HE had his head smashed in by mean fighters from the Pacific but Goulburn boxer Shaun Armitt insists he’s richer for the experience. The 28-year-old this week returned from New Caledonia with nothing but a face full of bruises after going down in his two bouts at the Oceania Games.
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While he returned empty handed, the Marulan raised fighter has no doubts his technique and drive received a boost each time his face received a blow. “It gave me a good look at some of the better fighters from around the world. I’ve got something to aim for,” he said on Thursday.
Not only did Armitt have to forgo a mountain of experience and touch of skill to his opponents, he had shed plenty of weight in he days prior to the event just to ensure he as eligible to enter the ring. or a cross section of reasons, competitors from a handful of Pacific nations withdrew at he 11th hour. he mass withdrawal left organisers with little choice but to merge the weight divisions.
Armitt, an imposing figure, had shed the pounds and weighed in at 75kg. There’s little denying it threw him off his game. “It wasn’t ideal,” he said. “I fought a really strong guy from New Zealand first up. He smashed me in the opening round but I came over the top of him in the second and third rounds. Still, he beat me on points narrowly.”
That fight set the trend for the state novice champion. As he did in his opening bout, Armitt took a battering in the opening round before storming home in the latter rounds. While he conceded his technique and experience waned a little, he felt certain had the fights gone longer than three rounds the Pacific adventure would have ended on a far brighter note. “My experience level and skill was probably down a little on theirs but my fitness levels held up well.
I felt as though I would’ve won if the fights had gone a little longer,” Armitt said on reflection. Not only did Armitt win the admiration of his trainer John Edlund, his tired opponents and the many spectators who witnessed the violent showdowns, he captured the attention of Australia’s leading boxing authorities.
Don Abnett, the head boxing coach at the Australian Institute of Sport [AIS], was full of praise for the gritty fighter. “I knew Shaun was tough. I’ve seen him dig himself out of a hole before but tonight was exceptional,” Abnett said in the wake of the opening fight.
“This was a big step up in class, that fellow he fought is very good.” Despite leaving with a busted eye, split lip and battered face, Armitt was overwhelmed by the experience. I’m very grateful. It was a great experience. The competitors from Australia and the other countries are a really good bunch of people. Our hosts were very accommodating,” he said.
With recovery and a well-earned Christmas break next up on the agenda, Shaun and his trainer John will look forward to the NSW State Championships in February. A strong showing at the Championships could be enough to book Armitt a place at the National Titles
