Former West Brom youngster has sights on European title - and possible future Ben Whittaker tussle
Ex-Albion youngster Shakan Pitters is fully focused on the job at hand with a European belt up for grabs next month.
Pitters, 35, eyes up progress in the light-heavyweight division with a milestone European belt on offer against current champion Daniel Dos Santos of France.
The February scrap is the latest step on the road to world title contention for Birmingham-born Pitters, who represented Albion's academy for much of his teens. Pitters has only eyes for the next challenge, however.
He faces a tough test against EBU European light-heavyweight strap holder Dos Santos, who is a former soldier and enters with a 22-1 record.
Pitters is 19-2 in his professional career and the clash at Sheffield's Canon Medical Arena sees the pair top the GBM: A New Dawn billing on Friday, February 7.
“The EBU light-heavyweight championship is a big title, so I’m excited for this fight," said Pitters.
"It’s a big deal being able to say you’re the champion of Europe - the next stage is world level. At the same time, I don’t let that distract me. All my focus is on winning this fight and beating Daniel Dos Santos, I’m not looking past anyone.
“Dos Santos is good. You have to be good to win a European championship and you have to be putting in the work, so that speaks for itself.
"His only ever loss is to (Olympic medalist and world title contender) Joshua Buatsi. He’s got a good level, but I know what I am capable of and you’ll see that on the night.”
The EBU European belt has been a crucial milestone in the careers of 1970s world champion John Conteh MBE and two-time world champion Nathan Cleverly.
Pitters' fellow West Midlands star, Darlaston's Ben Whittaker, has been mentioned as a possible future rival. The two have been sparring partners, though Solihull's Pitters insists his eyes are only on what is next.
IBF International champ Whittaker, though, has a possible March rematch against Liam Cameron after October's bizarre incident in Saudi Arabia which led to a fifth-round split-decision draw after an abrupt finale when Whittaker fell out of the wing and was toppled on to by Cameron and the former injured his ankle and neck.
Pitters added of his local rival: "We've sparred many times and as a Midlands fighter, I want him to be doing very well. I'm happy he's getting all the limelight he deserves because he's a good fighter, he's put in the work.
“I'm heading for a European title so that's where all my energy and focus is (but) if it makes business sense and that's a fight that fans want to see or it has to happen, then all day long, no one's going to shy away from it. It would be good to have a belt on the line as well."
