Gunnar Jackson shrugged off the spoiling tactics of his opponent to win his first New Zealand professional title in Auckland at the weekend.
The Tauranga 25-year-old, who switched to the professional ranks only 22 months ago, downed former Olympian Kashif Mumtaz to win the vacant New Zealand Professional Boxing Associationsuper middleweight title in a 10-round decision, boosting his win ratio to 12 wins from 16 fights, with two draws.
It was the first time Jackson had contested 10 three-minute rounds, instead of the usual six, and he handled the extra exertion well, trainer Chris Walker said.
"It was a good win and a good exhibition of boxing. [Mumtaz] was infringing a lot, holding, but that's his style and we knew that. It might have upset the apple cart a bit if we hadn't done our homework and hadn't come prepared."
Walker had also warned the fight referee of Mumtaz' reputation as a holder and he was docked a couple of points at one stage for holding Jackson while trying to land scoring blows.
"Gunnar put him down in the fifth round but he got back up. He either comes to box or to infringe and he was holding excessively while trying to hit Gunnar and throw him off balance. The ref was well aware of his antics and, regardless of the guy's spoiling tactics, Gunnar managed to neutralise it by using his left hand as his main weapon to open up his opponent.
"It was simple boxing, working off the left and following through with a good right, but it worked."
Walker has had Jackson on a gruelling six-week sparring programme to prepare him for the extra length of the title fight and was thrilled with how the drainlayer emerged physically.
"We knew he'd need plenty of gas at the end of it and he did. We were happy with how he handled the extra rounds and his workrate was high as well. Gunnar has to defend the belt in six months and we know now he can handle a 10-round fight. A national amateur belt eluded him but he's pretty happy with a pro belt - and it's a legitimate belt through a credible organisation."
Jackson will be back fighting in Auckland on April 20 against Fiji-born former kickboxer Edwin Sammy, although the belt won't be on the line.
