07-14-2022, 05:35 PM
Jerome Pampellone in line for world title shot against newly crowned Australian champion
Sam Wilson
Jerome Pampellone could be in line for a world title opportunity if he beats Joshua Francis next week.
Rising cruiserweight contender Jerome Pampellone could be in line for an unexpected world title opportunity if he wins his bout on next week's Fight for Life show in Auckland.
The unbeaten Pampellone (12-0, 6 KOs) faces Joshua Francis (12-1-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-rounder on a bill headlined by a clash between All Blacks legend Keven Mealamu and ex-Warriors star Wairangi Koopu.
And the stakes for his contest have been raised significantly by promoter Dean Lonergan, who told Stuff he is working with the IBF to ensure that a regional title is up for grabs.
That would see the winner move into the top 15 of that body's rankings and thus make them eligible for a potential shot at Australian Jai Opetaia's IBF world title.
"At the moment, it looks like we have got the IBF Australasian regional belt. That should be enough for the winner to go in the top 15," Lonergan explained.
"If they do go into the top 15, I'll probably want to get them one or two more fights to build their profile in Australia and then they will become the ideal opponent for Jai."
Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs) became Australia's first champion at the weight class when he upset Latvia's Mairis Briedis via unanimous decision at the Gold Coast Convention Centre earlier this month.
The 27-year-old had to come through adversity, suffering a broken jaw in the second round, but outboxed the favoured Briedis (28-2, 20 KOs) to get the nod on all three scorecards.
Opetaia and Pampellone are both on Lonergan's books, making a future showdown easy to make once the Australian has recovered from injury.
Lonergan felt December was a "realistic" date, giving Opetaia time to heal and Pampellone the chance to pick up a couple more wins to "get himself in a position where he could actually win the fight".
Jai Opetaia overcame a broken jaw to beat Mairis Briedis and be crowned IBF cruiserweight champion.
"I think Jerome has got 12 fights under his belt now, Joe Parker I think fought for the world title with about 16 or 17 fights under his belt, so if Jerome can be at fight No 14 or 15 by the time he fights for a world title, that will get him ready to try and win it," Lonergan said.
Under the IBF's rules, Opetaia wouldn't have to face a mandatory challenger for at least nine months, giving Lonergan ample time to make a fight with Pampellone or indeed Francis, should he pull off an upset against his fellow New Zealander next Thursday.
Pampellone and Opetaia know each other well, having sparred in the lead-up to the Australian's successful world title challenge.
Lonergan said he saw a few of the sessions and felt Pampellone had "held his own".
"I thought he went very, very well in there. I know Jai was very appreciative of the work that he gave him, as Jerome brings speed to the table.
"That was one part of the equation that was required, so I don't think Jerome, if he was to win this fight and was to fight Jai, would be overawed. I think he would be excited by the opportunity."
Trained by Isaac Peach in west Auckland, Pampellone, 25, is one of the country's leading prospects. He was an excellent amateur, losing a close split decision to Olympic bronze medallist David Nyika in 2020.
Born in London, Pampellone moved to New Zealand as a 10-year-old. He compiled a 45-7 record as an amateur and is favoured to beat Francis, a 27-year-old Aucklander who lost on debut but has reeled off 12 wins and a draw since that setback.
Promoter Dean Lonergan has big plans for leading Kiwi cruiserweight contender Jerome Pampellone.
However, Lonergan warned that Francis would be no pushover and with the added incentive of a possible world title tilt, can be expected leave it all in the ring.
"There's probably a 70, 80 or 90% chance that the winner of this fight will get a crack at Jai, assuming they win one or two fights on the way through," Lonergan said.
"What it's about is creating opportunities, and we've just created an opportunity for a young Kiwi lad. In a perfect world it will be Jerome Pampellone who gets it as opposed to 'Chucky'.
"But he's [Francis] trained by Shane Cameron, [and] Shane's a fantastic trainer. I've seen 'Chucky' fight a few times, he is exciting to watch, he comes and throws. May the best man win on July 21."
Despite the raised stakes of the fight, Lonergan had no plans to move it up to the main event of the Fight For Life card, which also features former All Blacks Carlos Spencer and Liam Messam and rising Kiwi-Russian middleweight sensation Andrei Mikhailovich.
"Obviously from a Fight for Life point of view it's always been about the big celebrities on the card, but it just makes the fights underneath it very significant.
"I've got a lot of faith in Jerome, he's fighting all over the place and at different weights. He's had some fights at heavyweight, some at light heavyweight and some at cruiserweight in the past. And he's fighting Joshua Francis at 88 kilos, which is a little bit under the cruiserweight limit, but it still registers as a cruiserweight fight.
"I'd very much like to have the winner of this fight put their hand up and say, 'yeah, I want to fight Jai Opetaia and I want to fight for a world title'."
