By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boing Correspondent
In an international Real Combat Media exclusive interview, former world light middleweight and middleweight champion Julian ‘The Hawk’ Jackson, from his home in the Virgin Islands, talked about the strengths of WBA World Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan, the mistakes made in the ring by the man GGG beat-recent middleweight title challenger Osumanu Adama of Ghana, the importance of the mental aspect of boxing and the role of spirituality in his life, and had kind words of encouragement for middleweight contender Patrick Majewski of Poland after his recent televised loss to Curtis Stevens.
Julian Jackson Middleweight Knockouts Video Compilation Greatest Hits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=herrJp3Ai-I
Real Combat Media: “Tell about GGG.”
Julian Jackson: “My son sparred with him at Big Bear in Abel Sanchez’ gym. GGG is the best in the world. I think GGG is one of the best middleweights right now coming up. It’s just a question of matching him up with the other best middleweights to prove his abilities. GGG has a tremendous punch! He can punch with both hands as well. His discipline in the ring and out of the ring is tremendous. I really like his attitude! His attitude determines his altitude and how far he goes.”
WBA Light Middleweight Champion Julian Jackson knocks out Terry Norris in 1989
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wxpCZ3-R_U
Real Combat Media: “Your take on GGG’s most recent fight in Monte Carlo.”
Julian Jackson: “Anyone who tries to duke it out toe to toe with GGG is definitely going to find out this kid is a different breed of fighter. He hits like a heavyweight.”
Real Combat Media: “Your opinion of Osumanu Adama.”
Julian Jackson: “Adama has a good style, a good movement. His mistake was to try to duke it out with Golovkin. It could have been the corner’s idea, (or) it could have been the fighter himself. Maybe Adama felt by getting close to GGG it would help him to avoid getting hit from any serious punches GGG threw. In my ring experience, many fighters start out moving well and doing a pretty good job fighting their fight, and then they get hit. They change their whole strategy, and they end up doing what they shouldn’t do, going inside and getting hit even more.”
Real Combat Media: “You were the world middleweight champion when you fought Gerald G-Man McClellan for the first time.”
Julian Jackson Wins Vacant WBC Middleweight Title, Kayos Herold Graham in 1990
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_EEeixw5yA
Julian Jackson: “I was winning the first fight with McClellan. I said it, and he (Gerald) said it. The one who makes a mistake loses the fight. As a matter of fact, McClellan told his corner something was wrong with his legs and he was being affected. I had him hurt. Then I got cocky in the first fight and I was going in for the kill. I got a little too anxious and dropped my hands and bang! I got hit with a right. I felt it. Then I got hit with a body shot as well. I went down and got up, but the referee stopped the fight. McClellan’s body shot took everything out of me.”
Real Combat Media: “Adama was doing a masterful job jabbing from the outside and working GGG over. GGG was definitely getting hurt.”
Julian Jackson: “It seemed like Adama was doing well on the outside, jabbing and moving. His style was an awkward style for GGG to a degree. GGG had to adjust to Adama’s style and get a feel for it.”
Julian Jackson knocks out Wayne Powell in 1990
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YIfzWl1i10
Real Combat Media: “How did Golovkin win?”
Julian Jackson: “Any fighter who stands in front of Golovkin makes a big mistake. When Adama stopped moving, it was a big mistake. Oh man, Golovkin is in phenomenal condition. Like Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Golovkin is very deceptive in appearance. GGG has a baby face, and he looks like you can walk all over him. Only behind all of that there’s lion! Golovkin has a lion within him. Once Golovkin goes into the ring, he becomes alive!”
WBA Light Middleweight Champion Julian Jackson Knocks Out Buster Drayton in 1988
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SqUFnP7Lg0
Real Combat Media: “Your son Julius Jackson, who spars with GGG, has reached 17-0 as a professional boxer. Will Julius being fighting at middleweight in the future?”
Julian Jackson: “Julius is 6’3″ and weighs 168 pounds. He’s a big kid. I don’t think coming down in weight would be a wise decision. Julius fought as a light heavyweight in the amateurs. We (our team) brought him down to super middleweight.”
Julian Jackson KO 8 Francisco De Jesus, Retains WBA Light Middleweight Title 1989
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ0ydzCd8gc
Real Combat Media: “Is Golovkin ready for Marco Antonio Rubio, Sergio Gabriel Martinez, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Peter Quillin or Floyd Mayweather Jr.?”
