Justin Patton is a debuting professional fighter fighting out of The Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately for Patton, his debut is being put on hold. Scheduled to fight this Saturday at Brawl in the Burgh, Patton’s opponent pulled out of their fight just ten days before the fight. Obviously upset, Justin Patton talked to MMASucka about his feelings on the fight cancellation and his plans moving forward.
Justin Patton Discusses Canceled Fight
Justin Patton’s fight with Ali Rexhepi of WNY MMA was set to open the professional portion of this weekend’s card. Both bantamweight prospects were to be making their professional debuts. When it was announced that Rexhepi was out of the fight, there weren’t many details made public as to what happened.
“He said he got hurt three weeks ago and decided ten days out that it wasn’t worth the risk,” Patton said. “I don’t know how much I believe it,” he added. Patton was obviously very upset over missing out on the chance to make his pro debut in front of a hometown crowd on a card headlined by his teammate, 247 Fighting Championships lightweight champion Khama Worthy. “I was super pissed. I instantly thought he pulled out because of some BS, because you’d know before ten days out if you could fight or not. I’m still super pissed and disappointed,” Patton finished.
Despite the disappointment, Patton says he still plans on attending the event to watch his teammate. Worthy, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in Pennsylvania, is set to defend his belt against former Bellator and WSOF fighter Adam Ward.
“I think I’m just going to show up for Khama’s fight or hang out in the back and help him warm up,” Patton said. “I’ll just be upset if I go out and watch (the rest of the card). It was supposed to be my night.”
Future Plans
At just 25 years old, it would be easy for Patton to be so upset about his fight cancellation that he took some time off of training to recover. Many would consider training hard for a fight that gets canceled to be a waste of wear and tear on their body. Mature at a young age, though, this is not the mindset that Patton has at all. He plans on staying at it and getting in the cage very soon.
“I’m staying ready and still training just as hard,” he said. “Now, I’m looking to make my debut on September 1st at Mountaineer Casino. Nothing is signed yet, but it’s in the works,” Patton added.
After working with 247 FC over the past couple of months, Patton still holds out hope that he can fight for the promotion in the future. When asked if he’d like to fight there, he said “I for sure would if they make the right offers and fights.” He went on to point out that he holds no ill will towards the promotion for the last minute fight cancellation. “I don’t have any problem with them. They did everything they could to find someone.”
Concluding our conversation, Justin Patton talked about what fans can expect from him when he finally makes his long awaited debut. “They will be entertained, that’s for sure. And they will see how much I’ve changed and progressed in my time between fights,” he continued. “I’m constantly trying to get better and push myself.”
Patton finished by saying, “I plan on making a statement in the next few fights and the upcoming year.” With a hungry attitude, a committed work ethic, a drive to succeed, and a good team surrounding him, the sky is the limit for Justin Patton at such a young age. There’s a lot to look forward to from him as his career progresses.
