Q&A: John David Jackson

By Phil Doherty
Photo: Reynaldo Sanchez

The relationship between boxer and trainer is unique within the pantheon of sport. When a fighter steps into the ring to do battle, he literally places his life in his trainer’s hands. The trainer must possess the necessary skills to know when his man is hurt or about to be hurt and make split-second decisions during the heat of action. Sometimes that man is the fighter’s father, as we’ve seen with Tito and Papa Trinidad, Shane and Jack Mosley and most recently Wilfredo Vazquez Sr. and Jr. Other times, that man is a non-related former fighter himself. However, although these trainers are commonplace in boxing gyms throughout the country, they rarely achieve the Hall of Fame results of training luminaries like Angelo Dundee, Eddie Futch or Cus D’Amato.

The transition from fighter to trainer appears to yield few “name-brand” examples.

Freddie Roach may be an obvious exception by virtue of the incomprehensible success achieved with Manny Pacquiao.

John David Jackson may be another.

Jackson was born in Denver, Colorado and turned pro in 1984, racking up 32 straight professional wins. Nicknamed “Action” during his stellar 15-year boxing career, Jackson reigned as the WBO light middleweight and WBA middleweight champion. He fought former champions Bernard Hopkins (losing by 7th round TKO) and Reggie Johnson (winning a 12-round UD). His first fight with Argentinean legend Jorge Fernando Castro earned 1994’s Ring Magazine Fight of the Year honors. He retired in 1999 with a total career record of 36-4, 20 KOs.

However Jackson’s greatest achievement may prove to be his unique evolution into one of boxing’s premier trainers. Having trained the likes of former opponent Hopkins, Nate Campbell, Shane Mosley, Allan Green and Brad Solomon, John David continues to succeed where others have failed.

Fightnews caught up with the outspoken Jackson at The Heavyweight Factory gym in Hollywood Florida, where he resides as head trainer.

John, you’re widely considered one of the best trainers in the business. How did you learn the ropes of training after your phenomenal ring career?

That came with time, um, when I was boxing my trainer Georgie Benton told me, “John, one day you’re gonna be a great trainer. Back then I didn’t think about training fighters, I said “Nah.” and I asked him, “Why would you say that?” He told me, “Because you have patience and you understand the game of boxing.”

Once I finished my career I said, “I’m gonna give it a shot,” because I’d been working with some young fighters and they enjoyed my work. So, you know I took it step by step from there and I really enjoyed teaching and giving back to the fighters.

And it worked out good for me.

You’ve worked with WBA #1 welterweight contender Brad Solomon since he came here to The Heavyweight Factory. From your professional perspective, how good is he?

At this stage of his career you know, Brad’s a very good fighter. He can only get better, um, because a lot of what Brad knows is self-taught. He learned as he went along. He’s fought with a few guys who showed him some things but when you watch what he’s done so far, his natural ability has gotten him to the point he’s gotten to.

Now I’m just adding some small things to make it a better style for him so he can understand the professional game and be an all-around better fighter. But, before I met Brad he could fight so there’s no question about that. I’m just trying to make sure he becomes a better fighter so when he meets certain opposition, he can deal with all kinds of different styles. Then he won’t have to rely on his legs all the time to win fights. He has good hands and very good power. He’s becoming a very good fighter.

Some trainers like Emanuel Steward and Freddie Roach gain great fame due to their relationship with a dynamic fighter. Angelo Dundee and Ali come to mind. What are your thoughts on this phenomenon?

You know, listen, for Emanuel he took Tommy Hearns from the cradle to a championship. You gotta give him kudos because not many guys do that. Freddie is a very good trainer, not teaching but training. He gets the most out of his guys so you gotta give him credit for that. He’s taken one good fighter, Manny, and made him a superstar. So I’m not gonna knock him for that, but they say he’s a great trainer. I wouldn’t say great.

Greatness is once his career is over with and you can measure how great he was. He’s had a lot of very good fighters but he’s never taken one fighter from just 4 to 6-round status and made him a world champion. To me, a great trainer is one who can take you from baby steps to a championship.

My trainer, Georgie Benton, took all the Olympians and even though they were good fighters, as pros they had to crawl before they could walk. He took them from baby stages to become world champions. That showed me he was a true guy for teaching, not just a trainer. There’s a lot of great trainers in boxing. Not a lot of so-called “teachers.”

One thing I pride myself on is being a teacher of boxing, not just a trainer. You can get anybody to train you. But Emanuel and Freddie deserve where they’re at now with the status they’ve achieved through their years in boxing. They didn’t get there overnight. Freddie starved a lot of years in boxing. I’m happy for where he’s at and the money he’s making. Emanuel deserves more of the credit than he’s getting because he’s been there from Day 1 with his kids, his amateurs. Not just Tommy (Hearns) but Milton McCrory and Hilmer Kenty; you know fighters like that who became world champions under his tutelage but were babies when he got ‘em. So, if you’re gonna be fair, you’ve gotta give Emanuel a little more credit than you’re gonna give Freddie.

