Exclusive: Shakan Pitters Won't Be Rushed into Ben Whittaker Fight

Towering talent, Shakan Pitters (19-2, 6KOs), was all set to challenge for the vacant European light-heavyweight title against the champion Daniel Blenda Dos Santos until his opponent and his title were removed from the fight with just 48 hours to go!

Pitters was bidding to become the first European light-heavyweight champion from his home city of Birmingham but the chance to create history was cruelly denied just days before.

Fortunately for him, a last-minute, stand-in opponent was found in unbeaten Belgian Lee Ingelrest (12-0-1, 4KOs) who will now headline at a sold-out Canon Medical Arena, live on DAZN.

At the pre-fight press conference another bombshell was dropped when Shakan revealed his beloved father passed away, just weeks ago on January 15th, which is news that he kept to himself while he juggled his grief along with his determination to continue his training for a fight he now proudly dedicates to the memory of his dad.

‘Shak’ spoke exclusively to SportsBoom in the middle of fight week all about his dad and his family’s extensive sporting history, his next fight and stand-in opponent, and also attempted to delve a little into his future plans in boxing.

Destiny’s Child

Born in Solihull, Birmingham, on July 31, 1989, it was clear from a young age that Shakan Pitters was destined to be a sports star, boxing from the age of just six-years-old with his father and brothers, and playing football at a high level too.

As an amateur, the youngster won the Redditch Box Cup, two Midlands titles, and reached the National ABA semi-finals twice. Shak boxed out of Second City ABC with coach, Paddy Farrell, but also had his dad to assist with training too.

Colin Pitters, was a professional boxer during the 90s, who took WBC World super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall the distance over eight rounds.

Known to his fans as ‘Shaka Dan’, his beloved father sadly passed away in January this year after falling ill in December. Shakan spoke emotionally about how his dad was the biggest influence and inspiration for him growing up, although he wasn’t permitted to box at first.

“I wouldn't be here if it wasnt for him. He's the man who taught me how to throw my first jab. This is the first fight week I've not been able to share with my dad, which is obviously a bit demoralising, but we're a strong family and we'll get this through this. No matter what, we're winning this title [on April 4] is in his honour.”

Also a father himself, Shakan revealed why he wasn't initially allowed to fight, “My dad allowed me to do the boxing training, but he never allowed me to actually have a fight, even though I was not even sure I wanted to, he didn’t allow me to; he just said stick to football. So I think that choice was out of my hands then.”

Naturally athletic with boxing in his blood, it seems like Shak was designed to be a sports star, whether that was in a pair of football boots or boxing gloves.

“I always believed it, from when I was playing football, that I knew that my destiny was to do something within sports; obviously football was my dream and that’s where I wanted to end up, but it just happened that a gift that my dad taught myself and my brothers ended up being the one that took me the furthest.

“Football, I done well. I was on the books at West Brom FC, but obviously boxing has taken me a lot further.

“My dad taught me and my brothers everything I know. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t know how to throw a jab, I wouldn’t know anything.

“He was fighting professionally on TV, and he was a very successful trainer. He started off with the likes of Matthew Macklin, Sid Razak, James McKinley.”

One of his brothers represented England, but it was only Shak who took up boxing professionally.

“Me and my brothers, any of us could have been in this position, they’re all good, they all know how to use their hands, but I just stayed on it, and that’s the only difference.

“I just worked on what my dad taught us, then with Paul Counihan. My first coach was Paddy Farrell from Second City, I had a lot of my amateur bouts with him; then, obviously, as a pro, I linked up with Paul Counihan, who added to my game and has done a good job.”

Shak now trains with Paul Counihan in the bustling East Side Boxing Gym in Birmingham, who is also responsible for guiding ‘The Savage’ Sam Eggington to the IBO World title.

Back in Business

When the former British and WBC International light-heavyweight champion steps into the squared circle on Friday night, it’ll be his first appearance in over 16 months. 

