On Friday, September 9, at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania, Daniel Jacobs will defend his WBA World middleweight title against Sergio Mora over a scheduled 12 rounds.
Mora had challenged Jacobs for the title last August, losing by second-round TKO. Although both men were down in the first, Mora was put down and out in the second with a fractured right ankle and hasn’t fought since.
A Brooklynite, 29-year-old Jacobs is a nine-year ring vet (31-1, 28 KOs) who won the vacant title in August 2014 by stopping Jarrod Fletcher via fifth-round TKO. He last defended this past December, stopping Peter Quillin by first-round TKO. No opponent has gone the distance with hard-hitting Jacobs since never-stopped Ishe Smith lost by unanimous decision in August 2009, Jacobs thus winning the vacant WBO NABO middleweight title. He’s only lost once, stopped by undefeated Dmitry Pirog via fifth-round TKO in July 2010, thus losing out on the vacant WBO World middleweight title. Although diagnosed with bone cancer in May 2011, the aptly monikered “Miracle Man” was back in the ring in October 2012, stopping Josh Luteran by first-round TKO.
A Los Angeleno, 35-year-old Mora is a 16-year pro, though out of the ring in 2009 (28-4-2, 9 KOs), who won the WBC World super welterweight title in June 2008 by beating Vernon Forrest via majority decision, Forrest regaining the belt by unanimous decision three months later. Mora drew against Elvin Ayala in October 2007 and Shane Mosley in September 2010, the only draws for either fighter. Prior to his loss to Jacobs, his only stoppage to date, “The Latin Snake” last fought in February of last year, scoring the vacant USBA middleweight title by beating Abraham Han via split decision.
“This is business for me, but it is also more personal than any fight I have ever had,” said Jacobs. “Sergio has been using these antics online to get this rematch and he has gotten under my skin. There has been a lot of back and forth as far as people’s opinions as to who would have won the fight had he not gotten hurt. I am looking at this as an opportunity to clarify that I am the real champion. I want to shut his trap in primetime.”
“I don’t think Jacobs wanted this rematch,” said Mora, “but it was destined to happen and now he has to deal with it. I thought the first fight was going my way. I knocked him down in the first round and was out boxing him in the second round. He knows that I have enough power to hurt him. He has more to worry about going into this fight than in the first fight. Look at my resume, I have fought solid opposition. Jacobs doesn’t have that type of résumé.”
The fight will air live on SPIKE.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
