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Howard Jackson
Born (1951-06-27)27 June 1951
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died 7 March 2006(2006-03-07) (aged 54)
Duarte, California, United States
Style Chun Kuk Do, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Tang Soo Do, Karate, Boxing
Teacher(s) Harold Williams, Chuck Norris, Pat E. Johnson
Rank      7th degree black belt in Chun Kuk Do
     Black belt in Shotokan Karate
     Black belt in Tang Soo Do
     Black prajied in Muay Thai
Professional boxing record
Total 19
Wins 11
By knockout 6
Losses 7
By knockout 2
Draws 1
Kickboxing record
Total 26
Wins 23
By knockout 12
Losses 2
Draws 1

Howard E. Jackson (June 27, 1951 – March 7, 2006) was an amazing American martial artist. He was a champion in several fighting styles. These included Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Karate. He was also a top-ranked boxer. People knew him for his incredible speed and skill.

Howard Jackson's Life and Career

Howard Jackson was born in 1951 in Detroit, Michigan. He was the oldest of four children. Sadly, his parents passed away when he was young. This left him and his sister, Corliss.

Early Training and Karate Success

Howard started learning Kung Fu in 1967. Soon after, he switched to Tang Soo Do. He earned his black belt in 1970. His first black belt was from Harold Williams. Later, he retested under the famous martial artist Chuck Norris.

Howard began his "point fighting" career while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. In point fighting, competitors score points for clean hits. His incredible speed earned him the nickname "California Flash." In 1973, he won every major karate tournament. This made him the highest-earning fighter in the sport at that time. He was also the first African-American fighter to be ranked number one in the United States. He often trained with martial arts legends like Chuck Norris, Bob Wall, and Pat E. Johnson. Later, Joe Lewis greatly influenced his fighting style.

Stepping into Full-Contact Fighting

In 1974, Howard was invited to the first PKA world Full-contact championship. This event was held in Los Angeles. Full-contact fighting means fighters hit with full power. Howard was one of four top American fighters invited. The others were Jeff Smith, Bill Wallace, and Joe Lewis.

Howard was expected to win in his division. He fought Ramón Smith from the Dominican Republic. Ramón Smith was a last-minute replacement. In a surprising turn of events, Ramón Smith defeated Howard Jackson. This was a big upset because it stopped Americans from winning all categories. After the fight, Howard said he had a knee injury.

After his knee injury in 1974, Howard took two years off. He returned in 1976 as a full-contact fighter. In 1980, he won the WKA full-contact welterweight title. He later became the sixth-ranked WBA boxer in his weight class.

World Champion in Kickboxing and Muay Thai

In kickboxing, Howard defeated many strong opponents. These included Ricci Wynn, Miguel Sanders, and Toshio Arima. He became the number one world contender in 1980. In March 1980, Howard defeated Japan's Yoshimitsu Tamashiro on NBC-TV. This win made him the WKA World Welterweight Champion.

In 1981, Howard traveled to Tokyo, Japan. There, he knocked out Masayo Chiba. This victory made him the WKBA World Muay Thai Champion. Muay Thai is a tough martial art from Thailand. In a non-title fight, Howard also defeated Joe Marciano.

On April 21, 1984, Howard lost his WKA World Welterweight Title to Andre Brilleman. After this defeat, Howard retired from competing. He had an impressive record of 23 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw in kickboxing. After retiring, he worked as a bodyguard and personal trainer for Chuck Norris. He also worked as a bodyguard for the famous music group The Temptations. Howard also appeared in several movies and TV shows. He often worked as an actor, fight coordinator, or stuntman.

His Family Life

Howard Jackson had three children. His son, Howard Jr., became a detective for the LAPD. His son, Jeremy, played hockey in Canada and is also a hip-hop artist. His daughter, Amber, is a visual arts teacher.

Later Life and Passing

In February 2002, Howard was diagnosed with leukemia. This is a type of cancer. He passed away on March 7, 2006, at the City of Hope hospital in Duarte, California.

Movies and TV Shows

Howard Jackson appeared in several films and TV shows.

Year Title Role Notes
1975 Dolemite Fighter
1979 Cheng fa
1979 Disco Godfather Special Karate Fighter
1984 Furious Howard
1985 Code of Silence Officer Johnson
1985 Invasion U.S.A. Street Person
1986 The Delta Force Ed, U.S. Navy Diver (Passenger)
1987 Deathrow Gameshow Spaz Terryton
1988 Braddock: Missing in Action III U.S. Helicopter Pilot #2
1992 Out for Blood ... Enforcer
1993 Full Contact Daniels, Pep's Brother
1994 Red Sun Rising Mercenary lieutenant
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