Many retirees tend to spend their leisure time volunteering, reading books, or playing pickleball. But, 69-year-old Jack “Jack Hammer” Duckworth spent his Saturday evening in a boxing ring at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall, facing an opponent half his age. He was there for the AK Beatdown’s 40th fight night in Juneau.
Duckworth was the oldest of 22 male and female boxers and MMA fighters between ages 16 and 69 who participated in the fight night – like Meg “Thrilla from Manila” Miranda, William “The Wolf Man” Atlas and Jamie “The Flat Liner” LaChester. AK Beatdown is a Juneau-based fighting league that hosts family-friendly fight nights that feature local and Alaska fighters.
Duckworth ultimately got knocked down in the second round, but he said he still had fun.
“I love it,” he said. “I started doing Taekwondo at 25, so I’ve been teaching for all these years and doing the boxing, and I totally support it.”
And, he wasn’t the only Duckworth fighting. His son and grandson were also in the ring that night. The family traveled from Ketchikan to partake in the event. He said fighting is the Duckworth way.
“That’s why I’m doing it, just so we could all be on the same card,” he said.
Professional fight nights like these have taken place in Juneau since at least the late ‘90s under different organizers. Cyndi Isaak is the current owner of AK Beatdown. The show took a five-year hiatus but returned last year. Now, Isaak said it’s back and better than ever.
“It’s definitely got a fan base. It’s had the same following that comes all the time,” she said. “It’s just all around a healthy sport. I think the community loves UFC, and so it’s just kind of carried through.”
Saturday night’s show was completely sold out of its more than 450 tickets. In just one day, Isaak’s crew transformed the empty ballroom into a fighting arena. Dozens of tables and hundreds of chairs surrounded a professional fighting ring in the center of the room.
“We really try to be super professional,” she said. “We have medics here. We have trained corner coaches. Our judges have been the same judges from day one, so it’s very consistent. We have the referees.”
Spectator Brian McFadden sat at one of the tables. He’s fought in previous fight nights, but on Saturday, he was there to celebrate his 34th birthday, alongside his children and family.
“This is so far my favorite beatdown, since I don’t have to fight in it, and I just get to enjoy the livelihood and the energy,” he said.
McFadden said the event offers something for fighters to work and train for in Juneau, especially during cold winters.
“I think it’s a great asset to the fighting community,” he said. “It gives people in the community the ability to meet up every few months and do this for real.”
Isaak, the event’s organizer, said more events are planned for next year, and she’s excited to see support expand in Juneau.
