Since last April 11, when he defeated Taurus Brewer before a near-sellout boxing crowd in the Lynchburg Armory, Scott Sigmon has gone through a few changes.
He got married, for one thing, to fellow Jamerson YMCA personal trainer Casey Barnes. He won another fight, scoring a third-round knockout over Nick Schleich before another loud Armory crowd. And he’s now plotting his course to pugilistic fame and fortune via another weight class, stepping down from light heavyweight to super middleweight.
“That’s more comfortable for me,” he said. “When you fight light heavyweights, it might be some guy coming down from 210 pounds (to make the 175-pound limit in that class). Even 168 is a little heavy for me, but I can do it.”
One thing that hasn’t changed about Sigmon is his confidence. Call his cell phone and you’ll hear this message: “You have reached the man they call ‘Cujo.’”
By now, more people know Sigmon by Cujo than by Scott. And when he leaves the dressing room en route to the ring, he hears a chorus of howls and barks from the growing fan base.
Sigmon had a 7-1 record going into a Dec. 19 fight in Aston, Penn., with Ariel Espinal, and was ranked 44th among American light heavyweights. But he and his promoter/matchmaker, Joe Hensley, think he is on the verge of getting some nationally televised bouts.
“I’ve got to fight better people to get on TV,” he said, “and I think I’m ready. The bout with Taurus (a unanimous decision) was big, because he was a veteran with a good record.”
Nick Schleich was actually a step backward. A 6-5 fighter from Nebraska, he never threatened Sigmon, who pummeled him at will.
“I heard later he had a bad cold or something,” Sigmon said, “so it was gutsy of him to get into the ring. He was big, but he turned out to be just a big target.”
A Staunton River High School graduate, Sigmon ran cross-country as his prep sport and has earned a reputation for staying power.
“With a lot of the guys I fight, I’m in better shape, and I can outlast them,” he said.
He’s also been working on his defense. Early in his career, Sigmon prided himself on his ability to take a punch. Now, he realizes that can be counterproductive — especially as he encounters opponents who punch harder.
He and Casey dated only two months before they got engaged, Sigmon said.
“After our first date,” he said, “I told my Mom that was the girl I was going to marry.”
An early knockout, you might say.
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