Two title belts to his name and still grounded - Tyrone 'El Bombero' speaks to us after this weekend's success

Tyrone Buttigieg, better known to local boxing fans as “El Bombero,” added a second title belt to his name this past weekend in what he described as one of the toughest fights of his career.

The local boxer, once again fighting in front of a packed Casino Admiral Arena in nearby San Roque, claimed the WBO Latino Championship belt, becoming the first Gibraltarian to do so.

Now ranked in the world’s top 15 within the World Boxing Organisation, and with eleven undefeated bouts to his name, the Gibraltarian firefighter overcame Leyman Benavides — an experienced boxer with 28 bouts, just one defeat, and 21 wins.

Going for gold after previously taking the silver belt, Buttigieg did not disappoint in front of a predominantly Gibraltar crowd that has loyally followed him over the years.

Still humble in his approach and mindful that his boxing career is likely to be short-lived, the Gibraltar firefighter put things into perspective. Speaking to this newspaper, he told Stephen Ignacio how it felt to win such a title in front of his home fans, and how — despite having his own ideas about what comes next — he will not make any decisions until discussions with his team and sponsors are complete.

This is what he had to say.

Chronicle: - This is your second major title belt you have achieved. Now recognised as the Latino Champion, how does it feel? Especially knowing that you come from Gibraltar and that to get there you have had to work outside your own territory for so long.

Tyrone Buttigieg: - It feels amazing the Latino boxing world has a massive boxing culture, its a massive level in boxing in the Latino countries. Its not just South America, its central America and also Mexico, which have countries who have produced boxing legends and to be the champion and at the top of the ranking with the World Boxing Organisation is an accomplishment something out of a fairy tale. And it definitely is very difficult considering you come from Gibraltar as this has never been done in Gibraltar. Nobody has ever had a professional boxing career. At the moment, the only born Gibraltarian who has gone past one professional boxing bout, so yes there has always been a vacuum in Gibraltar and that is the vacuum I am filling up.

Chronicle: - You have had to compete in Spain for these titles, and even then you have a huge following for a Gibraltarian attending your matches? What's it like knowing that when you go onto the ring you have this support with you?

Tyrone Buttigieg: - To be honest I am truly honoured to have the support I am having. The Casino Admiral Arena was completely packed the other day. And trust me it had a major influence in my performance, especially in the latter rounds when I was feeling fatigued and tired and I could hear the crowd in the background chanting my name. The fight was very competitive it was very even throughout and hearing my name being chanted by a massive crowd of Gibraltarians definitely helped me push through in those tough moments. So yes I will always be grateful and feel honoured to have such a massive support who cross the border to go an watch me box.

Chronicle: - Tyrone el Bombero, is not a name given to you for any small reason, you are a fire fighter and with it means that you have to juggle your day job and your training, and with it the risk that you also risk your own employment for the sport. Do you think this is recognised?

Tyrone Buttigieg: - Yes definitely, my name El Bombero obviously comes from the fact I am a fire fighter and it definitely is difficult to alternate my fulltime job with also training to compete professionally and yes I don't think everyone understands how hard it is. I know some people have mentioned it to me that it must be difficult and demanding but at the end of the day it is what it is. Dreams are not easy they require hardwork and sacrifice. To be honest most boxers have their day jobs and train on the side to compete. Only a very, very small minority of professional boxers make a living out of boxing. So yes there are a very small bracket of boxers who just dedicate themselves to box. So it is what it is really. But it is something I enjoy and its not gonna last forever, whilst I can I will keep on pushing. to be honest being a fire fighter and considering fire fighters are considered to be healthy and fit it helps me because it helps me train. We have a gym at work and I can get workouts during working hours. So yes its not that bad. It would have been way worse if I would have had a nine to five office job or something like that.

Chronicle: - Where next? For every success comes a steeper hill to climb to get to the next level. You have already proven you can compete at this level, but where next and how much harder will it be for you?

Tyrone Buttigieg: - First thing I have in mind is complete rest, disconnect for a bit and enjoy the Christmas. It has been a very long and tough twelve weeks preparing for this one. I knew it was gonna be a very, very tough fight. I knew I had to be ready for the most difficult sporting moment in my entire life, and I definitely was I'd say, and we will have to see in the new year. I have to sit down with my team and speak to my sponsors. I have got some ideas of what I would like to do. However, I wouldn't like to shine light on them just yet. I don't like to anticipate anything until things are confirmed. I am not the type of person who likes to say I am going to do this, I am going to that and then it doesn't happen. So yes, we should be out with some news I guess in January but ultimately yes, I want to keep on fighting for titles. I have already won two titles and I think I can win at least one more, or even two. There are various options, maybe even possibly a European title, or Mediterranean title, nothing certain at the moment, anything can happen from this point on so like I said I will just speak with my team and my sponsors and see where I go from here.

Chronicle: - Your success has already led to not just putting Gibraltar's name in the boxing map, but also ensuring that the sport is re-ignited in your own country when it had lost a lot of ground. What do you personally hope will now happen to ensure your success has an impact on the sport locally?

Tyrone Buttigieg: - Yes possibly all the noise that I have made has attracted attention on the sport locally and maybe many young kids have signed up for boxing etcetera. I still believe that local boxing is very, very, how can I say... still needs a lot of work to do. and I don't know its gonna take some time for local boxing, especially the federation, the governing body, to operate like other governing national bodies that provide a service and opportunity for the youngsters. I think that is the main issue we have at the moment. Not having an adequate governing body, but I hope that some day that changes and that the youngsters will have the opportunities that I didn't have and they can get more experience as amateur fighters which they can then take on to become professional if that is what they ever want. but ultimately I hope what I am doing will influence for things to be better, that is the only belief that you can say that I have.

(More images in the print edition this week)