The 6’ 6” Solihull stylist’s last outings were both during 2023, firstly earning a shutout points win over the rugged, tough Joel McIntyre, which is not easy to do as the former English titlist gives all his opponents a hard night’s work.

Another landslide victory followed over experienced journeyman Darryl Sharp, who is a former Central Area champion with over 130 fights to his name.

He explained the reason for his absence from the ring where he didn’t fight at all during 2024, “I was a free agent, I didn’t have a promoter then, so I was in the middle of negotiating new things with other promoters. They fell through and didn’t happen.

“But, although I’ve been inactive in the ring, I have been very active in the gym. Still been sparring, still been training, still been doing my thing, so I feel really good.”

And because of this dedication to his craft, he instantly dismissed any thoughts of this inactivity affecting him in his next fight.

“Nah, not at all. I enjoy my training. It’s exactly the same for me, it’s the easier bit, I get to what I enjoy, which is to perform and show what I’ve been doing I the gym. 

“I don’t get any nerves from these fight experiences, honestly, I’m like 22 fights in now, I’ve fought in front of big crowds, so, for me, I embrace it; this is where my hard work has taken me to. It’s just a chance to show what you’ve been doing in the gym and what I’ve been doing in the gym is good stuff.”

Blue Christmas

For the first time in his eight-year pro career, Pitters’ fight camp was spread over the festive period, so there were no days off for the light-heavyweight talent while everyone else was celebrating Christmas.

“I’ve worked hard, I’ve trained hard over Christmas and New Years and I’m ready to put on a good display for everyone."

“But I’ve never done that before. Me and my family, we are very family orientated so it was very hard not to have the whole festive spirit, in the sense of getting like five or eight meals to eat, which my mum cooks very well. My mum’s food is very nice at Christmas, so it’s a sacrifice not being able to eat as many of them as I wanted to."

“But it was a new experience and it was good though; it was a good new experience. It’s all part of the job. It’s just another day though, as you get older, it’s more about the family and everyone else enjoying themselves.”

Last-Minute Drama

His next opponent was due to be the reigning European light-heavyweight champion, Daniel Blenda Dos Santos, but, instead, the Frenchman failed a pre-fight brain scan just two days before the event.

Fortunately, the brilliant team at GBM Sports were able to bring in another opponent with less than 48 hours to go.

So, in steps unbeaten Belgian boxer, Lee Ingelrest.

The 25-yeer-old from Ghent is a reigning Belgian light-heavyweight champion, undefeated in 13 contests. This unexpected opportunity will be a gigantic step-up in levels for him, but his accepting the fight at such short notices exudes confidence and self-belief.

Ranked 26th in the WBC world rankings, Pitters reacted to the last-minute drama, which is always ever so present in the tumultuous sport of boxing, “I heard the news myself this morning, obviously disappointed that we can’t fight for the EBU [title], but I don’t know why it was left so late though because I could have cracked on and moved forward.

“I know these things are in place, these medical things, brain scans, are in place for a reason."

“Hope we can turn it around and come back and have that fight, but more importantly that his health is ok."

“But this is boxing, and it happens, it’s out of my control, so yeah just plan to demonstrate a good performance on Friday against my new opponent. So, I’m all ready, guns blazing, business as usual!”

You Live and Learn

Pitters has only lost to top-level fighters; firstly, to world title contender Craig Richards, conceding his Lonsdale belt to the ‘Spider’ in the ninth round; then he was outpointed over 12 rounds by British, Commonwealth and European champion, Dan Azeez, in a close contest.

Pitters reflected on those reverses, “When I fought Craig, I was still relatively inexperienced, although I was the British champion, I was still relatively inexperienced, so getting hurt for the first time, I’ve never been hurt like that in sparring or anything, but getting hurt for the first time, well nothing trains you for that and how to deal with it. You know, I switched off and that’s what happens, and obviously I can only improve going forward.”

The Blue Belt in Birmingham

Although Shakan is disappointed not to fight for the EBU title, he has been consoled by the news that he will fight for the vacant blue belt on April 4 in London instead.

