New face: Jackson Griffiths
Age: 22
Home townLocation: Toowoomba, Australia
Weight class: welterweight
Height: 5-foot-5″ (169.5 cm)
Amateur record: 2-0
Turned Pro: 2021
Pro record: 13-0 (7 knockouts)
Coach: Brad Smith & Gary Ruhle
The manager: Brendon Smith
The facilitator: Brendon Smith
Instragram: @_jacksongriffiths_
The best night of professional work and why: Griffiths felt very impressed when he stopped his Thai opponent in two rounds.
“My best night in my professional career was my last fight against the team's Anuson Thonglueang [vacant] The WBC Youth title,” Griffiths told The Ring. “I trained hard and dedicated myself to that fight.
“The most important thing of all was to know and see how to win the battle against my coaches. Something I'll never forget and something I've loved for the rest of my life, how proud my coaches were and how proud I was of myself was just an amazing feeling.”
The worst night of a professional career and why: Griffiths has fought many fights in Australia but has also fought in Thailand, Colombia and India. Later he faced several problems against Baljeet Singh.
“[My] The worst night would be when I was fighting in India,” he said. “It's a place I knew little about and I'm being kicked out of our comfort zone because of little sleep. But I take the experience away and it was good to be put in that situation.”
What's Next: The 22-year-old will face Suresh Kumar at Pittsworth Town Hall, Pittsworth, Australia, on Friday.
“It's going to be a big fight,” Griffiths said. “I know he will come well prepared, healthy, strong and coming to take that belt off me but I will try my best to keep it here.”
Kumar (8-1-2, 6 KOs) has been a professional player since 2019. After drawing his first and fourth fights he lost his only fight in his sixth outing against Channarong Injampa (UD 4) in his only overseas run in Thailand. The 30-year-old's career has been impacted for three years due to the Covid pandemic. The Indian boxer is back and is still on a winning streak as he has three wins in his streak, albeit at home level.
Griffiths should have a lot on Kumar and I see a stoppage win for the rising Australian coming in about five rounds.
Why trust it: Griffiths didn't have much work as a freshman but he has built up experience in the gym and being part of many overseas training camps, which has been invaluable.
“I had the privilege of sharing with players like Steve Spark, Jack Asis and Michael Katsidis, and many international fights when I traveled to places like the USA, Mexico and Thailand,” he said. “Through these lessons I gained a lot of knowledge and improved my skills in the ring.
Jackson Griffiths – Photo by Darren Burns
“Each learning opportunity has been an important opportunity that I have appreciated and used to improve my skills.”
The young Australian likes to give the fans a run for their money when he fights.
“I believe that my style of fighting is explosive and engaging, something that fans can relate to and enjoy,” he explained. “In addition, I strive to please the fans, make interesting programs and respect my opponents and my fellow boxers. Respect is a core value in and out of the ring, and I aim to instill that in all aspects of my work.”
His manager, Brendon Smith, who commented on his work with Katsidis in the 2000s-early 2010s, feels that his fighter is growing and improving all the time.
“He's a good-looking guy,” Smith said. “What we call an Aussie in blue and a gentleman. The world's lowest hard working Aussie.
“He is very energetic and a quick learner. He has the will to win and has proven that he can fight a big fight. He is still learning and if he keeps his desire there is no doubt that with time and experience and patience he can reach the top.”
Why is he a suspect: He wonders if the rookie's lack of pedigree could come back to haunt him down the road.
“When I get to the top level, I believe that my style is more suitable for beginners, but I have learned and gained all my development in the boxing gym itself,” he explained. “I worked hard to get to where I am, and the gym was my platform for growth.”
That said, he still has a lot to learn and incorporate into his game, he still has a lot of work to do.
“I believe that the journey of development of boxing never ends,” he said. “Throughout my career I've been focusing on developing my strength in different phases of the fight, knowing when to unleash it, varying my moves to explode.
“Personally, I'm determined to fix my foot and shake my head so that I can continue to improve my skills in the ring.”
Smith is adamant that Griffiths needs to stay in the gym and continue to work on his craft.
“He does everything the right way and apart from the rookie work it's just time, patience and experience,” Smith said. “A great guy to work with brings joy when he steps into the ring.”
With seven knockouts in 13 bouts, Griffiths doesn't appear to be a one-knockout performer.
Story lines: Griffiths was born and raised in the countryside, in a family of eight.
“Growing up on my family's cattle and horse farm was an amazing experience,” he said. “I learned how to break horses, which was fun and challenging.
“Football was a big part of my life too, and I played until I got to A grade. Being an outdoor child, I developed a deep love for nature and the outdoors. One of my favorite memories of those early years is riding horses with my family on the farm.”
He met boxing in his last year at school by chance.
“My fitness teacher and I used to get along really well, and he said, 'I have this guy who rents my horse and he's looking for someone to ride and break his horses,'” she recalled. . “So I was introduced and his name was Brad Smith. I began to ride and break some of his horses, and every morning after working with the horses we went up to eat the breakfast that his wife Esmay Smith had prepared for us.
“I didn't know anything about boxing or who they were. A few weeks went by and we started talking about boxing and how he used it back in the day and trained fighters. So I asked him if he could show me a few things in the bag and he did. And every day for 6 weeks after horseback riding and breakfast he showed me the art and techniques of boxing. I had my first novice fight after 6 weeks of training. From that moment on, Brad and Esmay became family to me.”
He is hopeful that he will reach the top, but he is happy that it will not just happen to him, he has to work hard for now.
“I look at it as always, just one step and fight in time, if it was meant to be, it will be,” he said. “As my coaches have said to me we will give you 100 per cent if you give us 100 per cent and from the first day I put on a set of gloves I have done that.”
Away from boxing Griffiths is an apprentice electrician. He maintains an interest in horses, motorcycles, camping and fishing.
Fight-by-Fight record
2024
March 15 – Anuson Thonglueang – KO 4
2023
Dec. 2 – Krisana Srisang – KO 4
October 22 – Baljeet Singh – KO 2
July 15 – Hunter Ioane – UD 8
March 25 – Faavesi Isaako – TKO 4
2022
Nov. 17 – Luis Zambrano – TKO 5
September 10 – Aaron Stahl – UD 8
July 22 – Quinton Smith – UD 5
June 11 – Aaron Stahl – UD 5
April 10 – Worapot Puipan – UD 6
March 12 – Leon Rudolph – TKO 1
2021
September 4 – Josh Smith – TKO 1
March 27 – Dean McIntosh – UD 3
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected].
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