Spithill impressed by Bascome’s skills
Nikki Bascome possesses “incredible skills” that could potentially take him far in boxing.
This is the opinion of Jimmy Spithill, the Oracle Team USA skipper, who is impressed with the 25-year-old welterweight who has yet to be beaten as a professional.
“Nikki is very impressive and he’s got some incredible skills, that’s for sure,” Spithill said. “He has fantastic skill and is very, very fast.”
Spithill was at ringside for Bascome’s previous bout with Claude Duprier who he beat by a technical knockout after dropping the American to the canvas in the third round at Bermuda College Gym last June.
“He [Bascome] clearly outclassed the last guy,” Spithill said. “The last guy he took on was quite heavier than him, so I was impressed that he would take someone at least a couple of weight divisions heavier, which just goes to show how good Nikki is.
“He’s a real talent. He’s got the goods and I’m really looking forward to seeing him again.”
Spithill, the 2014 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year, is a boxing enthusiast and will be cheering on Bascome when he faces Mexican Pilo Reyes at the Fairmont Southampton tomorrow night.
“I think this will prove to be a tougher fight because this guy [Reyes] will probably be a bit faster than what the last guy was that he took on,” Spithill said.
“Obviously the last guy had a lot of power and Nikki’s hand speed was just all over him. But I think this time it will be a really good match.”
Reyes, meanwhile, is anticipating a tough bout, but said he believes his preparation will stand him in good stead.
“I expect that he will be ready, but like him I have prepared hard for this fight and look forward to it,” Reyes said. “My 3-0 record is important to me and I don’t plan to lose.
“I train year-round and I respect my opponent, but I feel more respect for my preparation. I am prepared and will give 150 per cent in this fight.”
Another Bermudian boxer that Spithill will be keeping close tabs on at tomorrow night is lightweight Andre Lambe who will face Canadian Shane Mello.
Lambe is among those trying out for Bermuda’s Red Bull Youth America’s Cup team that is being assisted by Oracle staff at their Dockyard base.
“I’m pretty excited to get to see him [Lambe] in action,” Spithill said. “It’s awesome that he’s getting out there because it takes a lot of discipline and a lot of courage to get into the ring in front of family and friends.
“It’s just awesome that he is taking it on. This guy is obviously a great athlete if he’s trying out for sailing and is also doing a bit of amateur boxing.
“I’m a big boxing fan and I can’t wait, it’s going to be awesome.”
Not only is Spithill a boxing fan, he also enjoys dabbling in the sport which has become an integral part of Oracle’s training routine in the lead up the team’s America’s Cup defence in 2017.
“We’ve been doing a lot of boxing and the guys love it,” he said. “We do not do any head sparring, the only sparring we do is body sparring and then the main part is a lot of pad and bag work.
“The boxing is just great for our hand-eye coordination and it’s good to get to exhaustion and then have to think. It’s just really good for the power-to-rate ratio for our athletes and we’re loving it.”