Ali Jacko

Abdul Ali (Bengali: আব্দুল আলী; born 6 May 1969), better known as his ring name Ali Jacko (Bengali: আলী জ্যাকো), is a British former professional kickboxer who was two-time world lightweight kickboxing world champion who competed between 1990 and 2002. He is the first ever Bangladeshi to be a world champion in combat sports and the first ever Asian kickboxing world champion.[1] He also ran JKO Productions, which was part of the kickboxing promotion of Sky Sports and Channel 5.

Ali Jacko
BornAbdul Ali
(1969-05-06) 6 May 1969
London, England
Native nameআলী জ্যাকো
Other namesLion-Heart
Nationality British Bangladeshi
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight60 kg (130 lb)
DivisionLightweight
StyleShaolin Fist, Wu Shu Kwan, Jujutsu
Fighting out ofEast End of London, England
TrainerEddie Dujon
Rank  black belt in Kung Fu (Shaolin Fist)
  black belt in Chinese Boxing (Wu Shu Kwan)
  3rd degree black belt in Kickboxing (Jujutsu)
Years active1990–2002
Kickboxing record
Total45
Wins44
Losses1
Other information
OccupationKickboxer, kickboxing promoter, television producer, publisher
Websitewww.alijacko.com

Early life

Ali was born in the East End of London. He is of Bangladeshi descent[2] and lived in Bangladesh for six years.[3] His late father[4] Mohammed Chamak Ali was born in Paigaon, Jawa Bazar, Chhatak in Sylhet District, Bengal Presidency (now Sunamganj, Bangladesh), British India.[5][6] Ali has three younger brothers and two younger sisters.[7]

Ali attended Sir John Cass Redcoat School. At an early age, he played Junior League football and became the BMX Freestyle Schoolboy champion. From 1987, at the age of 17, he ran his own fashion design and manufacturing business.[2] Ali was inspired to take up kickboxing by a chance meeting on an airplane with Muhammad Ali, despite having a serious heart condition.[8]

Professional kickboxing career

In 1986, Ali started training as a kickboxer. On 2 December 1990,[5] he won his first B.I.K.M.A British lightweight kickboxing title. In February 1996, he won the W.M.O European kickboxing title. On 3 October 1999, he won the W.K.N World Inter-Continental Championship. On 26 May 1996, he defeated Frederic Pierre to win the W.K.O World lightweight kickboxing title at The Island in Ilford. In June 2000, Ali took his second World lightweight kickboxing title, this time in the World Kickboxing Network belt.[9][10]

Ali became the first Asian to win British, European, Inter-Continental and World Full-Contact kickboxing championships. He had a 45 fight career,[2] with one defeat by submission due to injury.[5] Ali's manager and trainer Eddie Dujon took him through his British, European and World Championship fights.[10] Ali retired from kickboxing in 2002.[5]

Media career

In July 1997, Ali launched JKO TV, which produces and provides programmes for terrestrial, satellite and corporate clients. It filmed Thai and kickboxing on Sky Sports and Channel 5.[2][11]

In June 2000, Ali launched the UK's first all Kick / Thai-boxing magazine Kick Boxing UK.[12]

Other work

In 2011, CA Foundation was established, the foundation is based on a charity dedicated to Ali's father, Chamak Ali. The foundation's objectives are to build hospitals and football stadiums besides creating jobs for the poor people.[13]

In November 2014, Ali conducted a trial among Bangladeshi boxers at the Muhammad Ali Boxing Stadium. The selected boxers were supposed to be given the opportunity to train in the UK to help them enter the professional circuit.[9][14][15]

In June 2015, Ali brought his boxer protégé, Suro Chakma, from Bangladesh to train under his supervision at Martin Bowers’ gym.[8] In November of the same year, Ali went to India to scout talent and earmarked eight boxers, including World Boxing Council Asian champion, Neeraj Goyat, in his scheme of helping them train in England and managing fights for them. Ali is in talks with famous British professional-boxing promoter Barry Hearn.[16]

In August 2015, Ali started receiving vocal training.[17] On 4 November 2015, Ali's debut single "Give My Love A Brand New Name" was released by record label LBE Music Group. The music video was shot in London,[18] conceptualised by Talvin Singh.[8] and features supermodel and television personality Jodie Kidd.[18] His debut album is due to be released in 2016.[8] In December of the same year, he was interviewed by Nadia Ali on BBC Asian Network.[19]

Awards

Ali won the Canary Wharf Sporting Personality Award in 2001 and the UK Asian Sporting Award in 2003.[2]

Personal life

Ali is a Muslim,[7] and lives in London[20] with his wife and[7] son.[4][21] He also has a daughter.[17] His mother lives in Bangladesh.[22]

Ali is close of friends with Bollywood actor Salman Khan.[23][24][25] In 1996, Khan helped promote Ali's first world title bout and came to watch it in London, and they have been friends ever since.[16]

Filmography
Year Title Credit Notes
2002 Now Is the Time: Night of Combat Executive producer
2008 Sucker Punch

See also

References
  1. ""British Bengali Success Stories". BritBangla. Retrieved 1 March 2014. Jacko Ali". www.britbangla.net. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  2. "British Bengali Success Stories". BritBangla. Retrieved 1 March 2014. Jacko Ali
  3. "Bio Data". CA Foundation / Ali Jacko. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  4. "Ali Jacko". Straight Dialogue. Channel i. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  5. "Ali Jacko". Straight Dialogue. Channel i. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  6. ছাতকের পাইগাওয়ে বিরোধপুর্ণ জায়গার ৪র্থ বারেরমত রায় (in Bengali). Sylhet Express.com. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  7. "Jacko Ali". Straight Dialogue. Channel i. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  8. Filmer, Antonia (7 November 2015). "The East-End success story of Ali Jacko's life". Sunday Guardian Live. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  9. Mahmood, Raihan (9 November 2014). "Ali Jacko to inspect local boxers today". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  10. "Another Ali another Champion". Dhaka Courier. 17 January 1998. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  11. "Results from Ali Jacko's show". Muay Thai Online Club. 2003. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  12. "World Kickboxing News". Prokick. June 2000. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  13. Mahmood, Raihan (21 November 2014). "Jacko's shallow promise annoys boxing officials". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  14. "World champion kick boxer A Ali Jacko showing his belts at the Muhammad Ali Boxing Stadium on Sunday". The New Nation. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  15. "Jacko claims innocence". The Daily Star. Bangladesh. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  16. Bilali, Shaghil (24 November 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Salman Khan-backed Ali Jacko planning big for Indian boxers". India: IBNLive. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  17. Choudhury, Imran (11 December 2015). "Ali Jacko: Giving his career a brand new identity". India: Eastern Eye. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  18. "Former kickboxing world champ hoping to deliver knockout blow with debut single". Asian Image. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  19. "Ali Jacko". BBC Asian Network. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  20. "Chamak Ali Foundation UK BD". Chamak Ali Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  21. "Jacko Ali". StraightDialogue. Channel i. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  22. "Jacko Ali". StraightDialogue. Channel i. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  23. Kotwani, Hiren (24 November 2015). "World kickboxing champion Ali Jacko's birthday surprise for Salman Khan". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  24. "Salman Khan gets a birthday surprise World Champion boxer Ali Jacko". India. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  25. Vijayakar, R.M. (25 November 2015). "What Is U.K. Boxer Ali Jacko's 'Surprise' Birthday Present for Salman Khan?". India-West. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
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