It's not often that a boxer's first professional fight is a featured bout on a televised card. But then again, not many boxers are descendants of all-time greats.
Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of three-time world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, will make his professional debut against Jordan Weeks (4-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round middleweight bout Saturday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ali Walsh's bout is the co-main event of a Top Rank card that will start at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. The main event is a trilogy title bout between Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney.
Most promising young boxers spend their first few fights in relative obscurity, tucked away on undercards as they build up their skills and try to string together a few wins. Ali Walsh won't have that luxury. He's going to have to deal with the limelight from the get-go. Fortunately, the 21-year-old college student with a world-famous grandfather is used to the pressure, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole:
"I see the pressure living up to the name. Unfortunately, well, fortunately for me, actually, I've had to live with this pressure my whole life. So whether it's boxing or school or anywhere in life, I'm always compared to my grandfather. Obviously, I'm more heavily compared to him if I'm picking the same, exact sport that he was in, but I've felt this pressure my whole life."
Ali died in 2016, when Ali Walsh was 15 and just starting out in his amateur career. He says he wouldn't be fighting as a pro if he hadn't gotten approval from his grandfather.
"Once he gave me the blessing, I asked him multiple times if I should continue boxing and get ready for the pressure that comes with it," said Ali Walsh, per TalkSport's Michael Benson. "He said yes every time I would ask him. He never wavered in that decision, so I didn't either."
Ali Walsh will have plenty of help as he looks to carve out his own legacy in the sport. Top Rank is led by Bob Arum, a legendary boxing promoter who also worked with Ali starting in the mid-1960s. Per Top Rank, Ali Walsh will have SugarHill Steward, the trainer for WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, in his corner on Saturday night.
If that weren't enough, Ali Walsh says Fury has already given him some of the best advice of his nascent career, per Top Rank Boxing:
Ali Walsh is young and only fought about 30 times as an amateur. It will be up to Steward and the Top Rank team to help him grow as a fighter and deal with the intense scrutiny he's going to face during his career. His early opponents will be jumping at the opportunity to make a name for themselves in prime-time slots they likely wouldn't have otherwise had.
If Ali Walsh can stay focused and perhaps tap into some of the pugilistic magic that made his grandfather one of boxing's greatest talents, his career will be something generations of boxing fans can enjoy together.
After more than a year of waiting, Gennadiy Golovkin is finally set to defend his middleweight world title when he takes on Kamil Szeremeta on Friday night.
Golovkin holds the IBF belt after defeating Sergiy Derevyanchenko by unanimous decision last October. Fans will be watching closely to see how the 38-year-old's skills are holding up as he ages. If he still has some of the same flash and bite that made him a knockout king in his prime, then maybe a trilogy fight with Canelo Alvarez isn't such an unreasonable scenario in 2021. If he continues to show signs he's declining, like he did against Derevyanchenko, perhaps there won't be an appetite for a third chapter.
Friday's card in Florida will take place without fans in attendance due to coronavirus restrictions, so the only way to catch this one is at home. Here's how to watch.
Golovkin vs. Szeremeta Fight Info
When: Friday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET (main card)
Where: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida
Live stream: DAZN (subscription required, US and UK)
Odds: Golovkin -3335, Szeremeta +900 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)
Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) is an overwhelming favorite against Szeremeta, a 31-year-old from Poland who has an undefeated record but hasn't fought anyone of note yet. He doesn't bring much power to the table, with just five knockouts in his career. He's going to have a very tough time convincing Golovkin not to stalk him all over the ring, and that doesn't leave Szeremeta with much room for error.
Szeremeta (21-0, 5 KOs) will have to hope Golovkin's abilities have eroded greatly in the 14 months since we last saw him in the ring. The Kazakh brawler's last fight was a brutal one. Derevyanchenko pushed him further than any other boxers, save for Alvarez and Danny Jacobs.
