Quick Facts
Biography
John David Jackson (born May 17, 1963) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 1999, and currently works as a boxing trainer. He won the WBO junior middleweight title in 1988, making six successful defenses. In 1993 he won the WBA middleweight title, losing in his first defense the following year. Today, Jackson is best known as the trainer for light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.
Professional career
Jackson was developed as an amateur out of the Tacoma Boys club in Tacoma, WA, USA, and turned professional in 1984. He didn't lose in his first 32 fights and captured the vacant WBO light middleweight title in 1988 with a win over Lupe Aquino. He defended the title six times before moving up to middleweight in 1993 to take on WBA middleweight champion Reggie Johnson, winning a close decision
After being stripped of his WBA title in August 1994, Jackson lost in an attempt to regain the belt in December of that year to Jorge Castro via 9th-round TKO, in a fight that was named Fight of the Year by Ring Magazine. On the verge of forcing a referee's stoppage against the badly beaten up Castro, Jackson was caught and knocked down by a left hook, then stopped after two further knockdowns. The sudden change in fortunes was one of the greatest turnarounds ever seen in a boxing match.
In 1997 he took on Bernard Hopkins for the IBF middleweight title. In an ugly fight in which Jackson looked a faded fighter, Hopkins won via a 7th-round TKO. Jackson took a rematch with Castro in 1998, but again came up short in losing a decision. He retired in 1999.
Professional boxing record
| 36 Wins (20 knockouts, 16 decisions), 4 Losses (2 knockouts, 2 decisions), 1 No Contest [1] | |||||||
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Type | Rd., Time | Date | Location | Notes |
| Win | 36-4 |  Dave Boone | TKO | 2 (12) | 1999-09-25 | Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula, California | |
| Loss | 35-4 |  Jorge Fernando Castro | KO | 10 | 1998-02-20 | Cipolletti, Rio Negro Province | For WBA Fedelatin Super Middleweight title. |
| Loss | 35-3 | Bernard Hopkins | TKO | 7 (12), 2:22 | 1997-04-19 | Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium, Shreveport, Louisiana | For IBF Middleweight title. |
| Loss | 35-2 |  Abdullah Ramadan | SD | 10 | 1996-11-20 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | |
| Win | 35-1 | Augustine Renteria | PTS | 10 | 1996-06-29 | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California | |
| Win | 34-1 | Guy Stanford | UD | 10 | 1995-12-16 | CoreStates Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| Win | 33-1 | James Green | PTS | 8 | 1995-04-29 | US Air Arena, Landover, Maryland | |
| Loss | 32-1 | Jorge Fernando Castro | TKO | 9 (12), 2:34 | 1994-12-10 |  Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon | For WBA Middleweight title. |
| Win | 32-0 |  Danny Garcia | KO | 7 (10) | 1994-09-24 | Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 31-0 | Jeff Johnson | RTD | 7 (12) | 1994-05-06 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 30-0 | Reggie Johnson | UD | 12 | 1993-10-01 | Estadio Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires | Won WBA Middleweight title. Later stripped. |
| Win2 | 29-0 | Charles LaCour | TKO | 3 (12) | 1993-09-03 | Tucson, Arizona | Non-title fight. Catchweight at 160 lbs. |
| Win | 28-0 |  Michele Mastrodonato | TKO | 10 (12), 1:14 | 1992-12-19 | Palazzetto dello Sport, San Severo, Apulia | Retained WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 27-0 | Sergio Medina | UD | 10 | 1992-10-22 | Marriott Hotel, Irvine, California | |
| Win | 26-0 | Eric Martin | PTS | 10 | 1992-09-19 | Pacific Sports Center, Tacoma, Washington | |
| Win | 25-0 | Pat Lawlor | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | 1992-06-09 | San Francisco Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California | Retained WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 24-0 | Tyrone Trice | UD | 12 | 1991-07-21 | Atlantic City Race Course, Atlantic City, New Jersey | Retained WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 23-0 |  Joaquin Velasquez | UD | 10 | 1991-05-10 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine | |
