Harry “The Hitman” Gigliotti on his BYB debut, his future in combat sports, and his upcoming bout with Rusty Crowder.
BYB Extreme fighter Harry Gigliotti ahead of his fight against Cody Jenkins at BYB 22. (Photo courtesy: BYB Extreme)
Bare Knuckle Nation has a chance to catch up with Harry “The Hitman” Gigliotti (1-0, 1 KO) ahead of his match with Rusty Crowder at BYB 25 on April 4th. Gigliotti gave some excellent insight on his first Bare Knuckle bout, his upcoming fight, and what his future might have in store.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: What did you take away from your first fight in BYB?
A: “I had already been in a Trigon because I fought in Triad Combat, but being back was kind of foreign to me. I had to understand that it's going to be tight corners, it's going to be a smaller ring. At the beginning of the fight, I threw a jab that wasn't to try and land anything, it was to create that distance, create that space, to see where I could get the full leverage off the punch.
Once I got comfortable and started taking that half step in, working the body and coming back up top, I already knew the punches were going to land at some point. I didn't know how or when, but I knew he was giving me that opportunity to land those body shots and land those headshots. It was kind of inevitable. I think anybody that has to fight me and has to deal with me being comfortable and finding rhythm and range is going to be in for a pretty short night.”
Q: As for your next opponent, Rusty Crowder, what do you make of the fact that he has more Bare-Knuckle experience than you?
A: “I've been Bare Knuckle fighting my whole life and getting in street fights at the age of five or six. So it's not that new to me. It's nothing I haven't been in. Obviously, you have to be a little more cautious. Bare knuckles, no gloves, you can get cut so I'm obviously wary of that. But, this guy fought in two minutes (in BKFC). That's novice boxing to me. Two-minute rounds. He gets exhausted by round two or three. We're fighting three minutes here, man. We got five rounds. So if he doesn't pace it out and he’s just trying to overthrow and load up shots, he's going to get tired and I’m going to be there. I'm here to break this man down. I'm here to take his willpower away.”
Q: How would you describe your combat style to a fan that may not know you very well?
A: “I'm a boxer-puncher all day. Old fashioned, traditional boxing style, good balance, good rhythm. High punch volume, I like to shoeshine, I like to work off my jab. That's my bread and butter.”
Harry Gigliotti (Right) landing a left-hook to the body of Cody Jenkins. (Photo courtesy: BYB Extreme)
Q: Do you have a message for Rusty?
A: “Hey, Rusty Crowder, I know you were talking pretty big last week, but talk is cheap and I'm here to fight. Come April 4th, I think you're going to feel the full pledge of Harry “The Hitman” Gigliotti.”
Q: Can we get a final prediction?
A: “I think it's going to be a second or third-round TKO. I know he's durable, I know I'm going to have to set it up. I got to be professional and be smart. We've got a dangerous guy that likes to bang overhand shots and he has knocked people out in the past. But I think I'm going to hurt this man. I think I'm going to break him down. I think there will be blood, a lot of blood. I plan on cutting him up and I plan on getting him out by round two or three.”
Comments