Nunn Dances Past Jackson in Hometown

Middleweight Michael Nunn reverted Friday night to a form he had scrapped recently and waltzed to a unanimous 10-round decision over Dale Jackson in Palmer Auditorium.

The Davenport native, fighting for Ten Goose Boxing in North Hollywood, pushed his record to 26-0 with the victory. The decision ended a string of five straight knockouts.

Judge Gary Merritt and referee Lou Moret scored the fight 100-90 (perfect for Nunn) and judge Mike Glienna had it 98-93.

Nunn, fighting here for the second time in his pro career after a long amateur career, said the pre-fight verbal sparring angered him.

“He came in here calling us farmers and that was an insult to me, my friends, my family and my hometown,” Nunn said. “I gave him a few things to take home to New Jersey with him.”

Jackson (17-3-2) said the partisan crowd of around 3,000 bothered him early. He said he also was bothered by what he claimed was a first-round thumbing that nearly closed his left eye late in the fight.

“I let the crowd bother me and I let him bother me,” Jackson said. “I didn’t stay with my fight plan.

“I’m not one to make excuses, but he thumbed me in the first round and almost completely took my vision away. Honest to God, all I had was blurry vision for six rounds.”

Nunn is one of the quickest middleweights in the world and when he fights a conservative style, as he did Friday night, he is nearly untouchable. Jackson landed only a few solid shots.

Nunn said he went in planning to fight a conservative fight and followed his plan well.

“The guy is a good fighter and he was looking for that million-to-one punch that could have beat me,” Nunn said.

Nunn, wearing his black and gold “Iowa Hawkeye” robe and black trunks bearing a Hawkeye emblem, came out circling the ring and didn’t stop. Still, he was able to land enough punches to take control early.

After the fourth round, Nunn connected with several hard lefts. There were scattered boos, some of which seemed to be directed at Nunn, late in the fight.

“The only thing I was miffed about was that Mike didn’t throw more combinations in the center of the ring,” said Nunn’s trainer, Joe Goossen. “Mike did what he had to do to win.”

Nunn’s next outing will be for his second title. Already the California state champion, he will fight Darnell Knox for the North American Boxing Federation title Oct. 29 in Las Vegas.