Sam Wilson
Jerome Pampellone could be in line for a world title opportunity if he beats Joshua Francis next week.
Rising cruiserweight contender Jerome Pampellone could be in line for an unexpected world title opportunity if he wins his bout on next week's Fight for Life show in Auckland.
The unbeaten Pampellone (12-0, 6 KOs) faces Joshua Francis (12-1-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-rounder on a bill headlined by a clash between All Blacks legend Keven Mealamu and ex-Warriors star Wairangi Koopu.
And the stakes for his contest have been raised significantly by promoter Dean Lonergan, who told Stuff he is working with the IBF to ensure that a regional title is up for grabs.
That would see the winner move into the top 15 of that body's rankings and thus make them eligible for a potential shot at Australian Jai Opetaia's IBF world title.
"At the moment, it looks like we have got the IBF Australasian regional belt. That should be enough for the winner to go in the top 15," Lonergan explained.
"If they do go into the top 15, I'll probably want to get them one or two more fights to build their profile in Australia and then they will become the ideal opponent for Jai."
Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs) became Australia's first champion at the weight class when he upset Latvia's Mairis Briedis via unanimous decision at the Gold Coast Convention Centre earlier this month.
The 27-year-old had to come through adversity, suffering a broken jaw in the second round, but outboxed the favoured Briedis (28-2, 20 KOs) to get the nod on all three scorecards.
Opetaia and Pampellone are both on Lonergan's books, making a future showdown easy to make once the Australian has recovered from injury.
Lonergan felt December was a "realistic" date, giving Opetaia time to heal and Pampellone the chance to pick up a couple more wins to "get himself in a position where he could actually win the fight".
Jai Opetaia overcame a broken jaw to beat Mairis Briedis and be crowned IBF cruiserweight champion.
"I think Jerome has got 12 fights under his belt now, Joe Parker I think fought for the world title with about 16 or 17 fights under his belt, so if Jerome can be at fight No 14 or 15 by the time he fights for a world title, that will get him ready to try and win it," Lonergan said.
Under the IBF's rules, Opetaia wouldn't have to face a mandatory challenger for at least nine months, giving Lonergan ample time to make a fight with Pampellone or indeed Francis, should he pull off an upset against his fellow New Zealander next Thursday.
Pampellone and Opetaia know each other well, having sparred in the lead-up to the Australian's successful world title challenge.
Lonergan said he saw a few of the sessions and felt Pampellone had "held his own".
"I thought he went very, very well in there. I know Jai was very appreciative of the work that he gave him, as Jerome brings speed to the table.
"That was one part of the equation that was required, so I don't think Jerome, if he was to win this fight and was to fight Jai, would be overawed. I think he would be excited by the opportunity."
Trained by Isaac Peach in west Auckland, Pampellone, 25, is one of the country's leading prospects. He was an excellent amateur, losing a close split decision to Olympic bronze medallist David Nyika in 2020.
Born in London, Pampellone moved to New Zealand as a 10-year-old. He compiled a 45-7 record as an amateur and is favoured to beat Francis, a 27-year-old Aucklander who lost on debut but has reeled off 12 wins and a draw since that setback.
Promoter Dean Lonergan has big plans for leading Kiwi cruiserweight contender Jerome Pampellone.
However, Lonergan warned that Francis would be no pushover and with the added incentive of a possible world title tilt, can be expected leave it all in the ring.
"There's probably a 70, 80 or 90% chance that the winner of this fight will get a crack at Jai, assuming they win one or two fights on the way through," Lonergan said.
"What it's about is creating opportunities, and we've just created an opportunity for a young Kiwi lad. In a perfect world it will be Jerome Pampellone who gets it as opposed to 'Chucky'.
"But he's [Francis] trained by Shane Cameron, [and] Shane's a fantastic trainer. I've seen 'Chucky' fight a few times, he is exciting to watch, he comes and throws. May the best man win on July 21."
Despite the raised stakes of the fight, Lonergan had no plans to move it up to the main event of the Fight For Life card, which also features former All Blacks Carlos Spencer and Liam Messam and rising Kiwi-Russian middleweight sensation Andrei Mikhailovich.
"Obviously from a Fight for Life point of view it's always been about the big celebrities on the card, but it just makes the fights underneath it very significant.
"I've got a lot of faith in Jerome, he's fighting all over the place and at different weights. He's had some fights at heavyweight, some at light heavyweight and some at cruiserweight in the past. And he's fighting Joshua Francis at 88 kilos, which is a little bit under the cruiserweight limit, but it still registers as a cruiserweight fight.
"I'd very much like to have the winner of this fight put their hand up and say, 'yeah, I want to fight Jai Opetaia and I want to fight for a world title'."
