Returning Jamie Cox: “We ain’t rusty, we’re ready”
Swindon-Donegal super middle Jamie Cox [20(12)-0] returns to the ring after almost a year out this Saturday.
‘The Wrecking Machine’ headlines the Boxnation-screened Steve Wood show at the Bolton Whites Hotel and is looking to quickly move into title contention.
The past three years have seen Cox rack up less than six minutes of professional action. Three destructive first round knockouts, the third of which was a demolition of Ferenc Albert at the National Stadium in Dublin last November, have contributed to the 30 year old becoming one of the most avoided fighters in Britain.
With so little recent action under his belt, there would normally be a worry regarding ring rust and sharpness. However, Cox feels he is fighting fit and told Irish-Boxing.com that “I don’t worry about that [ring rust].”
“This camp we have done over 200 rounds with top level fighters. We ain’t rusty. We’re ready”
The 2006 Commonwealth gold medal winner faces Argentine Martin Fidel Rios [20(11)-9(2)-3], a solid comeback foe and an opportunity to grab a World ranking as the WBO Inter-Continental title will be on the line.
Regardless of the opposition, Cox stressed that he “can’t take nothing for granted. To me they [opponents] are all World champions and taking the food off my family’s table. I am ready and I won’t let no-one take the bread off of my family’s table.”
“I came into this game to be the best.”
Someone who struggles to entice opponents into fighting him, Cox is the subject of more than his fair share of sparring stories. The hard-hitter has begun to embrace his avoided tag, and noted how “the boxing World is small and all that matters is that the World champions know what I would do to them and have done with 16 ounce [sparring] gloves.”
“It is no accident [that he is avoided], all that matters is they know in themselves.”
Cox concluded by thanking his team, and praised “John Costello my trainer, Des Witter the conditioner. Tom Costello, John Son, Malcom Melvin, Dean Edwards, and all the lads at the gym. Frank Warren the promoter, and Jason McClory the matchmaker.”
“With their hard work and knowledge we are ready for any World champion.”
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)