| Win | 22-0 |  Chris Pyatt | UD | 12 | 1990-10-23 | Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire | Retained WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 21-0 |  Brinatty Maquilon | UD | 10 | 1990-07-24 | Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| NC | 20-0 |  Martin Camara | NC | 11 | 1990-02-17 | Hotel Deauville, Chatillon, Hauts-de-Seine | Retained WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 20-0 | Ruben Villaman | KO | 2 (10) | 1989-12-01 | Tucson, Arizona | |
| Win | 19-0 | Steve Little | TKO | 8 (12) | 1989-04-22 | The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan | Retained WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 18-0 | Lupe Aquino | RTD | 7 (12), 3:00 | 1988-12-08 | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan | Won vacant WBO Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 17-0 | Aniseto Ramos | TKO | 4 (10) | 1988-10-07 | The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan | |
| Win | 16-0 | Davey Moore | UD | 10 | 1987-07-21 | Resorts Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 15-0 | Sidney Outlaw | TKO | 6 (12), 2:04 | 1987-01-13 | The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Won vacant USA Pennsylvania Light Middleweight title. |
| Win | 14-0 | Johnny Banks Walker | KO | 1 (8) | 1986-11-25 | Harrah's Marina, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 13-0 | Tony Ojo | TKO | 3 (8), 1:13 | 1986-10-28 | Betsy Ross Inn, Pennsauken, New Jersey | |
| Win | 12-0 | Milton Leaks | UD | 8 | 1986-07-31 | Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 11-0 | Mike Castronova | TKO | 1 (8) | 1986-06-14 | Governor Mifflin Intermediate School Gym, Shillington, Pennsylvania | |
| Win | 10-0 | Orlando Montalvo | KO | 2 (10), 0:52 | 1986-02-25 | The Tropicana, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 9-0 | Vincent Mays | TKO | 5 (6), 2:15 | 1985-09-04 | Resorts Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 8-0 | Robert Thomas | UD | 8 | 1985-07-18 | Golden Eagle Caterers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| Win | 7-0 | Billy Joe | TKO | 1 (8), 2:31 | 1985-06-13 | Resorts Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 6-0 | Gary Tibbs | TKO | 4 (6), 0:45 | 1985-03-20 | The Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 5-0 | Felipe Montellano | UD | 6 | 1984-10-17 | Harrah's Marina, Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 4-0 | Louis Owens | UD | 6 | 1984-06-26 | Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
| Win | 3-0 | Robert Thomas | PTS | 6 | 1084-05-10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| Win | 2-0 | Keith Todd | KO | 3 (4) | 1984-04-11 | Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, Pennsylvania | |
| Win | 1-0 | Kimbrady Carriker | KO | 1 (4) | 1984-03-11 | The Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey | Professional debut. |
| Preceded by N/A Inaugural champion | WBO Light Middleweight Champion 8 December 1988 – 30 October 1993 Vacated | Succeeded by Verno Phillips |
| Preceded by Reggie Johnson | WBA Middleweight Champion 1 October 1993 – Aug 1994 Stripped | Succeeded by Jorge Castro |
Training career
After his professional boxing career ended, Jackson has worked as a trainer. Boxers he has worked with include:
- Sergey Kovalev
- Kimbo Slice (UFC fighter turned pro boxer)
- Allan Green (starting with his bout Anthony Bonsante)
- Bernard Hopkins (for his bout with Antonio Tarver)
- Shane Mosley (starting with his second bout with Winky Wright and ending after his first bout with Fernando Vargas)
- Nate Campbell (The first fighter Jackson led to a world title)
- Dyah Davis (Son of 1976 Olympic gold medalist Howard Davis Jr.)
- Brad Solomon
- Khabib Allakhverdiev
- Magomed Abdusalamov
- Chris Algieri
- Curtis Stevens (currently)