Jamel Herring


Jamel William Herring is a former American professional boxer and current bare-knuckle boxer for BKFC. Herring held the WBO junior lightweight title from 2019 to 2021.
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Early life

Herring was born in Rockville Centre, New York, to Michael Mitchell and Jeanine Herring. His mother remarried to Harry Elliby. He was raised in Coram, New York, in its Gordon Heights neighborhood. While a sophomore at Longwood High School, Jamel began boxing in 2001 when his soon to become trainer Austin Hendrickson invited him to the boxing gym for workouts. Herring enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in October 2003 at Parris Island, South Carolina. He has served two tours of duty in Iraq and was based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he earned the rank of Sergeant.

Amateur career

Herring began training in 2001. He suffered his first amateur loss to Daniel Jacobs on July 20, 2002, during the New York Junior Olympics Finals.
Herring had to balance training as a boxer with his duties as an active United States Marine. He was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2005. After he returned he immediately tried out for the All Marine Corps boxing team in January 2006. While on the team, Herring competed all over the national scene and even fought against former world champion Jesse Vargas at the 2006 National PAL tournament. He was deployed again in 2007 to Al Taqaddum. Shortly after his return, he went back to the All Marine Corps boxing team in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From early 2008, he would be trained under Ron Simms, Reuben Woodruff, and Narcisco Aleman. Simms would eventually be replaced by former All Army coach and 1996 USA Olympic Assistant coach Jesse Ravelo. Herring won a silver medal at the 2010 World Military Games and took a gold medal at the 2011 and 2012 Armed Forces Championships while a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps.
Trained under Ravelo, Woodruff, and Aleman, Jamel would win gold in the 2012 Olympic Trials defeating multiple nationals champions. In the first round of the tournament he defeated Tommy Duquette, Mike Reed in the second round, Pedro Sosa in the semi-finals, and in the finals he defeated Pedro Sosa again. He would eventually move on to the 2011 AIBA World Championships but lost in a close contest in the first round, forcing him to fight for his spot again at the 2012 USA Boxing Nationals. After winning the Nationals, he went on to compete in the Americas Qualifiers where he would win a bronze medal and earn a slot at the 2012 games. Herring qualified for the 2012 Olympics. Jamel, along with the entire US boxing team, only had two weeks prior to the games to train together as a complete team. He was the only United States Marine to compete at the London Olympics and the first active duty marine to qualify for the US boxing team since 1992.

Professional career

After returning from the London games, Herring made the decision to finish out his service with the United States Marine Corps and become a professional boxer. He relocated from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to Cincinnati, Ohio, to work with Mike Stafford.
In May 2019, he became a world champion by defeating Masayuki Ito to win the WBO world champions#Junior lightweight|WBO junior lightweight title]. Herring outboxed Ito in front of the sold-out crowd, winning almost every round of the fight on two judges' scorecards, and 66 percent of the rounds on the third judge's. Scorecards were 118-110, 118-110 and 116-112 in favor of Herring.
In his first title defense, Herring faced Lamont Roach Jr. Herring boxed well through most of the fight, but Roach Jr was far from an easy opponent. Herring was almost dropped by Roach Jr in the ninth round, but managed to recover just before the bell. In the end, he had done enough to earn the unanimous decision win, 117-111 twice and 115-113 on the scorecards.
His second title defense came against Jonathan Oquendo, on September 5, 2020, after two previously cancelled dates, both because Herring tested positive for COVID-19. Herring was in control during the fight, and was landing the more effective shots. Herring managed to drop Oquendo in the third round. The aggressive Oquendo was going head first in multiple occasions during the fight, which ultimately resulted in a cut above Herring's eye. Herring was not able to continue after the eighth round and his corner decided he is unable to continue.
In September 2020, it was announced that Herring had signed a contract with management and promotions company MTK Global, with the company taking an advisory role. Herring said of the decision, "I'm very excited about this next step in my career. I know that by adding MTK Global as an advisor along with Brian McIntyre as my manager, I have the strongest team in the game."
On April 3, 2021, Herring defeated former two-division champion Carl Frampton in Dubai, United Arab Emirates via sixth-round technical knockout to retain his WBO title. Herring's victory over Frampton would ultimately be the last fight of the latter's career, who retired soon after.
Herring lost his title in his subsequent fight on October 23, 2021, against undefeated former WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson, when he was defeated via tenth-round technical knockout. Herring was behind on all three judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage. He retired in May 2022.

