Jason Cumming – a cut above the rest.
We will find out if that’s the case as the career develops of Hartlepool’s 6-0 super-featherweight prospect.
The 22-year-old hopes to make it seven up this Saturday when he tackles Mexico’s Jorge Luis Huerta Balleza over six rounds in the Boss Boxing promotion at Rainton Arena.
Jason is known as ‘The Engine’ for his come-forward approach, which has won him a growing army of fans, but his head is as good as his body.
When in Florida at a training camp he sought out some sparring in the city of Orlando.
Cumming reached out to Geo Lopez, an unbeaten 18-0 talent with 12 KOs on his record, who is trained by his father. Razor-sharp you could describe him as, given he is a hairdresser by trade.
“His dad coaches him and from the texts I got the impression that he wasn’t that keen on me sparring his son,” Cumming told punch-lines.
“I found out where his place was and booked a haircut.
“I figured he could not say no if I was sat in his chair!
“It’s a bit cheeky I admit, but if you don’t ask you don’t know.
“We sparred on the Thursday and at the end they said ‘we need you on Monday’ so I went back.
“It’s all great experience, it’s about learning and getting better.”
Cumming is trained at Hartlepool Elite Boxing Academy, where he boxed as an amateur, and is trained by Peter Cope, Alan Temple and Wayne McCarte, his old amateur coach.
Cope is the veteran coach who was the head honcho at Gus Robinson’s gym in Hartlepool, where Temple, Nigel Wright and Peter Cope Jnr were just three of the leading operators.
Jason also benefits from the expertise and wise counsel of Paul Gough, once a well-known North-East physiotherapist, who is now one of the foremost fitness experts in the USA.
Cumming has recently returned from a stint at the Hartlepool-lad-made-good’s home in Celebration, right in the heart of Disney World.
“It was absolutely insane,” he said. “It gets better and better every time.
“It’s a different experience and I got some fantastic sparring when I was there.
“Paul is just an amazing person to be around, it’s great to get the benefit of his knowledge and just the way he lives his life.
“I’m listening and learning on a daily basis and it is such a positive atmosphere to be around.
“I love spending time with Paul and Peter and it has been part of a brilliant preparation for this fight.”
Cumming has become quite a hit, if you forgive the pun, at the Houghton venue, where he has won all six of his professional bouts in entertaining fashion.
He beat Mexican opposition last time out in April, when he had to do it the hard way against the dangerous Yahir Morales.
Jason appeared to be cruising to an emphatic points victory when he was felled by a left hook in the fifth round.
To his credit, he recovered quickly and took the fight to the boxer with TYSON emblazoned on his shorts in the final round to gain a 57-56 scoreline from referee Daniel McFarlane.
“I learned so much from that fight,” said Jason. “Even getting put down!
“I’d never been down before, not even in sparring, but I’m glad it happened. It’s really opened my eyes.
“I wasn’t hurt, he caught me when I was moving out after I’d thrown my punches and I was more off-balance than anything.
“But it showed that I need to stay switched on all the time.”
Talking about being switched on, Cumming knows not only what his band of supporters want but what fight fans love.
People love watching him because he is a come-forward, exciting boxer and those few seconds of anguish back in April will not alter that approach inside the ropes.
“Winning is what matters most, you win at all costs,” he said.
“I’m there to win, but I’m also there to entertain.
“There might be a time in my career when I have to go on the back foot at some point in a fight.
“But that will take a lot of doing! I’m a front foot fighter and I think people who watch boxing love my style. If I’m getting a bit of a reputation for my style and people are wanting to watch me then I’m happy.”
Cumming v Balleza is just one part of a bumper second Boss Boxing promotion, which has 12 bouts scheduled.
Former Northern Area champion Nathan Forrest tops the bill with a 10-rounder against Cesar Paredes, from Peru, while an eight-round domestic dust-up between Alex Farrell and Liam O’Hare caught the eye of punch-lines.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins
