By Per Ake Persson: When I first spoke with Jamie Cox 18 months ago he was a 5-0 prospect signed with Sports Network and considered one of the best bets for the future in British Boxing. Based in Swindon and trained by Paddy Fitzpatrick he´s now 12-0 and an establised force on the scene closing in on the big fights. All should be well but isn´t: -I was signed to Sports Network but that company is now under administration. I´m sure it will be worked out, it´s nice to have some time off but I can´t say right now when I fight next.
Cox´s last fight was in Swindon July 24 where he outscored Hungarian Janos Petrovics over eight. -He was very tough, it was a good learning fight for me. I hit him with everything, he didn´t go down but I kept boxing him, says Jamie.
Boxing News described Jamie´s boxing as “poetry in motion”.
The same kind words couldn´t be heard when Cox stopped Mark Lloyd in eight after a somewhat wild and messy fight.
-I lost my cool, admits Jamie, I had been cut in sparring and my trainer told me not to go through with the fight but I did. The cut opened up already in the first after a headbutt from him and I lost it. As I floored him I I made a gesture as if I would kick him but of course I didn´t mean to, it was just frustration, I´m not like that at all.
Cox vs Lloyd was originally scheduled as a eliminator for the British title but ended up as non-title eight-rounder with Cox winning on a tko in the last round after dominating the fight most of the way. Jamie needed four stitches to close the cut.
Close to two years as a pro have taught Jamie Cox a lot: -Pro boxing is a tough game, it´s mentally very hard. I´ve learned a lot though, I can go eight rounds easily. I´m ready to move up. Paddy, my trainer, have been very good for me. He´s great on the pads. We got good sparring here too. I´ve grown into welter now but at 5ft11 I can fight at jr middle as well. I would love to try it out in the US as well.
On the upcoming Kell Brooks vs Michael Jennings British title fight Jamie isn´t as sure as most people seems to be about Brooks winning. -Michael moves so well, he´s been twelve rounds many times, got a lot of experience. Kell is slower but very relaxed is in his boxing, more powerful. He´s of course the favourite but don´t count Jennings out.
As for his goals Jamie is as certain as ever: -British title then on to a World title, if a shot at the EBU belt comes along the way that´s fine too. British, European and World champion, that´s it!
Cox 12-0 ledger includes some of the usual suspects on the British shores such as Billy Smith (twice) and his brother Ernie but while most are forced to go the distance with these durable, capable spoilers Jamie have in fact stopped Billy Smith and knocked out Ernie. -Well, I´m over fighting that kind of opponents, says Jamie, I want the big fights now!
Check out jamiecoxpro.com for an update on Jamie Cox, a bona fide prospect – and we´ll see down the road how far he goes..
Jamie trains at the Boxing Academy in Swindon, check it out at theboxingacademy.com