Nathaniel Gallimore got the call on Oct. 2 to be the replacement opponent for Erickson Lubin.
Terrell Gausha, the original foe, suffered an injury to his left hand that required surgery, and in stepped Gallimore. He’s embraced the “next man up” attitude for his newfound opportunity ever since, as the junior middleweight contender is headlining the Showtime-televised fight on 24 days notice.
“The stage is not too big. I’ve been in big fights before. It’s not like I don’t know how to handle myself,” Gallimore told BoxingScene.com, noting that he was preparing in the gym, waiting for his next opportunity. “You can’t underestimate anyone in boxing. Lubin is a good fighter, but he’s just a stumbling block in my path. I’m going to have to move him.”
Gallimore (21-3-1, 17 KOs) had a previous opportunity to disrupt the picture in the division, but let it slip out of his hands when he lost a majority decision to current 154-pound unified champion Julian Williams in 2018. He was riding a seven-fight winning streak with wins over Justin DeLoach and Jeison Rosario at the time, but instead of bouncing back, he dropped another fight to top-ranked contender Patrick Teixeira soon after.
At the age of 31, the Jaimacan-born Gallimore is a late bloomer to the sport who’s used to struggle. He didn’t lace up a pair of gloves until the age of 23 but went on to win the Chicago Golden Gloves at 26 and turning pro thereafter. He credits boxing from saving him from the streets. Prior to discovering the sport, Gallimore was dealing drugs and in jail.
“If I stayed down that road, I wouldn’t be here today. I know what it takes to evolve out of situations,” said Gallimore. “I know I had a lot of catching up to do, so I dedicated myself and put my mind and heart into it. My foundation is a whole lot better. When I invest myself in something, I go all the way. I’m on the verge to do the same thing in my career.”
Gallimore picked up the pieces again in August versus the unheralded Antonio Todd in Atlanta. The final tally shows a split decision, but Gallimore said the result should have been far more convincing than what the final outcome portrayed.
“I went to his hometown and I beat that boy’s head off. I don’t know what one of the judge’s saw,” said Gallimore. “He must have written my name on his scorecard because the fight was not even close. It was a good lesson though. You can’t put your life in a judge’s hands.”
Against the up-and-coming Lubin (21-1, 16 KOs), Gallimore knows he will have to put on a more convincing performance in order to win and be in the mix in the division in 2020.
Next year, he also plans on visiting Jamaica for the first time since 2000. He hasn’t seen his mother since the age of 12, or his father since 16 after he was deported.
He’s hoping to return home with an upset win in his back pocket.
“I have to let the world know and present what I am. I don’t have any limitations,” he said. “I’m confident in what I need to do. I know what I bring, and Saturday night, I will show the world everything in my arsenal.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist and member of the Boxing Writers Assn. of America since 2011. He has written for the likes of the Guardian, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Men’s Health and NFL.com and currently does TV commentary for combat sports programming that airs on Fox Sports. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan or via email at manouk.akopyan@gmail.com.
