I have been getting emails from as far as Italy, so that shows that people all over the world are seeing the devastation and want to help.”
According to Jaime, the winner of her trunks is actually a local, John Celio of Cranston, Rhode Island.
“There was actually a bidding war going on, and it was for the better of the cause,” said Clampitt, who has a professional record of 16-3-1, 7 KO’s. “It’s great to see generous people are out there looking to help out. I was thrilled to learn that a Rhode Islander won the auction as it shows me just how much local support I have in my career.”
The offer to match the winning bid came from the Gravity Collection of California, a new film and TV production company which produces sports documentaries, and extreme sports movies for ESPN, Fox, OLN, Discovery Channel, RSN and more. Jaime chose to donate the additional money to the SPCA.
“It would break my heart to see all of the abandoned dogs on TV,” said Jaime. “I have always had pets throughout my life and now I have a great little pug Teeny, who was named after my late trainer Tiny Ricci. The thought of having Teeny or any other dog roaming the streets, abandoned without food or water is just awful.”
Clampitt leaves Wednesday for Atlantic City, New Jersey where she will be a guest speaker at the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (AAPRP) boxing medical conference at the Tropicana Casino Resort. This seminar on boxing medical safety is one of the AAPRP’s most important events. Leading ringside physicians, boxers, managers, promoters, commissioners and media from around the country will be in attendance. Amongst the topics scheduled for discussion are the use of steroids in boxing, pre-fight medical testing, infectious disease in sports, a commissioners review on mismatches, safety in women’s boxing, the use of medical compounds in cuts and a crash course on “spanish for the ringside physician.”