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Jamie Cox – “I’ve knocked current world champions out in the gym”

Swindon-Donegal super middleweight Jamie Cox [21(12)-0] is confident he will move into world title contention in 2017.

‘The Wrecking Machine’ fought just once last year – a bad-tempered brawl with Martin Fidel Rios – but has remained in the gym.

A well-known gym junkie, the stories of Cox’s performances in sparring are widespread, and he is confident that he is well-equipped to make the step up this year.

Cox described how “all I can do is concentrate on winning fights. All I’m interested in is my family, close friends and boxing. I’m plenty fresh. I eat no rubbish food and lead a relaxed life. I can go on until I’m 65!”

“All I can do is continue to put the work in, in the gym, and pray my promoter [Frank Warren] can deliver my chance. Even a final eliminator would be fantastic. I’m more than happy to prove myself. ”

Outlining what his path to titles could be, Cox explained that “my understanding is that I will soon re-enter the WBO rankings at around number five. Right now I’m just in training for someone…anyone. I’ll be back out in March or April.”

“[WBO champ] Gilberto Ramirez must be a very good fighter to have beaten Arthur Abraham. He’s very long limbed and I’d put him a very close second to DeGale but I’m confident I can destroy him.”

It’s not just Ramirez however, with Cox stressing that “I don’t care in the slightest which world champion they get for me; pick a name out of the hat. If any world champion and any location is put to me, they know my answer. No names but I’ve knocked current world champions out in the gym. I know Frank has approached the champions but they’ve all flatly refused.”

“I’m on the tail of each and every one of them. I’m ready for whoever. It’s the world champions who keep turning me down. I’m in a stuck in the mud situation and it’s driving me crazy!”

“I’m in the game to be nasty, smash people up, hurt ‘em, knock people out.”

In terms of Cox’s sparring stories, the Wiltshire fighter is known to have sparred both WBC champ Badou Jack and IBF beltholder James DeGale, who fought to a majority draw in a unification bout at the weekend. The vacant WBA title looks set to be contested by former champion Fedor Chudinov and three-time challenger George Groves.

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

Joe O’Neill and Gavan Casey look ahead to 2017 in episode 1 of The Irish Boxing Show

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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