Today, they might not do that but both trainers are very good and that’s what you need. It’s two different people but they’ve achieved the same goals.

You mentioned your teaching style. How would you describe your training philosophy?

Well, you know I was known as a defensive specialist so my thing is longevity in boxing. If I can teach you not to get hit as much, that prolongs your career. A lot of guys just go out there now, with TV, they want knockouts. So most of these so-called trainers they teach a guy to go for the knockout. Well, guess what? For longevity you need defense. You can’t take too many punches; the body’s not built for that kind of punishment. I’m offensive-minded, trust me but defense was my specialty and I implement that in my game with every fighter I have.

I don’t make it where it’s my style. Whatever the fighter’s style is, I work off that just to make them become a better fighter. If I can. I can show them small tricks to survive in boxing. It’s what I give them that a lot of guys can’t and I pride myself on that. Anybody’s that been with me, most people don’t feel I’m even a boxer because of the way I look. Basically they say you know, you’re not cut up, you’re not beat up. Well, that’s a testament to my style of boxing. It worked for me and I see that it can work for other fighters.

It worked well for you for 15 years.

Yes, it did. It did.

You’re working with local heavyweights Erik Leander and Dieuly Aristilde to prepare for the June 4th show here at The Seminole Hard Rock Live. They’re both fan favorites but they have limited amateur experience. How are they developing?

You know to be honest, how far they go in their careers is a two-part question. Will their chins hold up and how much of the skills I give them can they absorb and put into their game to become better fighters? They are fan favorites, so what their promoter should do is keep them winning to keep the butts in the seats. Eventually, they’ll have to prove themselves one day and I hope when that time comes they’ll be able to do that. You know, with their limited amateur careers, they’re schooling is in professional boxing and sometimes that’s hard to do. Only time will tell how good they really can become or how far they go in the game.

Who else are you working with and who do you see developing into the next Brad Solomon?

Well, I don’t see anybody developing into the next Brad Solomon!(laughs) Listen, a fighter like Brad comes along once in a lifetime. He’s like a Roy Jones, Ali and Sugar Ray because his style is so unconventional. It’s a style he’s developed on his own. It’s a style you can’t teach. It’s just pretty much you know, God-given talent. So for a fighter to fight like Brad, you know, that’s hard to ask of a fighter.

I have a lot of young talent right now. I have a couple of Russian kids and a couple of Cuban kids who are very good amateur stars. Now they’re on the verge of turning pro so I figure within the next few years I’ll really make my mark. I’m still just teaching and trying to develop the talent that I have now. This reverts back to what I said earlier, the kids I have I’ve taken from baby-steps. That will be a testimony to how good a trainer I really am if these guys eventually do become world champions. It’s a waiting game for me but I don’t mind because I want to prove not just to the people out there, my fans, but to myself that I’m as good a trainer as I believe I am.

I have Brad and I have Randall Bailey, he’s supposed to fight for the title. He’s the #1 IBF contender in the welterweight division. So I have a couple of guys on the verge of world titles right now. But my biggest accomplishment as a trainer will take place in about the next two years once my younger fighters develop into 10-round fighters and contenders.

What do you make of the current South Florida boxing scene?

It’s not bad. South Florida is like a hotbed to a degree, you just have to develop the talent. These promoters have to see that the talent’s out there. I hate to sound biased but it’s not just the Cuban fighters. There’s all types of nationalities of fighters that can fight down here. I know it’s predominantly Cuban backing in this part of the state but there’s a lot of good fighters, not just one ethnic group. You have a lot of good Haitian fighters, the Russians migrating here. I’ve seen a couple of Middle Eastern fighters here. It’s a hotbed of boxing, I just don’t think the promoters are doing all they can to develop the talent the way they should.

Hopefully, in the near future that will change but the boxing is here.

Boxing has changed a bit. Now these managers want to pay for their opponent and their fighter so that way it ensures a win for their fighter. But how do you know your fighter can be a good fighter if you don’t test him properly? I mean. Don’t get him beat but test him with a guy, like an old professional who’s on his way down but still has a little bit left in his gas tank.

Finally John, what’s next for you?

Sleep! (Guffaws) I have a few small fights on the horizon for my guys. Of course, we have the card here on June 4th at The Hard Rock. I’ve got a kid fighting in the Caymans Islands June 11th. Nothing major. I don’t see Brad (Solomon) fighting for his title until maybe autumn or late summer. Randall Bailey is supposed to fight for his title in July or later in the summer. Right now, things are just working, you know, trying to build the stable up.

Thank you so much John, we appreciate you taking the time.

Anytime.

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May 16th, 2011

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