Cujo aims high

Some people wander through life, hoping they’ll find their calling somewhere in the wilderness.

Mike Forster

Scott “Cujo” Sigmon checks the fit of his gloves prior to a sparring session at the Hurt Factory. Helping Sigmon get ready is James Speake (right) an aspiring protege of Cujo’s.

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Others figure out what they were born to do after some trial and error.

Still others have a pretty good idea of where they fit into this thing called life, and they pursue their ambitions with a modicum of desire.

Then there’s Cujo.

He was born to be a boxer.  He knows it and those who are familiar with him know it.  Spend five minutes watching him in the ring and you’ll know it, too.

Cujo, A.K.A Scott Sigmon, has the look, the build, the speed, the toughness and the dedication that the sport of boxing demands.

It’s further obvious that Sigmon will not rest until he’s achieved his very ambitious objective.  That goal is, simply put, to be one of boxing’s world champions.

The bunker from which Cujo intends to make his world conquest is called “The Hurt Factory.”  It is housed in Lynchburg, near the  border with Bedford County.  

Sigmon has drawn some significant sponsorship through his boxing acumen.  The Hurt Factory is owned by Charles Crumpler, who should be pleased with its state-of-the-art look.

Others with a stake in this game include Woods Flooring and More, as well as Rob Lamano.

While it looks warehouse-like from the outside, the Hurt Factory houses all of the weights, bags, workout gear, signage and equipment you’d expect from a standard gym.

It also houses a full-sized ring.  That’s where Cujo hones his craft the best.

Recently, he spent a good portion of his afternoon sparring with Kevin Oliveira, a rising fighter who looks like a slighter version of The Rock. The two went at it full-bore for ten three-minute rounds.  While the men are friends, it takes a professional eye to understand that.  The way they slug it out in the ring, you have to wonder how Cujo treats those for whom he cares not.

In essence, Sigmon’s years of hard work are finally paying off.

Here’s an example of a moderate day for the man:

-Start out with a two mile run, in 13 minutes or less (he calls it “a jog.”)

-1000 abs repetitions (100 reps of 10 different exercises).

-Jumping rope:  six rounds of three minutes each, with 30 second breaks in between each round.

-Six rounds of target mitts.

-Six rounds on the heavy bag.

-Six rounds of uppercuts on the wrecking ball bag.

-Six sets of pushups/pull-ups.

“I mix it up,” noted Sigmon, “But it’s all controlled and scientific.”

Control is the key in this sport, even though it often seems to be characterized by uncontrolled fury in the ring.  Don’t be fooled.  Sigmon approaches the care and maintenance of his body the way a NASCAR crew chief approaches his top car.

Diet, sleep and hydration are three of his most important variables.  He eats no refined sugar, for example, stating that it tires him out.

Cujo gets nine hours of sleep per night.  He also drinks three gallons of water per day.  He is quick to note that civilians shouldn’t drink such prodigious quantities of water.  “All that would kill a regular person with water intoxication,” he notes.

He’s no regular person.  He’s one of those few people who are blessed with an iron will and who use that will to advantage.

He also is blessed to have a strong following from his home town.  Sigmon notes that he has already sold 250 tickets to his July 16 fight in Greensboro.

“I’m excited to have folks from this area supporting me,” said Cujo.  

What really gets his juices flowing, though, is when he speaks of new fans.  “For some, this will be their first fight experience,” he notes.  “I’m glad they’ll experience it with me...Getting that first time, especially with a top-notch opponent, is so exciting.”

That opponent, Chris “The Irish Ghost” Fitzpatrick, may be top-notch in Cujo’s assessment of his fighting qualities.  The Ghost has scored no points, however, by anticipating a victory over the Bedford Brawler.  “The fact that this guy thinks he can win (this fight) and says so publicly, irritates me,” said the Peaks of Slaughter.  “He may as well have spit in my face.”

Meanwhile, he has his own prediction.  “I can outbox Chris Fitzpatrick,” said Cujo.  “I can beat him every single way.  He’s hard to hit.  I’m harder to hit.”