Lights, Camera, Action: Jack Rafferty Says He’s Ready for a Major Platform

Last weekend, Jack Rafferty was at home watching Lewis Crocker’s war with Conah Walker when he suddenly got a big reality check. There, on a promo advertising Marco Huck’s return to action and Juan Francisco Estrada’s superfight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez was his own face. 

Rafferty (22-0, 13 KOs) will fight on a major platform for the first time this weekend, and his bout with India’s Sabari Jaishankar will headline Conlan Boxing’s show on DAZN.

“There it was: ‘Jack “The Demolition Man” Rafferty out next week on June 29.’ I’ve not seen that before. The amount of people I had mentioning it or tagging me into things was crazy. It became seriously real. I’m over the moon to be getting the exposure that I am, and come Saturday I’m gonna show why I should be getting it,” Rafferty told BoxingScene.

“I’ve done it the hard way, but I was talking with my coach, Steve Maylett, before. The hard way feels even better.”

In an age when major promoters are desperate for exciting, popular fighters, Rafferty, 28, has somehow slipped through the net. He is the Commonwealth junior welterweight champion. He sells hundreds of tickets and has an all-action, television-friendly style.

Things have finally begun to gather momentum. He has received plenty of interest since taking less than a round to stop the respected Lee Appleyard and win the Commonwealth title last December, and earlier this month the British Boxing Board of Control ordered a fight between Rafferty and unbeaten Henry Turner for the British junior welterweight title, recently vacated by Dalton Smith.

Rafferty has been a professional since 2017 and has spent the past five years at The Finest Gym in Manchester, where his coach, Maylett, has worked hard to add some subtlety to his style and some thought to the aggression. Maylett believes that Rafferty is now ready for the best on the British scene, and Rafferty himself thinks that fans will like what they see on Saturday night. 

“I think there’s gonna be a good reaction,” Rafferty said. “People are gonna be wondering who this guy is who has come out of nowhere and they might do a bit of research and see that I can do a bit. They’ll be thinking, ‘Wow. Why has this guy not been on these platforms?’ I’m gonna show them what I can do and put myself in a position to stay on them.

“It’s so hard, and that professional in this gym, and Steve’s eyes, are the biggest cameras I could ever get. Trying to impress him and trying to get the things he wants me to do right, his eyes see more than any camera I’ll ever have in my face. I’m well prepared and – I know everybody says this – but it really has been the best camp I’ve ever had. On Saturday, I’ll be putting all of that hard work into a top performance.”

Although Rafferty is a junior welterweight, this weekend he will fight Jaishankar (11-2, 5 KOs) at welterweight. The well-traveled Jaishankar is a stiff puncher who has been boxing at championship level for a couple of years and won a WBC ranking belt by beating Australia’s Michael Pengue in 2022.

The British title fight with Turner is already being spoken about behind the scenes, but having wanted exposure and the chance to impress a large audience for so long, Rafferty jumped at the chance to stay busy and display his talents on a big stage. Jaishankar may be unknown, but he is a solid operator and Rafferty certainly isn’t treating the fight as some kind of showcase.  

“It’s another opportunity that opens up other doors,” Rafferty said. “I’m still a super lightweight fighter, but I’ve got a platform to perform on at welterweight and I’ll be showing that I can do both.

“People are talking about the British title, but it’s hard to talk about it yet. I’ve got a job at hand this weekend and it’s become even bigger because there’s such a lot on the line next. I’ve gotta get this fight on the 29th out of the way, and we’ll cross that bridge when we need to.

“If I’m not winning this fight, then there won’t be a next fight and it’ll put my career at a massive halt. I don’t want that. I’m on the title train now and want to stay on it. I believe I’m coming into my prime and I want to show what I’m about. I’m loving boxing. I’m loving training and I’m loving fighting. I’m gonna keep on with this recipe that me and Steve have got mixed.”

Britain has a strong 140-pound scene. Jack Catterall leads the way after evening the score with his long time rival and former undisputed champion Josh Taylor, while Dalton Smith proved himself to be a legitimate world-level operator by stopping Jose Zepeda in March and former European champion Adam Azim is scheduled to fight Harlem Eubank next. Rafferty is in an exciting group with fighters like Turner and Ireland’s Pierce O’Leary.

Rafferty wants to grab the British scene by the scruff of the neck and fall into the slipstream of those more established names. 

“I can put myself on a massive pedestal in the British rankings,” he said. “I can make myself a household name in Britain. I will be staying ready for those big phone calls, but I can’t look past this fight. The British title is a dream. I think it’s something every boxer wants.

“Every boxer wants to win a world title, but, come on, let’s beat this guy first, then win the British and my career’s going in a very good direction.”