"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.
