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By: Hans Themistode
Whether it’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr or Gabriel Rosado, somebody is going to get the beating of a lifetime. At least according to former Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs.
The confusion surrounding Jacobs opponent for his December 20th, bout at the Talking Stick Resort Arena, in Phoenix Arizona is still a point of emphasis.
Originally, Jacobs was scheduled to take on former Middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. However, there has been plenty of speculation surrounding whether or not Chavez will be given the opportunity to actually compete in the contest.
Just a few months ago, Chavez was due to undergo random drug testing but refused to do so. Because of his refusal, he is now temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Although the contest is due to take place in Arizona, thanks to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, a fighter cannot box in any other state if he is currently suspended elsewhere.
A hearing has been set for December 18th, to decide whether or not Chavez will be able to take part in the contest.
Luckily for Jacobs, promoter Eddie Hearn has already gotten his back up opponent ready in Gabriel Rosado.
After killing his body in order to make the Middleweight limit, Jacobs has decided to leave behind the only division he has ever known. Jacobs is hoping that Chavez will be the one to welcome him to the Super Middleweight division but he has no gripes surrounding who his actual opponent will be.
“Obviously if I don’t fight Chavez who we signed up to fight, that would be a huge disappointment. But that won’t deter me to go in and do my job, to put in a great performance for the fans. This is an opportunity to fight for the fans in Phoenix. There will be people who tune in to see a good fight so it’s my responsibility to do my job and put in a great performance.”
Jacobs isn’t the first, nor will he be the last fighter dealing with the possibility of changing opponents at the very last minute. In this scenario, no matter who he faces, Jacobs is dealing with fighters who possess a very similar fighting style.
“Whether I fight Chavez or Gabe Rosado, stylistically it’s similar,” Jacobs insists. “Certain guys, you need unique style for sparring. One guy has more pressure than the other but it’s around the same skill set. Chavez pressures fighters more so than Rosado. He has that more Mexican style of fighting that comes forward.”
Making a statement in a new division is something that is important to Jacobs. But something that holds even more importance to him is the statement he wants to make for his fallen friend Patrick Day. The former Jr Middleweight contender passed away due to injuries he suffered in the boxing ring, earlier this year. To honor him, Jacobs intends on wearing a robe with Day’s picture draped across the back of it.
“I spoke to [Day’s] brother earlier [Wednesday] and he thanked me for the idea of it,” said Jacobs of the robe he will be wearing to honor Day. “I knew that I wanted to do something special in his honor and this is just something small I could do. Patrick meant so much to me. People don’t know our relationship but Patrick really, really meant a lot to me. He changed me as a person — in my mindset, my thought process, how I look at things — so to me, he really matured me. This is just a small token that I can do to represent him in his honor and what he meant to not just me but to so many other people. They know me and Patrick had a special relationship. I can’t change the past and all I can do is move forward and I know that he would want me to not be sad. He would want me to continue with my dreams. He would want me to be the best version that I can be inside the ring because that’s who he was. He was a big supporter of everybody. But he was a supporter of me. We spoke all the time. We were sparring partners [for] numerous, numerous rounds in the ring. Countless times. He was a beautiful person and I know one thing about him, that he would want me to go on and keep striving.”
What turned into one of the most heartbreaking situations in the sport of boxing this year, Jacobs will look to play his part and turn a terrible situation into one that Patrick Day would have been proud of. Jacobs will now be given the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone as he can honor his dear friend Patrick Day and make a statement in his new division.