Golovkin scored a first-round knockdown in that bout, but "The Technician" was able to recover and had some excellent rounds going toe-to-toe with Golovkin, working combinations to both the head and body. From this pre-fight vantage point, it's hard to say whether it was lingering effects from the flu or age that made Golovkin look eminently beatable that night. Szeremeta will certainly be hoping it was the latter.
Again, the long layoff forced by the coronavirus pandemic makes Golovkin something of a mystery coming into this bout, but rest assured, he hasn't been slacking off. With a championship to defend, Golovkin has worked hard to remain in top shape, taking trips up to mountains of Big Bear, California, to workout with trainer Johnathon Banks, per BoxingScene.com's Thomas Gerbasi.
"I believe the secret is in your faith in what you do," said Golovkin, per Gerbasi. "And speaking about the discipline, I believe that the discipline is essential to achieve what you're trying to achieve."
A disciplined, in-shape, and sharp Golovkin is a nightmare for Szeremeta. This fight could end up being a quick one, like the bout against Steve Rolls in June 2019, which saw the middleweight slugger rebound from his loss to Alvarez with a brutal fourth-round stoppage.
It's also in Golovkin's best interest to make quick work of Szeremeta and show that he's still a force at middleweight. It could tempt Alvarez to return from his foray into the super middleweight ranks, where he's currently set to face Callum Smith in a title fight on Saturday night.
Golovkin is running out of time to get a third crack at Alvarez, or set up any other big fight at middleweight for that matter (Jermall Charlo, anyone?). Don't expect him to waste too much of it against Szeremeta on Friday.
Prediction: Golovkin wins via early KO
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Chris Eubank Jr. will make his U.S. debut on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, taking on Matt Korobov for the interim WBA world middleweight title.
Eubank (28-2, 21 KOs) is returning to the 160-pound ranks after spending a couple of years at 168 pounds. He lost a super middleweight unification bout to George Groves in February 2018, but he was able to handily defeat James DeGale in a decision win a year later.
Saturday's fight gives the 30-year-old Englishman an opportunity to re-establish himself at middleweight.
Korobov (28-2-1, 14 KOs) is looking to bounce back after losing to Jermall Charlo in December 2018 and then fighting to a draw with Immanuwel Aleem in May.
The Showtime card is packed with action. Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) will be defending his WBC world middleweight title against Dennis Hogan (28-2-1 7 KOs), while Marlon Tapales (33-2, 16 KOs) will take on Ryosuke Iwasa (26-3, 16 KOs) for the interim IBF world super bantamweight title.
Here's how to watch.
Eubank Jr. vs. Korobov Fight Info
When: Saturday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn
TV: Showtime (US)
Live stream: Showtime Anytime (US)
Odds: Eubank Jr. -225 (bet $225 to win $200), Korobov +225 (bet $100 to win $225)
Odds are courtesy of Oddschecker and updated as of Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7 a.m. ET.
The last time we saw Eubank, he was cruising past DeGale in a 168-pound interim title matchup in February.
Eubank knocked the 33-year-old down in the second round en route to a solid victory on the cards. It was a solid win for Eubank, but DeGale was clearly on the decline and unable to handle his fresher, younger opponent.
Korobov, 36, is older than DeGale, but he might have more left in the tank. The Russian-born boxer was better than expected as a late replacement fighting Charlo in 2018, showing he was up for the challenge and unbothered by the stakes.
He's a betting underdog against Eubank but still has his backers. According to BoxingNewOnline.net's Elliot Worsell, former middleweight champion Andy Lee, who beat Korobov in a tough championship bout in 2014, thinks his old foe can defeat Eubank.
An upset would derail Eubank's plans to win a title at 160 pounds. He already has his sights set on Charlo, per TalkSport's Michael Benson:
Charlo knows Eubank is coming for him and is dismissive of his plans.
"He wanted to talk himself into a fight with me or someone bigger because he is running out of time. Like he ran out of gas, he is going to run out of time and before you know it, I’m going to be right there in his face," he said, per BoxingNews24.com.
