ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Maurice Jackson is a professional fighter that reigns out of The Jackson Wink Academy in Albuquerque. The 33-year old currently holds a professional recorded of 5-1. He enters Saturday’s first ever Jackson Wink Fight Night 1 as the Co-Main Event at Isleta Casino and Resort.
Jackson moved to Albuquerque three years ago from the south side of Chicago. It was a great move for him overall, bettering his environment and getting focused on fighting.
“You wake up next to gunshots, everywhere you go. My mother is a pastor, and she even have to walk around strapped up there. So, it’s rough, but that same struggle and drive, drives me in MMA, and you know without that struggle, I couldn’t be standing in front of anybody right now, and I wouldn’t be pushing this hard. I’d rather die in the cage, than die outside dodging bullets,” said Maurice Jackson.
The motto at Jackson Wink Academy is, “The best fighters in the world walk through these doors,” and it was that mentality among other things that drew Maurice to come and train in Albuquerque.
“You got the altitude, you got the best training camps, the best training partners, best coaches. You can’t help but to get better, and I just figured why not come here and make this my stomping grounds,” said Jackson.
He is talking on Armando Montoya on Saturday in the bantamweight division, at Isleta Resort and Casino. It’s a rematch for Jackson as he has already knocked out Montoya once in his career.
Montoya will still play a major challenge though, as he stands in at 6”4 and Jackson comes in at 5”8.
“He has been calling me out and asking to have this fight and I just figure why not? He is 6″4, he is really lanky and will use that range, but it don’t matter man, they all fall. I know how to chop a tree man,” said Jackson.
Jackson Wink Fight Night is going down on Saturday and will showcase 10 total fights. There will be five amateur bouts and five professional fights.
Tickets are on sale and the door will open at 5:30 p.m.