Jim Watt is delighted to see Jamie Moore put his frustrations behind him and get a shot at the European title.
European title tilt long overdue, says Jim
It may look as if Jamie Moore's career has stalled recently, but you've got to feel sorry for him.
For so long he has being trying to organise a European title fight but for one reason or another it has not happened. I am sure the fight has been made at least three times, only for Zaurbek Baysangurov to pull out and then of course, Jamie himself got injured.
It's a pity because he has cleared up the domestic scene and has never been one to duck an opponent, it's just that he hasn't had the chance to move his career on.
But he has now and I hope he is boxing as well as he was a year ago, because Michele Piccirillo is a tough opponent to be taking on.
I suppose the one good thing is he doesn't have to go to Italy and has home advantage - although we in Britain never seem to make that count nearly as much as the rest of the world.
We have seen Piccirillo beat Michael Jones - who Moore has fought twice - by controlling the fight and proving too experienced for him and there is no doubt he is a cagey fighter.
Pressure
But I happen to think he is the perfect opponent for Moore. The last thing you want to let the Italian do is set the pace, dictate the fight and he won't be able to counter-punch Piccirillo and that will suit Moore. He has to put pressure on him and has got to get to him and make him work - Piccirillo is 40 after all.
That is the way Moore normally boxes and although the Italian has all the experience in the world and is a decent fighter, whenever he has stepped up into world class he has been beaten, and beaten well.
He did beat Cory Spinks for the IBF title back in 2002 but lost it in an immediate rematch and has since lost widely to Ricardo Mayorga (points) and Vernon Forrest (TKO11); had those been close, you might worry a little for Jamie.
My biggest concern for Moore is where he's at. Like I say, up to a year ago he was boxing well, boxing with confidence and looking ready to step up in class.
Whether, after all the recent frustrations, he still has that same edge, we don't know. If he has then he should come through this. I would have liked to have seen him have a little warm-up fight first having not boxed since July, but it's the same for Piccirillo and he's nearly 40!
Old-fashioned
I am not too bothered, however, about the performance from Moore because all he needs is the win here. I like the old-fashioned way of winning the European title because it does give you a ranking with the WBC. He is already number nine and winning this would do him the power of good.
Much like Rendall Munroe, there are decent fights out there at European level, but what he really needs to bring a world-title chance closer is a decent-named American.
They tried to get Sechew Powell before and he is just the sort of fighter that would help Jamie make a name for himself in the United States.
Looking at the list of champions in that division, there are not many you'd pick to take on here and now and certainly none you would see coming over here at this moment in time.
Paul Williams is still in there and a man no-one wants to fight; Vernon Forrest we all know and Sergeii Dzinziruk is unbeaten, and the last thing you would want is going over to Germany to take him on!
Moore is not getting any younger at 30 and doesn't want to be leaving it too much longer.
Of course, he has to beat Piccorillo first and I think he will. The Italian is hard to stop, but it doesn't matter if this goes to points. All Moore needs is that European title he has waited so long for.