Bare-knuckle boxing

Herrnig made his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut against Matt Guymon on January 17, 2026 at BKFC 86. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Personal life

Herring has six children: Kamren Herring, Stephen Herring, Ariyanah Herring, Jamel Herring Jr., Jazmyne Herring, and Justice Herring. His daughter Ariyanah died July 27, 2009, from SIDS. The opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games was the 3rd anniversary of her death. He married his childhood friend Jennifer Dickerson-Herring on September 26, 2015.

Legal issues

On January 9, 2025 Herring was arrested by the City of Mason Police Department after an incident was reported the day before by his wife Jennifer. The charge he was arrested for was assault and domestic violence. He remained in custody at Warren County Jail. The incident occurred on January 4 at 2 a.m. after Herring entered their home “extremely intoxicated” and started to bully Jennifer, in relation to marital issues. The police report read, “‘viciously’ attacking her by punching her all over her body, pulled her hair and threw her across the room. … Mrs. Herring then stated Mr. Herring choked her … and she felt he was going to kill her because she had trouble breathing.” A court date was set for January 21. Jennifer dropped the charges in February, but applied for a permanent restraining order against Jamel, which he broke on March 18, 2025 and arrested on two charges, one of them being 'violation of a protective order'.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
29Loss24–5Jackson Jon EnglandSD10Apr 3, 2024Adelaide Arena, Adelaide, AustraliaFor vacant WBO Global junior lightweight title
28Win24–4Nicholas MolinaTKO1, 2:49Nov 7, 2023Edison Ballroom, Manhattan, New York, U.S.
27Loss23–4Jamaine OrtizUD10May 21, 2022Resorts World Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.For NABF and vacant USBA lightweight titles
26Loss23–3Shakur StevensonTKO10, 1:30Oct 23, 2021State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.Lost WBO junior lightweight title
25Win23–2Carl FramptonTKO6, 1:40Apr 3, 2021The Rotunda Caesars Palace Bluewaters, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesRetained WBO junior lightweight title
24Win22–2Jonathan Oquendo8, 3:00Sep 5, 2020MGM Grand Conference Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBO junior lightweight title;
Oquendo disqualified for repeated headbutts
23Win21–2Lamont Roach Jr.UD12Nov 9, 2019Chukchansi Park, Fresno, California, U.S.Retained WBO junior lightweight title
22Win20–2Masayuki ItoUD12May 25, 2019Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, Florida, U.S.Won WBO junior lightweight title
21Win19–2Adeilson Dos SantosUD8Dec 14, 2018American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
20Win18–2John Vincent MoraldeUD10Sep 14, 2018Save Mart Center, Fresno, California, U.S.Won vacant IBF-USBA junior lightweight title
19Win17–2Juan Pablo SanchezTKO5, 1:28May 12, 2018Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
18Loss16–2Ladarius MillerUD10Aug 22, 2017Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, Sunrise Manor, Nevada, U.S.
17Win16–1Art HovhannisyanRTD3, 3:00Feb 10, 2017Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
16Loss15–1Denis ShafikovTKO10, 0:36Jul 2, 2016Santander Arena, Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
15Win15–0Luis Eduardo FlorezUD10Feb 9, 2016Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.
14Win14–0Yakubu AmiduUD10Oct 3, 2015U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
13Win13–0Ariel VasquezTKO3, 0:50Aug 28, 2015Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C., U.S.
12Win12–0Hector VelazquezUD8Jun 26, 2015Little Creek Casino Resort, Shelton, Washington, U.S.
11Win11–0Hector MarengoUD8Mar 6, 2015MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
10Win10–0Jose Del Valle2, 1:49Dec 12, 2014UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
9Win9–0Luis Alberto PelayoTKO2, 1:04Sep 11, 2014The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
8Win8–0Rogelio CasarezTKO2, 2:22May 2, 2014Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
7Win7–0Antonio Sanchez6Jan 25, 2014D.C. Armory, Washington, D.C., U.S.
6Win6–0Lance WilliamsTKO2, 2:59Dec 14, 2013Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
5Win5–0Justin RobbinsRTD3, 3:00Sep 30, 2013Barclays Center, New York City, New York, U.S.
4Win4–0Calvin SmithUD4Jun 22, 2013Barclays Center, New York City, New York, U.S.
3Win3–0Victor Galindo1, 2:01May 18, 2013Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
2Win2–0Carlos Lopez3, 3:00Feb 16, 2013Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
1Win1–0Jose M Valderrama4Dec 8, 2012Business Expo Center, Anaheim, California, U.S.