Fighter of the Week (3-27/4-02): Jahi Tucker

If last week presented a challenge selecting just one fighter of the week, this week was nearly impossible. However, one man did take the biggest challenge of his career and exceeded any and all expectations. Showing he had a cast iron jaw and indestructible toughness, to go along with world-class speed, skills, and good pop. Jahi Tucker, of Deer Park, New York, overcame a rough start, took the biggest shot of his career, shook it off, bit down, and dominated the remainder of the fight to roll to a one-sided but hard-earned unanimous decision to move his record to 10-0 (5), pick up the biggest win of his career, prove to the world his power and his chin moved up with him to 154 and captures our Fighter of the Week Award.

Nikoloz Sekhniashvili of Gori, Georgia was going to be a big challenge for a number of reasons. He was physically the biggest man he had ever faced, he was hands down the biggest man Tucker ever faced and for the first time in nearly two years the 20-year-old Long Islander was fighting outside of the New York Metro Area on top of that Tucker found himself in a world of trouble just moments into the fight. The Georgian scored with a double left hook that rocked the New Yorker. Sekhniashvili kept the pressure on and scored with a left hook to the midsection of Tucker again in the second that seemed to affect him. The momentum shifted in favor of the slicker, quicker Tucker who controlled things with his jab and was able to open up a cut above his eye. He started dissecting the game Sekhniashvili. Tucker began pouring in power shots and right hands. The rugged battle became one-sided as the Long Islander stepped on the gas and hurt Sekhniashvili several times but was unable to get the rugged opponent out. The Long-Islander rolled to a clear-cut decision by scores of 77-74 X3. Jahi Tucker called for a showdown with undefeated Xander Zayas but gladly settled for his stablemate, who trains in Florida with Sekhniashvili.

There has been a wave of world champions from Long Island in recent years, Chris Algeri, Joe Smith Jr, and Jamel Herring. None of them are as good as Tucker, not even close. The 154-pound division was put on notice, and Long Island has its next potential great one. Sekhniashvili was a massive step up and a massive challenge, a massive test that Tucker got an A+ on. Tucker has been fighting predominantly in the NYC metropolitan area. He established himself at either 47 or 54 and is ready for another step up. A name like Alessandro Riguccini, Sebastian Formella, or Tyrone McKenna, something of that magnitude, and then the Long Islander may be ready for 10-rounders and a former world champ, and then the sky's the limit. He will be mentioned with Conor Benn, Victor Ortiz, Boots Ennis, and the future of the welterweight division in due time.