His promoter, Izzy Asif, released this statement, “Daniel Dos Santos unfortunately failed his medical test. As a result, he agreed with the EBU to vacate his title so that Shakan Pitters could still compete for it. We then found a viable replacement opponent in Belgium to contest the vacant title, but the short notice meant he wasn’t within the required weight margin for the bout and we couldn”t proceed. 

"My team worked day and night this week to keep Shakan on the card. Especially in light of the fact that his father has just passed away and this is his first time fighting without having his dad with him, we didn't want to tell him he wouldn’t be fighting tomorrow night after all he’s been through and a full training camp. His challenge for the EBU belt will be moved to our upcoming York Hall event on April 4th.”

Boxing legends, Liverpool’s John Conteh; Olympic gold medallist, Chris Finnegan MBE; Don Cockell, who fought Rocky Marciano; Max Schmeling; and record-breaking boxer, Georges Carpentier have all held the prestigious European light-heavyweight title, but there hasn’t ever been a champion from the city of Birmingham, so Shakan could make sporting history for his home city if he prevails in the East End in April.

Shak admitted that he wasn’t aware of that record and added incentive, “That’s good, man! I think, for me – obviously, it’s always good to make history – but the main history I’m always focused on is putting my last name, my family’s name, into something, and using my God-given talents; that’s the main thing for me, and everything else is out of my control.”

The first ever European light-heavyweight champion was the legendary four-weight world champ, Georges Carpentier, over a century ago in 1913. The Parisien puncher’s name is etched into the boxing history books for competing in every single weight division from flyweight all the way up to heavyweight.

And Shakan is just one win away from making boxing history too, “Obviously, making history is always a good thing but the only history for me what matters is, honestly, my last name and my family, and doing things for them.”

Shakan and The Surgeon

Another Midlands fighter who is highly ranked by the WBC at #11 is Ben ‘The Surgeon’ Whittaker.

Pitters has been linked to the rising British star already, and he answered again if there’s any chance of the two of them locking horns anytime soon.

“Me and Ben, we’re on different paths. Ben’s got titles to win, he’s still growing up the ranks and, to be honest, I get on very well with him and his family, so I wanna see him go as far as he can in the sport. We’re both Midlands fighters, so, of course, I wanna see him go as far as possible.”

He continued, “If it’s a fight that can be made down the line, then of course I’d welcome it, and I’m sure he would as well because were both fighting people."

“He’s just relatively starting his pro career, and that’s not me to say that he wouldn’t have the fight or that I wouldn’t have the fight, but on their part and my part, it don’t make sense for his career right now."

“I think he should just focus on winning other titles, step up that way; there’s the English title or even go British. I’ve had the British and I’m at a later stage of my career where I wanna push on to the world scene after winning this [EBU title]."

“But again, like I said, it is what it is, if it makes sense, then it has to happen, but I wish – as Midland fighters – that we can both keep going as high as we can in this sport.”

“Pushing on to the World Scene”

Every single world title – WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, Ring Magazine – is currently all in the possession of fearsome Russian powerhouse, Artur Beterbiev, who rematches with Dmitry Bivol later this month. 

Then, either WBC Interim light-heavyweight champion David Benavidez or WBO Interim titlist Joshua Buatsi are next in line to face the winner. With a queue forming, it appears the world titles may be held up for a little while, so SportsBoom posed the question about what’s next.

Managed by GBM Sports promoter, Izzy Asif, Shak said, “Izzy’s the man with the plan; I just get in the gym and get in the ring. You’ll probably have to talk to him more!

“With it being fight week, my main focus is on my opponent in front of me, and I don’t look ahead of all that.

“Obviously, there’s big things in the pipeline, they [GBM Sports] want me to carry on being in big fights and potentially you’ve got Saudi Arabia and he wants all those things, but I gotta get past my opponent coming, so the main thing is this Friday, so I’m focusing on that, putting all my energy into that and delivering a good performance.”

Shakan concluded the interview with this heartfelt message, “Winning this title is in my dad’s honour.”