Julian Jackson: “Floyd cannot beat GGG, if he fought GGG it would be like Floyd committing suicide. I think Gennady is one of the best fighters in the world today. Any one of these fighters who you mentioned will have trouble with GGG. Golovkin is very special. He’s one in a million! His power is the man thing. I think all of them are afraid of GGG. I believe if Sergio Gabriel Martinez, who is a tremendous athlete, fights with Golovkin, it would be a tremendous mistake. Some fighters out there can give a good accounting of themselves with GGG, but at sometime in the fight, you have to settle down and trade punches. Quillin has a style which will definitely give a good accounting of himself against Golovkin. Who has the best boxing style has the best chance against Golovkin.”
WBC Middleweight Champion Julian Jackson Knocks Out Ron Collins in 1992
Real Combat Media: “Style make fights. And Floyd has style.”
Julian Jackson: “I don’t think Floyd has a chance against GGG. Golovkin can break your arm with one punch. Carl Froch could present a challenge at the higher weight (168 pounds). I think GGG would be comfortable beating Froch. GGG spars with guys heavier than himself. Andre Ward has the best chance of beating GGG. In boxing, you have to know there are up days and down days. GGG might get caught on a down day. You never known what might happen. GGG versus Andre Ward would be a tremendous fight! You see the performances of the kid, Golovkin. You look at Andre Ward. These fighters are gifted.”
Julian Jackson Knocks Out 23-0 Agostino Cardemone, Regains WBC Middleweight Title in 1995
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdY8MsTS5vU Commentary in French
Real Combat Media: “What about Julian Jackson in his prime versus Gennady Golovkin.”
Julian Jackson: “GGG versus my style? It would have been a war! The fight might turn if I felt I could get off and GGG couldn’t take the punches. GGG is strong! I love the kid, I have seen him work.”
Real Combat Media: “Do you miss being in the ring, Hawk?”
Julian Jackson: “No. I live through my boxing family. When my sons get in the ring, it gives me the love, it’s amazing. I feel like a part of me is in the ring!”
WBC Middleweight champion Julian Jackson Knocks Out Dennis Milton in 1991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMeAYywV8uY
Real Combat Media: “How important was your corner to you as the world middleweight champion, Hawk?”
Julian Jackson Knocks Out In-Chul Baek, Wins Vacant Light Middleweight Title in 1987
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGXaODhn1X8
Julian Jackson: “The corner is so important in a championship fight! The corner can see what a fighter can’t see. A corner has to be able to adjust the fighter and tell him what to do. For example, if the corner sees you are getting hit by the left hook, they tell you to move to the opposite side and throw. A lot of fighters don’t see the mistakes that they make. You can’t see yourself. The corner sees your mistakes, and sees the openings your opponent has, and knows what punch you can catch your opponent with. Adama adjusted wrong, and fell into punches from GGG he shouldn’t have gotten hit with.”
WBC Middleweight Champion Julian Jackson Kayos Ishmael Negron in 1992
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGNUaKSqUV0
Real Combat Media: “Middleweight contender Patrick Majewski of Poland is a great fighter, but he got nervous and froze up when he lost to Curtis Stevens.”
Julian Jackson: “Majewski will get over the jitters. Patrick will deal with it better next time. Most of the time we (as boxing trainers) focus on the physical aspects, physical strengths and talents of the athletes we are working with. Sometimes we fail to focus mentally on where we are. Sometimes as a coach you can strengthen your fighter mentally-the mental aspect of the fighter by how you speak to him, train him, deal with him, on a personal level as well. There is a mental aspect of boxing which is critically important. I can give you examples of the fighters I work with. The fighters I work with learn about the mental aspect, so they enter the ring in the correct frame of mind.”
Julian Jackson Knocks Out Carleton Haywood on His Feet in 1993
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p1CverI3z8
Real Combat Media: “Does a loss end a fighter’s career. What does a loss mean?”
Julian Jackson: “I’m going to be honest with you. Sometimes it takes a loss to really find out who you are. Once you are able to deal with the loss, it makes you a better fighter, it makes you work harder, and it makes you work better in the ring. I’m telling you from experience. I lost my first fight with Mike McCallum. That fight, that loss was what really caused me to adjust, to focus, to work even harder.”
Real Combat Media: “Champ, what would say to Patrick Majewski?”
Julian Jackson: “I would tell Patrick, know what? You gotta look at yourself and make up your mind. You’re either going to go all of the way, and give 100% of yourself all of the way. To dedicate yourself mentally, Patrick has to strengthen his mind.”
Julian Jackson Win 12 Thomas Tate, WBC World Middleweight Title, 1992
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9YEj3wDGoE
Real Combat Media: “What one most important factor made you a world champion?”
Julian Jackson: “I think of every athlete, every sportswriter, and every human being who has shaped my life. I found who Julian Jackson was, when I found out who God was in my life. I went on to face all of the obstacles inside the ring and outside the ring because I knew who Julian Jackson was when God came into my life. When God found me. That’s how I became a champion! My moral and spiritual values made me what I am today.”
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