Kandi Wyatt Will Be The Final Opponent Of 47-Year-Old Jaime Clampitt’s Career

WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND – Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt (25-6-2, 7 KOs) returns to Mohegan Sun Arena for one last fight on June 15, when she battles Canada’s Kandi Wyatt, 12-6 (3 KOs) and pictured above, in an eight-round lightweight contest on CES Boxing’s ‘Championship Jackpot 2024’.  

Clampitt vs. Wyatt is part of a massive doubleheader on Father’s Day weekend featuring 11 pro bouts, headlined by hometown favorite Chordale “The Gift” Booker. 

“I’ve seen her fight some great champions and she’s very tough,” said the Warwick resident of Wyatt, a four-time title challenger who has shared the ring with the likes of current and former champions Natasha Jonas, Jessica McCaskill, Christina Linardatou and Kali Reis.  “She’s a lot bigger than me. I’ve been closer to 130 lbs. my last few fights, and she’ll probably come in a little over 135 for this one. Earlier in my career, I fought as high as 140, but I haven’t fought in that weight class for a long time.”

Indeed, Clampitt began her career in 2000 as a lightweight, winning titles at 135 and 140lbs before retiring in 2013 to start a family.  Eight years later, the urge to return to the Sweet Science became too tempting for Clampitt to deny. With the explosion of women’s boxing in full swing, The Hurricane returned to the ring in 2021, competing mostly in the super featherweight division in search of one last title.  In Wyatt, Jaime will be facing a naturally bigger fighter who is also 12 years her junior.

“A lot of people look at my age as a downfall,” admits the 47-year-old, “but I look at it as something that is going to help me win this fight. I’ve been in there with a lot of great champions myself, so I’ll be bringing my experience into the ring. I feel like I’ve also got a lot of speed, and this is it, so I gotta get in there and give 100 per cent. She’s a young fighter and she’s still got time, but I don’t, so my mindset is a little different.”

That realization made Clampitt and trainer Steve Maze extend their training camp to ensure that Jaime was ready for anything Wyatt brings on June 15th.

“This has been a longer camp,” agrees Clampitt.  “In the beginning of training camp, we didn’t have Kandi as an opponent, so we were just working hard and getting back into it. The last six to seven weeks we’ve really been focusing on her style and what we need to do to get the win on the 15th.”

What makes the final fight against Wyatt even more fitting is that Clampitt will be ending her career against a fellow Canadian.

“I looked her up and she’s actually from the gym that I trained at when I lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada,” laughs Clampitt.  “I think it’s cool that that’s the way it’s going to end because Calgary is really where my career started taking off.  I became a national champion and turned pro in Calgary – that’s where things really started happening for me, so it’s a bit of a storybook ending.”

“I don’t think I’ve missed anything,” said Clampitt when asked if she’s ‘completed’ boxing. “This is what I chose to do since I was 15. I love what I do, I love going through training camp. I’m a happier person when I’m in training camp. This is what I love so I really don’t have any regrets.  As a fighter, I always worked really hard, and I always had a big heart and gave it as much as I could in the ring. That’s how I want to be remembered in the sport.” 

And while Clampitt is content with what she’s accomplished since returning from retirement, the only thing she would have liked to have done was to match her skills against some of today’s top female talents.

“It would have been nice to go for a title again, but I honestly have no regrets,” says Clampitt. I would love to have fought other top two or top three 135 or 130lbs women just to see where I’m at more than anything. Katie Taylor is one of them. I had the opportunity to spar with her at one point, and she’s such an amazing champion and person. Alycia Baumgardner is another one, I would have loved to measure where I’m at in this point in my life and my career against her.”

While Clampitt is steadfast that she will not return to the ring after June 15, the question is whether her answer would change if she wins impressively and such an opportunity presents itself.

“I don’t think so,” says Jaime. “Unless I get a call for that big one, which was the plan when I came out of retirement.  If not, I think at this stage of my life, I have two children and both my kids are very involved in their activities and I think the focus needs to be on letting them live out their dreams now.  I feel very satisfied with what I’ve done. I know it’s hard to say goodbye, but I want to leave the sport with love and whatever happens, that’s what I need to do right now.”

What Jaime would like to focus on after that final bell rings is her kids, her On the Ropes Boxing and Fitness gym, and possibly an interest in commentating. Other than that, she’ll be happy to encourage the future female stars of CES Boxing, including lightweight Stevie Jane Coleman (5-1, 2 KOs) and super bantamweight Melanie Costa (3-0, 1 KO).

“I sparred with both girls – they’re both incredible and very different fighters,” says Clampitt of the next generation of female CES Boxing stars. “Melanie is absolutely exciting to watch, she just goes for it. I’ve known her since she was a little kid, and it’s been amazing watching her develop through the years.  She’s so good for the sport because she’s very well spoken and carries herself very well. She’s also a police officer. I have to say though – I’ve been watching Stevie on the Boston Butchers, and something changed in her. She looks so smart in there; her technique is unbelievable. I was so impressed watching her set everything up. She was really focused, and I could tell there was a shift.  She’s only in her early 20s, so to have that maturity in the ring really impressed me.”

But before Jaime can turn her attention to other endeavors, she has one final piece of business to attend to on June 15th.

“I have a lot to think about in the next few weeks, but right now I’m just focused on Kandi Wyatt,” insists Clampitt.  “I’m training my hardest.  I know it’s going to be a really tough fight. She’s been in there with some great champions and I’m not taking her lightly. I just gotta give it 100 per cent, which I’ve been doing the entire camp. I’m excited, I’m nervous, but I’m just ready to go in there and give it everything I got.”