Former Middleweight Champ Daniel Jacobs Looks For Way Back

Former IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs knows that the road to get back to a world championship fight will not be easy. However, he’s elected to go across the Atlantic in battle with another guy who’s trying to fight his way back into the world title picture in the Matching Boxing main event Saturday night.

Jacobs will fight England’s John Ryder in a scheduled 12-round main event that’s a WBA 168 lb. eliminator bout from London’s Alexandra Palace.

Main event is in the building 👊#JacobsRyder pic.twitter.com/FMoejP4I6m

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) February 12, 2022

Jacobs, 37-3, 30 KOs, has made clear leading up to the bout that he realizes his performance will be under scrutiny. Jacob has been part of headlining previously for Matchroom, including a lackluster showing against contender Gabe Rosado in November of 2020.

He looked better in a fight that turned bizarre against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in December of 2019. That’s because Chavez Jr., not only missed weight but eventually claimed he could no longer continue because he’d been somehow improperly injured in the fight.

Jacobs last big night was in May of that year when he battled Canelo Alvarez in a hotly contested decision loss in Las Vegas. Now, the cancer surviving “Miracle Man” will try to up his leverage by looking impressive against the English Contender Ryder.

The Brit, who’s 30-5, will have a partisan fan base behind him and is best known for having pushed former WBA super Middleweight Champion Callum Smith in a 12-round decision loss in November 2019.

Leading up to the bout Jacobs told the media,

“I’m looking forward to a good scrap,” said Jacobs. “He’s a good fighter from what I’ve seen. I know he’s in his hometown so I’m expecting him to be pumped and excited about it. Also I’ve heard from him before that this is an important fight for him to get towards title contention. I’m looking forward to seeing exactly everything that he has to bring,” Jacobs said.

“It has been one of my goals as a professional to fight in the UK, probably in London because I’ve been here before and I know how the magic works. I know how deep the crowd is into their boxing. I look forward to experiencing that. Good city, good town, good people.”