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Axeman eyes 2019 reunion - Boxer could reunite with former manager

Published:Tuesday | November 13, 2018 | 12:00 AMLeroy Brown/Gleaner Writer
Walters

The possibility of 32 year-old Nicholas "The Axeman" Walters and his former mentor and manager Jacques Deschamps renewing their partnership in 2019, is real.

This was disclosed at the weekend when the Gleaner spoke to both parties, and pointed to the fact that November 25 this year, will mark two years since Walters, who is the former World Boxing Association (WBA) Featherweight Super Champion, had a fight.

Walters, who has been in Jamaica for a few weeks training with his father Job Walters, leaves the island this week for his base in Panama, and when The Gleaner caught up with him in Montego Bay, he said that one of the main reasons he was in Jamaica, was to get in some well needed training, and especially some running, as his plans were to get back into the ring early next year and resume his dormant career.

"I took some time off to get myself together, but I have to get back into the ring next year and try to win a title again. I must have three fights next year and I have to win convincingly to get back into the ratings," he said.

He pointed to the fact that he had received some offers, but was not in any condition to fight at this time.

"My weight is up, I am about 154 pounds now, and I would like to have a fight at 135 pounds. To get there I have to do a lot of running, as that is what you have to do most, to lose weight. After that I would then try for two good fights at 130, and when I win those, I would be able to get myself in line for a title shot based on my record as a former champion" he said. Walters has a 26-1-1 record.

The former WBA champion revealed he was without a manager at this time and disclosed that although he had not had any recent dialogue with Deschamps, who took him from being a raw amateur to become a Super Champion, conceded that there was a possibility of a reunion.

 

NO HARD FEELINGS

 

"When I left, there were no hard feelings, I just believed that I could handle my own affairs better. I would be willing to get back with him, if we can work out a good business relationship" he added.

Deschamps told The Gleaner that although he was very disappointed with how Walters had ended their successful partnership, " the door is open, and if he makes an approach I will listen to what he has to say. I promised him when we started, that I would make him into a three- division world champion, and he was well on the way. He is the one who ended it. He still has time to do so, if his career is handled properly. It is up to him."

The two parted ways shortly after Walters expressed dissatisfaction with the financial package for his fight with Nonito Donaire, a former Super Champion whom he defeated by a sixth round technical knockout on October 18, 2014. Deschamps had calculated for that fight, that a win over Donaire would have boosted Walters' stocks appreciably, so the purse money then was not the primary goal. Deschamps' calculation was correct, because after scoring that victory, the WBA named Walters a Super champion, thereby boosting his bargaining power.

Walters however, walked away from Deschamps, and in his next fight against Manuel Marriaga, he lost his WBA featherweight title on the scale when he came in a pound overweight. He nevertheless won that fight. He next fought to a draw against Jason Sosa on December 19, 2015. After nearly a year without a fight, he then took a World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Super Featherweight fight against boxing prodigy Vasyl Lomachenko, on November 26, 2016, and after being outclassed, retired at the end of round seven. He has not fought since.

 

Nicholas 'Axeman' Walters

 

Height 170 cm

Reach 185 cm

Age 32

Fights 28

Wins 26

KOs 21

Losses 1

Draws 1