Boxing: Gunnar ready to take on Olympian

Daniel Maxwell is hit by Gunnar Jackson

When 15-year-old Gunnar Jackson walked in to Tauranga Boxing Club gym in 2001, no one thought a decade and a half later he would be walking on to the big stage in Las Vegas.

But that is the reality for Gunnar "The Stunna" Jackson, who faces the biggest fight of his life when he takes on London Olympics middleweight gold medallist, Ryota Murata from Japan, at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas on November 8 (NZ time).

Murata is on a fast track to fight for a world title with the bout against Jackson his eighth fight since turning pro in August 2013. Murata has scythed through the ranks to be ranked number 14 from 1322 middleweights worldwide. Five of his seven victories have come by way of knockout.

Jackson is ranked 156 in the world.

He has fashioned a solid record of 22 victories, three draws and six defeats since making his professional debut at the QE2 Youth Centre in Tauranga in May 2010.

The Tauranga boxer's fight is a prelude to one of the most anticipated professional fights in 2015. Timothy Bradley (32-1-1) will square off with Brandon Rios (33-2-1) with the winner having the WBO welterweight world title belt strapped around his waist.

Also on the card is a WBO featherweight world title fight, with the Murata verses Jackson contest over 10 rounds immediately preceding the two world title contests.

But Jackson is definitely not going to Las Vegas just to make up the numbers.

His coach and principal of the Tauranga Boxing Club Chris Walker said the American promoters searched the world looking for a tough, durable opponent who could give Murata plenty to handle.

"Going the distance with multiple world champion Anthony Mundine (January 30, 2014) shone the spotlight on Gunnar, with Top Rank inking the deal with us," Walker said.

"We fly out on Monday, November 2, which gives us five days to acclimatise in Las Vegas before the bout. Unlike the Mundine fight, which we took on short notice.

"We have no illusions about the challenge that Gunnar faces against the Olympic gold medallist but we are confident that he will fight with all his Kiwi pride.

"Fighting in the fight capital of the world is huge and who would have guessed that when Gunnar's mother signed him up with our gym, 14 years ago, that he would be fighting on the biggest stage in the world."

SKY TV will show live coverage of Gunnar Jackson's fight, set down for 3pm on Sunday, November 8.

Gunnar Jackson

Residence: Tauranga
Age: 29
Alias: The Stunna
Division: Middleweight:
Height: 175cm
Record: 22 wins, 6 losses, 3 draws.

Jackson has won New Zealand professional titles in the Super Middle and Middleweight divisions, along with winning the PABA Light Heavyweight crown in 2012. In 2014, he won the WBO Oriental Middleweight title beating Afakasi Faumui. He successfully defended the title against Australians Kurt Bahram and Nathan Carroll, before losing the belt to Kerry Hope in Brisbane earlier this year.