The way these two are talking, it seems like Saturday's card is designed to build up hype for a clash that would draw strong interest on both sides of the Atlantic. However, there's no guarantee it will all come together.
Few expect Hogan to take down the undefeated Charlo, but he's not a pushover and anything can happen in the ring.
If Eubank can come out firing as he did against DeGale and maintain focus in the later rounds, he should be able to get past a tricky Korobov. His game plan has to be solid and well-executed, because Korobov has shown he's talented enough to give top boxers plenty to think about.
Gennady Golovkin is a world champion once again, but he had to take an incredible amount of punishment to do it. The 37-year-old Kazakh star is known for ending fights early, but he needed all 12 rounds on Saturday night to earn a close unanimous-decision win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko and capture the vacant IBF world middleweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The judges scored it 115-112, 115-112, 114-113, per The Athletic's Mike Coppinger.
ESPN's Steve Kim reacted to the decision:
The win keeps Golovkin in the running for a third bout against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. Golovkin has one draw and one loss against Alvarez, the only fighter to have stymied Golovkin in his otherwise spotless career.
Golovkin said he "absolutely" wants to fight Alvarez again, per the DAZN broadcast. However, his struggles against Derevyanchenko suggest he might have a tough time if a trilogy bout comes together. Derevyanchenko exposed some of his growing deficiencies.
GGG may be getting up there in years, but it's clear his power is still there. He was able to drop The Technician late in the first round with a hard uppercut followed by a few shots to the top of the head.
Ring's Ryan Songalia noted this wasn't the first time Derevyanchenko had gone to the canvas early:
In that fight, Derevyanchenko recovered well enough to battle Daniel Jacobs to a split-decision loss. Saturday's near comeback wasn't quite as straightforward. In the second round, a deep gash opened up over Derevyanchenko's right eye. It appeared on video replay a left hook opened up the cut, but officials ruled it was the result of an accidental headbutt.
Despite the early adversity, Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times felt the underdog did well to recover in the third round:
That was the start of an excellent run from the challenger. Derevyanchenko looked faster and sharper as he forced Golovkin onto the back foot with a strong jab. He also put together some great body shots, at one point visibly staggering Golovkin, who is known for his ability to absorb punishment.
It's not often Golovkin faces a test between the ropes, but he showed he has a deep reservoir of willpower to go along with his famous strength. Ring's Douglass Fischer was impressed with the aging prizefighter's ability to interrupt Derevyanchenko's momentum:
He paid a heavy price to do it. Golovkin had little to no head movement, allowing Derevyanchenko to go right up the middle and tag him with fluid combinations. The body punches kept coming too, as this clip from DAZN USA shows:
The fight was an absolute war, with both fighters mounting comebacks and challenges within each round. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden had it even through 11:
The 12th round was as exhausting and punishing as the 11 that came before it. Both fighters emptied the tank, but in the end, Golovkin did just enough to sway the judges and get the victory.
The bout certainly leaves Golovkin with plenty to think about. He said he needs more focus in his training camp if he is going to take on Alvarez, per the DAZN broadcast. It's unclear if a spectacular camp can make up for his diminishing skill set.
As for Derevyanchenko, both of his losses have been incredibly close. He absolutely deserves to be in the running for more title fights at 160 pounds. He said he would like a rematch with Golovkin, per the DAZN broadcast.
Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1,35 KOs) is looking to become a world champion again Saturday night at an age when most boxers are on the verge of calling it quits or out of the fight game entirely. The 37-year-old will take on Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs) for the vacant IBF world middleweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The IBF belt is up for grabs because Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vacated the title when he decided not to face Derevyanchenko, the mandatory challenger, instead opting to move up to light heavyweight to face Sergey Kovalev. Golovkin himself held the IBF title for a couple of years, but he vacated it in 2018 for refusing to face, that's right, Derevyanchenko.
