Capper ready to build on Vegas trek
Four fights in two-and-a-half years hardly smacks of ambition but Wes Capper’s colourful story cuts him some slack.
Capper tests himself against experienced Filipino Arnel Tinampay on Dragon Fire’s latest Thunderdome card at Metro City this Friday.
His last outing in Perth was in November 2012 and since then he’s fought just once.
That was in April this year at Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, on a card which included the grandson of former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks.
“I pretty much packed my two bags last year and just winged it,” the unbeaten middleweight said.
“I just wanted to get away from Perth and see if I could better myself. I travelled around and within a couple of weeks I scored a gig as the main sparring partner for Ryota Murata, the Japanese 2012 Olympic gold medallist.
“I travelled back and forth from Japan to America and let him bash me.
“In between those times I just floated around from gym to gym and met so many awesome people along the way.
“Before I went I saved up every penny I had, I even borrowed a fair bit of money. I’ve got a mortgage as well and I estimated I was going to come back with a $13,000 or $14,000 debt.
“But I was getting paid pretty good money to be Murata’s main sparring partner, so I came back owing not much.”
During his time in Vegas Capper brushed shoulders with the likes of Shane Mosley and Zab Judah, but he insists it wasn't the high life people might imagine.
"I tell people I'm living in Las Vegas but it's hard to try to live there," he said. "It’s OK to swing through for a couple of days but if you’re not there to party, gamble or carry on and run amok then it’s a pretty hard place to live in."
Capper, a plumber by trade, says it’s now time to get serious with his boxing, although he is uncertain whether it will be with his long-time Osborne Park trainer Habby Heske.
“I’ve had so many kickboxing bouts and I’ve done MMA, but now it’s getting to the point where the calibre of people I’m fighting means I have to dedicate myself to the one discipline. Sooner or later I’m going to become unstuck," he said.
"I still go train with Habby, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him, he’s been like a dad to me, done so much for me.
"I want to go on to bigger and better things and if we can go on together I’d love to. That’s up in the air at the moment ... but I’m the fighter I am today because he’s put so much time, effort and money into me.
"I’d love him to come along for the journey but he’s got a family and a business here so I can’t expect him to disappear."
