JULIAN JACKSON – GREATEST PUNCHER OF ALL TIME?

Is Julian Jackson the greatest puncher of all time? Check out our video below showcasing 3 of Jackson’s greatest knockouts!

After turning pro in 1981, Jackson won his first 29 fights with 27 of them coming by way of knockout. His first shot at the world title brought him his first taste of defeat, which came at the hands of the WBA Super Welterweight champion Mike McCallum. Jackson got his second world title shot just over a year later and took full advantage as McCallum had vacated & moved up to Middleweight. Jackson faced Korean In-Chul Baek and won inside 3 rounds to claim the crown. Jackson made 3 title defences which includes one of the devastating one-punch knockouts in the video below against Terry Norris in 1989 – who himself went on to become a three time-champion.

Another unbelievable knockout followed against Wayne Powell in 1990 (included in the video below), before Jackson vacated and moved up to face Herol Graham for the vacant WBC Middleweight title. The bout took place in Spain after the BBB of C refused to sanction the fight. They felt Jacksons return to the ring was too soon after eye surgery to repair a detached retina. The first 3 rounds of the fight was all one way and Jackson was told by referee Joe Cortez that if he didn’t do something in the 4th, the fight would be stopped. Backed up against the ropes with a swollen eye, Jackson unleashed one of the greatest right hands in boxing history, which knocked Graham out before he hit the canvas to become a two-time world campion.

Following 4 successful title defences, Jackson suffered his second defeat of his career when he was stopped by Gerald McClellan. After starting the fight strongly, he was knocked down twice in the 5th which forced the referee to step in and stop the fight and Jackson lost his Middleweight world title.  Three quick wins set up the rematch, which Jackson said shouldn’t have happened due to an injury to his 5th vertebrae. After being advised to cancel the fight by a specialist, Jackson took a week off training instead and paid the price losing in the first round to a sickening left hook.

McClellan vacated the title to move up, which gave Jackson his second but brief reign as Middleweight world champion in beating the undefeated European champion Agostino Cardamone in March 1995 to become a 3-time world champion in 2 weight classes. Jackson lost in his very next fight against Quincy Taylor in August which was the beginning of the end of his career. Jackson will be remembered as one of the hardest punchers in boxing history and finished with a knockout percentage of 89% and record of 55-6.

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Watch Marvin Hagler’s most savage KO!