From the likes of Jeff Lacey and Keith Thurman, to Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver, the list of world boxing champions with ties to Tampa Bay runs deep.
Wesley Chapel’s Evander Lamourt wants to be next.
Since turning pro in 2016, the 26-year-old super featherweight has compiled a 4-1 record and actively ranks among the top 100 boxers in the United States for his weight class.
Lamourt, who moved to Wesley Chapel from New Jersey at age 14, was an accomplished amateur fighter before that.
From 2013 to 2015, USA Boxing ranked him among the top ten fighters in the light welterweight elite division. Across 65 amateur bouts, Lamourt was a seven-time state champion, two-time Florida State PAL (Police Athletic/Activities League) boxing champion, and 2013 Florida Golden Gloves state champion.
Beefing up his professional boxing resume is the next focus for Lamourt, who graduated from Wesley Chapel High School and studied at Saint Leo University.
He plans to schedule five to seven more fights through the end of next year. The next likely will be in September at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, through Fight Night Promotions.
The busy slate is all in hopes of hitting the radar of any one of boxing’s four sanctioning bodies: World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization.
In order to be considered for a title fight, pro boxers typically must have at least seven to nine fights under their belt, said Roi Maya, who represents Lamourt through Urban Athlete Management.
“I would like to next year win some junior belts. They’re not world titles, but they’re belts that help you climb the ladder against some better opposition and, if not by the end of next year, by 2020 I would like to be fighting for a world title,” said Lamourt, who trains at the St. Pete Boxing Club and Punch Boxing Wesley Chapel.
Known as a boxer-puncher, Lamourt and his trainers of late have focused heavily on honing his strength and power.
Lamourt explained: “Last couple fights I’ve been very patient, trying to get the rounds in. But this next fight, we’re really emphasizing power, and we’re expecting these next couple fights to end with knockouts.”
The quest for a world title goes beyond a personal ambition. It’s also to support his wife and future family.
“I love boxing,” he said, “but my ultimate goal is to be able to put my kids through college before they’re even born.”
Though he didn’t start boxing competitively until he was 15, the sport’s been entrenched in Lamourt’s family, of which several members were boxers at one point, including his father.
In fact, Lamourt was named after four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.
He also grew up watching boxing greats like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and, of course, Holyfield.
“It was always something I wanted to do, a passion of mine,” said Lamourt
His boxing career hasn’t been without some punches.
Lamourt admits to losing a lot of fights early in his amateur career, as he often faced more experienced and skilled boxers.
Going toe to toe against better competition early on served him well later on, however.
“I was fighting some very accomplished amateur fighters. I wasn’t winning, but I was learning every time,” Lamourt said.
“I definitely had some talent, but I didn’t know from the beginning that I would become as good as I have now. I always worked hard, but I was a slow learner. I struggled at the beginning a lot — a lot of ups and downs to get to where I am now.”
Along the way Lamourt picked up the nickname “Lionheart,” from his brother.
Said Lamourt, “Everybody that’s always seen me fight since I was a kid, any fight, people knew they were in for a tough fight because I had a lot of heart, even if the other guy was more skilled.”
Whatever comes of a world title shot, Lamourt said he expects to continue boxing through his early 30s. From there, he’s considered opening a slew of boxing gyms to inspire and mold the next generation of young fighters.
“It’s all about desire,” Lamourt said of being a successful fighter. “Coming up, I could’ve stopped boxing several times if I would’ve listened to other people saying, ‘It’s a rough sport, it’s this, it’s that, you’re not talented enough for it…’ People pigeonhole boxers into like a specific type of person. If you love something and have the work ethic, you can achieve anything.”
Published August 8, 2018
