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In 2007, Philip Jackson Benson was the number one ranked amateur in the country and two out of the three times that he made it to the finals, he came out a Golden Glove Champion. Now, Benson has earned his way into the professional realm of this sport and will make his first pro debut on October 22, 2008 at BB King Blues in Times Square, New York versus opponent Robert Harris.
This 23 year old fighter, who admires Pernell Whittaker, is the newest addition to the middleweight division and definitely a vigorous force, as many of his opponents were KO’d in round one. I spoke with him in his raw habitat, Gleason’s Gym.
Benson admitted that, “as a child, I was rough. I was small and fought bigger kids. In fact, I have a picture of my third grade class and my hand is up, ready to slap someone, because they stepped on my toe.”
Talk about precise reaction. He stepped into the gym to get in shape for basketball, however, boxing was the sport that held his interest. His goals are to be world champion, unify all belts and hold them.
What is his strategy is to get there? Partly, it is his natural competitive instinct as well as his massive talents. Benson says his trainer Harry Keitt, “instills in me to stay focused, stay hungry, also be humble. Never stay too comfortable.”
His team keeps him in the zone, both mentally and physically. He is so submerged in training, that when we wrapped up our conversation, he immediately began some strength conditioning exercises and is definitely a product that derives from the discipline of being a fighter.
Benson boxed at every level as an amateur and expects another level of greatness to arise in him as he enters the professional fights. He has and will continue to be very attentive to his style of boxing because he is mindful to realize that, “one punch can change your whole life.”
In the lion’s den, he describes himself as “flashy and sassy with knockout power in both hands,” and securely believes that whoever gets knocked out in ring come October 22nd, is not going to be him.
In this sport, you either have the knack to make it, or you don’t. Philip Jackson Benson unquestionably has it.
