Joseph Jackson, the former Dudley HS running back, is not running from anybody these days:This Friday night it will be Joseph Jackson(15-0/12 KO’s) vs. Derrick Colemon(11-0/8 KO’s) boxing on SHOWTIME from Philadelphia(Our Q and A Today with Joseph Jackson)/Pre-Fight Weights and Quotes

**********Notes from today’s/Thursday’s pre-fight weigh-ins:**********
Super Welterweight 8-Round Bout
Derrick Colemon Jr. – 154 ¾ lbs.
Joseph Jackson – 153 ¼ lbs.

Pre-Fight Quotes:
Joseph Jackson

“I feel good. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I just like going to show off, show out, and show new eyes what I can do. This is a chance to show America what I can do. I can be a boxer or I can be a brawler. I like to come forward. I have a strong punch and I’m in great condition.

“We’ve seen a little bit of my opponent. But we don’t really go off what our opponent does. We just glanced at him to see what his style is like, and we go off what we can do best. We’ll just adjust as the fight goes on. I just need to be myself and do what I do best.

“I’m always learning. I’m learning on the go because I had such a late start. But I’m doing a good job of learning from the guys I’ve been in camp with. Of course I’m a late bloomer but I’m doing well on the go. There’s definitely a sense of urgency because of my age. This is not just for me, but for my family and my kids. I have the maturity advantage. I think that is what will propel me to victory.

“I had a couple offers for football coming out of high school, but I wanted to go out and work and provide for my daughter. I got a job out of high school at UPS, and then I got into boxing by just trying to stay athletic and stay in shape. Now I’m a fulltime fighter. It makes all the difference. Mentally, it’s all I need to focus on – just boxing and providing for my kids.

“I sparred with Tony Harrison when he was preparing for Jermell Charlo. He was a great guy to be around. It was a great experience and I’m a better fighter because of it. I stay in the gym. What I learned from the Harrison camp, I brought into my camp. We had great sparring. I stayed consistent, stayed on-weight. This is a great opportunity for me. North Carolina doesn’t have the best reputation in boxing, but I’m going to break that curse tomorrow night.”

Derrick Colemon Jr.
“Emanuel Steward was a huge influence for me. He was that guy. I was just a little kid and he put all of this attention into me, so that meant a ton. I was at his house every day after school. He would cook for me. He would give me pointers and invest a lot of time into me. We watched fights together. He was like a grandfather to me. I knew the whole Kronk crew growing up and Gerald McClellan was my favorite fighter growing up in Detroit.

“Kronk is in my blood. We’re animals. I come from the original Kronk gym. I trained in Los Angeles for this fight because of the experience. There’s really good sparring there. I sparred with a lot of Russian Olympians. It was invaluable experience for me.

“I don’t know much about my opponent. I just know that he’s 31 years old. It’s desperation time for him. We watched very little video on him. I just need to be myself, fight my fight, and stay within myself. I can box and I can bang.

“If you haven’t seen me fight before, you’re going to see a nice jab. Good body punches. And once I see how my opponent is reacting, I’ll go from there. Whatever I need to do to adjust, I’ll go from there. I can fight from range or in close. I don’t have any nerves. I feel like I’ve been here before. I want the boxing fans to say that I’m next up after they watch me Friday night.”

A member of the Dudley Panthers’ 2007 3-AA State Championship football team and a big part of Dudley’s 28-20 Championship Game victory over Charlotte Catholic, in Chapel Hill, that would be Joseph Jackson….from the Championship game ledger at GreensboroSports.com:Kyree Ward, Joseph Jackson, and JR Peterson were in the offensive backfield and they did plenty to help Lewis Jr. complete the task at hand, winning the State Championship.

Now fast forward 13 years and on Friday night, Joseph Jackson, the former Dudley Panthers running back, will be in the ring for a SHOWTIME boxing bout, on SHOWTIME’s SHOBOX..

This is the big stage and this is a big week for the Greensboro, N.C. native Joseph Jackson, who trains under Robert Chapman, at the Lindley Boxing Center, where we used to watch Robert Chapman train under and work with the legendary Al Lowe and one day, back in the day, we talked with Oliver McCall, James “Quick” Tillis and Tim Witherspoon, when they were training over at the Lindley Boxing Center….

Joseph Jackson will be in the ring in Philadelphia this Friday night….

RISING LIGHTWEIGHT PROSPECT THOMAS MATTICE TO FACE ISAAC CRUZ GONZALEZ IN MAIN EVENT OF SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

*******************In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated junior middleweights Derrick Colemon Jr. (11-0, 8 KOs), of Detroit, and Joseph Jackson (15-0, 12 KOs), of North Carolina, will square off in an eight-round 154-pound bout.

The Greensboro native, Joseph Jackson, will fight outside of North Carolina for the first time in his career when he takes on the undefeated Colemon.******************

+++++++++Here is our 10 Question and Answer session with Joseph Jackson, the young man from Greensboro, N.C., who fights in Philly, this Friday…..++++++++++

1)Being from Greensboro, where did you train for boxing, while living in Greensboro, N.C.???
I train at Lindley Boxing Center under Robert Chapman

2)Have you lived in Greensboro your entire life and if so, who were your boxing influences from Greensboro???
I’ve lived here all my life. I was influenced just being around the gym and seeing Richard Rivers box.

3)What got you interested in boxing and how old were you when you started boxing and took up the sport???
The competition and I loved it from day 1. I started boxing at 23.

4)What high school or schools did you attend while living in Greensboro and did you play other sports while going to school here???
Dudley School, I was an All-Conference and All-State Running Back on the 2007 State Championship team.

5)Any coaches from other sports that you played, when you were younger, that pushed you to excel and they made a difference in the way you carried yourself and approached your work ethic/training in sports???
Coach Mac and Coach Davis at Dudley. Along with Coach Chapman and Coach Zabhir.

6)What can you tell us about your opponent for this Friday night’s fight, Derrick Colemon Jr.???? What sort of fight do you expect from him, and what can you tell us about his background and what makes him a very worthy opponent and a tough challenge???
He has a decent amateur background. I know he is coming in to give his best and I am going to do the same. It is a major step up for both of us.

7)Tell us why you feel you will defeat Derrick Colemon Jr. and what is it going to take to possibly knock him out???
I just feel like I’m more mature in the game and that will dictate me winning the fight. I’m just looking for the win but if the Knockout comes it comes. The win is what’s important!

8)Give us the reasons why you never looked back and why you stayed on the course, and stuck with this journey you have embarked on, for this your professional boxing career??? Tell us why you never gave up and never threw in the towel???
My kids are my motivation and this is an opportunity to provide for them. I’ll never quit on my children and I will never quit on the gifts that GOD has blessed me with.

9)What has been the highest point of your career and was there ever a low point in your career???
This fight is the highest point. The lowest point was the first fight, not knowing what the future held.

10)This fight will be broadcast on SHOWTIME, what does it mean to get that type of exposure, for you as still a fairly new fighter, in this rugged sport of boxing???
It means the world to me. It’s an opportunity to show my talent and show that I am elite. And furthermore, to show everybody that I’m built for this.

*****Bonus question for you, as time allows….*****
If you had to write the script for your personal boxing story, how would all of this end up??? What would the dream close be, how would it all come to and end, and would it be a magnificent ending??? What would that ending be???
To become a World Champion and being able to provide for my kids and give them a bright future!! That’s my story.