A Boxing Memory: Julian Jackson vs. Herol Graham

A Boxing Memory: Julian Jackson vs. Herol Graham

Herol Graham is certainly up there when the discussions begin about the greatest British boxer never to win a world title. Three times he tried. Three times, he came agonisingly close to being crowned a world champion. But that night in Spain in 1990 was most certainly the one that got away.

The vacant WBC middleweight title was on the line. Julian Jackson, the murderous punching former light-middleweight world champion, was in the opposite corner. Operations to repair detached retinas in both eyes, left Jackson in need of a safe haven to be granted a boxing licence. With the UK being off-limits, Jackson found what he needed in Andalucia, Spain.

Graham was some fighter in his prime. He went thirty-eight fights unbeaten until Sumbu Kalambay edged him on points in 1987 at a time when management issues were starting to engulf him. Graham rebounded with three wins but lost a wafer-thin points decision to Mike McCallum in 1989. It was rebuild time again for Graham, but two more wins got him a second opportunity to claim a world title against Jackson.

For nine minutes, everything went according to plan for Graham. This was vintage Graham. Darting in and out of range, Jackson could hardly lay a glove on him. But Graham was aggressive also, dazzling the Virgin Islander with patented boxing skills and some power shots that rocked the notorious puncher in front of him. As Jackson swung and missed, Graham couldn’t seem to.

Jackson was dealing with a swollen left eye, an inspection by the ringside at the start of the 4th was a brief respite for Jackson. It looked like the beginning of the end. It should have been.

All Graham had to do was to stay out of the way. The ringside Dr had indicated that he would soon call a halt to the fight. Jackson was now in desperation mode. If Graham reverted to type, he would surely win. But he wanted the big finish. It came, but he was on the wrong end of it.

Graham advanced as Jackson was on the ropes, when seemingly out of nowhere, Jackson detonated a right hand punch that landed flush, and Graham fell unconscious to the canvas. So near, yet so far.

Retirement came a few fights later when Graham suffered another loss to Kalambay, and then Frank Grant took away his British title in 1992. But in desperate need of money, Graham returned four years later. He managed four wins before there was one final attempt at world glory. Graham had Charles Brewer on the floor, but the American recovered to stop Graham in 10 rounds of their IBF super-middleweight title fight in 1998. He never fought again.

Far lesser fighters than Herol Graham won versions of world titles, and he will probably always regret his tactics in that 4th round in Spain.