Blake Caparello on Sharp camp: “Our team never takes any shortcuts”

 
FORMER world title challenger Blake Caparello will face an Australian opponent for the first time in four years.

 
After cleaning out the light heavyweight division, Caparello has exclusively fought imports, with no Australian fighter will to step to the plate. The trend continued even after the Greenvale resident moved down a division.

 
However, almost two months ago former West Australian titleholder Luke Sharp accepted the call.

 
Their six round non-title fight will open the televised card after being shifted from a ten round regional title fight. This allows the fight to be televised as it was initially scheduled to take place off TV.

 
In an interview with Aus-Boxing, Caparello explains his journey down in weight as well as the slight changes he has made in camp to accommodate his extended weight cut, including a nutrition plan from Moodi Dennaoui.

 
“I’m feeling good at this weight, I have mad a few changes from my first fight at the weight,” said Caparello.

 
“My team got in touch with the man known as the ‘Diet Doctor’, Moodi Dennaoui, who put me on the right path with my eating and supplements which has made a huge difference. My camp has been great.”

 
Caparello, 29, was originally slated to face former world title challenger Andre Dirrell in the US last month, but the fight was canned after Dirrell suffered an undisclosed illness.

 
The former light heavyweight has seen this as a blessing in disguise. For this camp, Caparello has been able to carry on from the quality sparring he did with Adonis Stevenson, including work with Jeff Page Jr. and Michael Zerafa.

 
“After the quality sparring I got with Adonis Stevenson – we flew down Jeff Page Jr – we got great rounds with him,”

 
“We finished off working with Michael Zerafa and some good amateurs. Our team never takes any short cuts.”

 
Despite the initial disappointment of missing out on the Dirrell fight, Caparello (21-1-1, 6 KOs) insists he needs to focus on the task at hand and let the rest look after itself.

 
“I was obviously supposed to fight Andre Dirrell – but he pulled out – so because I was already up and going and my team got me the fight with Sharp. I don’t care who they put in front of me, I leave that unto them,”

 
“I have a job to do and I’m going to get that job done,”

 
“I can tell you that Sharp is coming to fight – and coming to win – but I’ll also tell you that sharp will tell you that I’m on another level after the fight,”

 
“My plans are simple,” he concluded. “I just want to keep winning and improving my ranking to get another shot at a world title,”

 
“I just want to keep improving as a fighter and becoming more seasoned,”

 
 
Photo: Marty Camilleri/Marty’s Knockout Photography