Middleweight contender Danny Jacobs, aka The Miracle Man, will get his chance to shock the world and change the landscape of boxing when he squares off with IBF/WBA/WBC middleweight titlist Gennady GGG Golovkin at Madison Square Garden on March 18th.
Although the Brownsville, Brooklyn native will geographically be the home fighter, many in the boxing world give Jacobs little to no chance to upset Golovkin, who will enter the fight on a 23-fight knockout streak. But Jacobs is embracing the moment and plans on using his opportunity to show the world how great a fighter he really is.
After winning the biggest fight of his life by beating cancer in 2011, Jacobs thinks he is more than ready to upset Golovkin and take over the mantle of best true middleweight in the world.
Im living my dream at the moment because this is a dream come true to reach this height in my career. Some fighters go their whole careers without becoming a world champion and fighting in a fight of this magnitude, Jacobs told The Shadow League. All my trials and tribulations in and outside of the ring has molded me as a fighter, person and man that I am today.
When you face death, you change as a person and Im just grateful for the positive outcome and plan to use this platform to inspire others while showing everybody in the world what Im am all about.
Regardless of the outcome, Jacobs should be commended for being eager to step up and fight Golovkin, as many middleweights have ducked the Kazakhstan superstar as if hes the boogeyman of boxing.
Jacobs, who is 32-1 with 29 knockouts, is changing things up ahead of the biggest bout of his career by holding his training camp on the West Coast at trainer Virgil Hunters gym in Oakland, California, instead of his native state of New York. His longtime trainer Andre Rozier will remain in the role of head trainer while Hunter is there to assist and advise in preparations.
Virgil is opening up his gym to us and, by us training at his facilities, we will be able to get good work in with the current and former champions who train at his gym, Jacobs said. We thought training with other elite fighters would be a great idea and any assistance the fighters or Virgil want to give to get us ready for March 18th will be greatly appreciated. But ultimately, me and my team (will) make a great strategy based off the hard work we put in out there to beat GGG.
A big advantage to training in Oakland, besides gaining the knowledge Hunter possess, is the chance to spar against the bigger pound-for-pound king and IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight beltholder Andre Ward, who possesses a style many in the boxing community feel is perfect to defeat Golovkin.
Sparring with, arguably, the current top boxer in the world is great, but it doesnt guarantee victory. At the end of the day, Jacobs knows he needs to prove to the world why hes going to give Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs) the first loss of his great career.
I give him credit. He applies a lot of pressure, which is mentally and physically draining and wears guys out and breaks them before he spectacularly puts them away, Jacobs said. Unlike anyone hes faced before, I have the perfect strategy and style to combat that along with the size and strength to deal with what he brings to the table.
Im just looking forward to having a great camp and getting in the best shape possible because, once that happens, I feel there isnt anything I cant do in that ring and I plan on showing the world come fight night.
