Seven years younger, McClellan arrived from Emanuel Steward’s Kronk Gym with a 27-2 record and 26 knockouts. The challenger attacked with the speed, aggression, and confidence of a fighter who did not expect his opponents to survive long.
This was more than a meeting of knockout artists. Jackson had to prove that his experience and single-punch power remained enough to stop a younger destroyer. McClellan needed to show that his quick victories had prepared him for a champion who punched harder than anyone he had faced.
Jackson Tests McClellan’s Chin
McClellan struck first, hurting Jackson with a right hand during the opening round. The champion recovered and began landing hard punches to the body in the second. A heavy left hook downstairs hurt McClellan and forced him to retreat. Jackson kept attacking the body in the third, using feints to slow the challenger’s aggression and create openings for his wider punches.
An accidental clash of heads left Jackson bleeding and resulted in a point deduction from McClellan under WBC rules. Jackson already had a history of eye trouble, making the damage especially concerning.
After four rounds, two judges had Jackson leading 38-37, while the third had the fight even at 38-38.
Low Blows Trigger a Brutal Finish
Two low punches from Jackson interrupted the fifth. McClellan went down after the second and received time to recover, giving the champion a brief pause after several physically punishing rounds.
The break had the opposite effect. Once Mills Lane restarted the fight, McClellan drove a right hand into Jackson’s head and followed with left hooks that sent the champion onto his back. Jackson somehow rose, but his bloody face and unstable legs showed how badly he had been shaken. Another attack dropped him a second time. Lane stopped the fight at 2:09 without allowing Jackson another chance to continue.
The stoppage earned The Ring magazine’s 1993 Knockout of the Year award. McClellan won their rematch by first-round knockout one year later, but the original fight remains the more revealing contest.
Jackson showed that McClellan could be hurt, yet hurting him was not enough. After recovering from the low blow, the challenger turned a close middleweight fight into a violent ending within seconds.
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