Daniel Jacobs vs. Joe Smith Jr. Possibly Next

By: Hans Themistode

Promoter Eddie Hearn is doing all he can to get former middleweight champion, Daniel Jacobs, one of many largest fights of his profession.

In line with reporter Mike Coppinger, Hearn revealed to him a number of weeks in the past, that he absolutely meant on making a multi-million greenback provide to WBO gentle heavyweight champion, Joe Smith Jr. Staying true to his phrase, Hearn did, actually, ship a proposal to the Lengthy Island native. Seemingly pleased with the phrases of the settlement, Smith Jr. seems to be absolutely on board.

“Simply acquired phrase from my staff that there’s a proposal to combat Daniel Jacobs,” stated Smith Jr. on his Instagram account. “I really like this combat, particularly in New York.”

The attainable showdown between Smith Jr. and Jacobs comes as considerably of a shock. After defeating Maxim Vlasov earlier this yr for the vacant WBO title, promoter Bob Arum said on quite a few events that he would instantly schedule a unification showdown in opposition to WBC/IBF champion, Artur Beterbiev.

But, with an sudden provide to face Jacobs, Smith Jr. seems greater than keen to show his consideration in the direction of him. Greater than something, dealing with his fellow New York native permits Smith Jr. to make a journey down reminiscence lane.

“Rising up preventing within the amateurs, there have been two fighters, Danny and Will Rosinsky, that I liked going to see combat. Each time I acquired the chance to see them combat, they might destroy their opponent and I discovered quite a bit concerning the sport of boxing from watching them. I by no means acquired the prospect to face them within the amateurs because of them being a little bit older than I used to be. Sadly, when the time got here that I used to be prepared, that they had change into professionals.

In 2015, I acquired the chance to face Will on the Barclay’s Middle and to me, it has been considered one of my largest accomplishments as a fighter. I discovered a lot that evening.”

As for Jacobs, a transfer to the sunshine heavyweight division might see his run as an excellent middleweight short-lived. After shedding his IBF middleweight title in opposition to Canelo Alvarez in Could of 2019, Jacobs grew uninterested in squeezing his huge body all the way down to the 160-pound restrict and as a substitute, moved up in weight. The trek eight kilos north has proved to achieve success to this point as Jacobs has picked up back-to-back wins in opposition to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Gabriel Rosado. The latter, nevertheless, ended controversially as many of the boxing world believed Rosado ought to have been given the nod.

No matter simply arriving in his new weight class roughly a yr and a half in the past, Jacobs seems prepared to maneuver up. By all accounts, Smith Jr. is about to welcome him with open arms. Not solely would a win over the previous 160-pound belt holder web him one of many largest wins of his profession, however extra importantly, it should permit Smith Jr. to place to mattress the one query that has been on his thoughts since he was a younger youngster.

“I might like to face Danny to finish that considered what if we fought? In my thoughts as a child.”