So GGG finds himself without a title and unable to set up a third fight with Alvarez. The timing is finally right for him to take on Derevyanchenko, who will look to nab the IBF title he missed out on when he lost to Daniel Jacobs in October 2018.
Any bout featuring Golovkin has the potential to end in a brutal stoppage, but the Kazakh star only has two in his past five fights. At some point, age will sap his speed, strength or both, and the countdown is on as he ticks closer to 40.
At 33, Derevyanchenko poses a threat to Golovkin as a dangerous veteran who has endured far less professional carnage than his opponent.
Golovkin vs Derevyanchenko Fight Info
When: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City
TV: Sky Sports Action (UK)
Live stream: DAZN (U.S.)
Odds: Golovkin -480 (bet $480 to win $100), Derevyanchenko +380 (bet $100 to win $380)
Odds are courtesy of Caesars and updated as of Thursday, Oct 3 at 7 a.m. ET.
Golovkin is getting on in his years, but by all accounts, he is in great shape and plenty capable of bringing his Big Drama Show to Madison Square Garden. Here he is getting some work done in New York City, as Ring's Ryan Songalia shared:
After years of brutally and methodically working his way up the ranks to becoming a world champion and a global star, Golovkin acknowledges his battles begin long before he steps in the ring.
"My biggest opponent is not a specific person" Golovkin said, per BoxingInsider.com's Sean Crose. "My biggest opponent is my age and desire."
Golovkin's most recent bout was in June, when he knocked out Steve Rolls in the fourth round. His trademark punching power was on full display, and there's little reason to think GGG will have seen a steep decline in four months. There's talk his new trainer, Jonathon Banks, has reinvigorated him.
Then again, it's not always easy to tell whether a fighter's gifts are fading when he's facing an overmatched opponent like Rolls. Derevyanchenko is likely to demand much more from the man who has dominated the middleweight ranks for years, as this DAZN USA graphic shows:
Derevyanchenko hasn't faced too many notable opponents in his career. Jacobs is far and away the best of them, and The Technician gave him a good run, battling back from an early knockdown well enough to convince one judge to score the 12-rounder in his favor in a split-decision loss.
Bad Left Hook's Scott Christ feels the Ukrainian, who fights out of Brooklyn, New York, might be able to drag Golovkin into the later rounds like David Lemieux did in 2015—as long as he boxes carefully:
"Derevyanchenko isn't a Lemieux puncher, but he's far from feather-fisted, and as fundamentally sound as he is, Golovkin probably won't be able to get him to just walk on to something, either. That's not saying GGG can't catch him — Jacobs dropped Sergiy early a year ago — but one figures a lot of Derevyanchenko's plan will be to avoid getting into firefights with GGG, and to avoid making the sort of mistakes that Golovkin can turn into a knockout."
Sound, fundamental boxing might work for a few rounds, but Golovkin is capable of switching into Terminator-mode and walking through punches on his way to launching the kind of debilitating shots that have made him famous. If Derevyanchenko is to pull off this upset, he will likely have to not only crush it on the fundamentals but also show off enough power to keep GGG from stalking him throughout the ring.
While he didn't look like a world-beater in his most recent fight, a unanimous-decision win against Jack Culcay, Derevyanchenko's trainer, Andre Rozier, believes his man is in top form heading into the biggest bout of his career.
"You hear people say it often, but this has been one of the best training camps ever," Rozier said, per Crose.
Assuming Golovkin still has what it takes to pull off the victory, fans will clamor for a 2020 date with Alvarez. Golovkin fought to a draw with Canelo in their first battle in September 2017, which some believe he deserved to win, before losing a razor-thin majority decision a year later.
He deserves a third chance if he can get it, but he will likely be 38 by the time it happens, while Alvarez is still very much in his prime and likely to have full use of his myriad talents.
Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko will reportedly square off on Oct. 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Dan Rafael of ESPN reported the news, noting the two sides agreed to terms Tuesday for a fight that will determine a vacant middleweight world title. There are plans to formally announce the fight with a press conference Thursday, presuming each side is happy with the paperwork and signs the contract Wednesday.
Those negotiations lasted for weeks, and Rafael called them "acrimonious" at times.
Rafael explained the process that led to this fight instead of one featuring Canelo Alvarez.
Daniel Jacobs defeated Derevyanchenko in October, but the former lost to Alvarez in May. That cleared the way for Derevyanchenko to face Alvarez after defeating Jack Culcay in April, although Alvarez never finalized a deal with the mandatory challenger.
As a result, he was stripped of his IBF 160-pound world title in August, meaning Derevyanchenko would face Golovkin as the next contender.
Golovkin lost to Alvarez in September 2018 after they fought to a draw in 2017. The loss ended his streak of 20 straight middleweight title defenses, which tied Bernard Hopkins' record.
He won't get that third shot at Alvarez, but the 39-1-1 (35 KOs) boxer has a chance to start a new title defense if he can capitalize on his height and reach advantages against the 13-1-0 (10 KOs) Derevyanchenko.
According to BoxRec, Golovkin checks in at 5'10½" with a 70" reach compared to 5'9" with a 67½" reach for Derevyanchenko.
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) put on a show on Saturday night in front of a friendly Cinco de Mayo weekend crowd, defeating Daniel Jacobs (35-3, 29 KOs) by a narrow unanimous decision in a world middleweight title unification bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ring's Ryan Songalia had the cards:
Alvarez dominated the first half of the fight. His impeccable movement and timing frustrated Jacobs, who had a hard time landing cleanly or at all. In the second half of the bout, Jacobs' physicality and stamina came into play. He was able to swarm Alvarez at times and find openings that were simply unavailable earlier on, but it wasn't enough to make up for the lost ground.
Sporting News' Andreas Hale complimented Alvarez's ability to make fighters miss:
CompuBox provided the final punch stats:
This was the second fight for Alvarez as part of his massive contract with sports streaming service DAZN, one of the richest in sports history.
With the win, Alvarez now holds the WBA, WBC and IBF world middleweight titles. The only major title he's missing at 160 pounds is the WBO strap, which belongs to Demetrius Andrade.
It was clear from the start how much respect the two fighters had for each other's ability. Jacobs, taller and with a longer reach, looked to stay behind his jab and keep out of Canelo's range.
Jacobs has seen a lot of rounds in his long career, and Alvarez targeted the body early on, but his best punch at the start was a straight right over the top of Jacobs' jab.
Fox Sports' Mike Coppinger felt a power punch helped him take the third:
Alvarez has grown into a true all-around fighter in his prime. Rather than his offense, it was his sublime defensive work that impressed throughout the night. Alvarez kept the head and body on a swivel, with Jacobs looking like a guy getting shut out on a game of whack-a-mole. All he had to do was pop up from a difficult angle, and Jacobs was wide open for a power shot.
The Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire felt Alvarez was dominating by the end of the fifth:
Jacobs has rare gifts of his own, as he's one of the few fighters able to switch stances comfortably. He trotted out the southpaw look here and there, and he landed a few good shots from that stance. However, it seemed to do little to dissuade Alvarez from his game plan, calmly walking down Jacobs and countering off the jab.
Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. felt Alvarez was in control:
CompuBox showed a wide disparity in punches and percentage landed:
Jacobs looked better once he finally started letting his hands go. The eighth could have gone either way, and Jacobs landed one of the best punches of the night in the ninth, snapping Alvarez's head back with a left hook. The movement and timing Alvarez had in the middle rounds had eroded, seemingly because of fatigue, and Jacobs had a much better time of stringing together punches.
Eventually, though, Jacobs ran out of gas and wasn't able to close out the fight in the way he would've needed to sway the judges or get the knockdown. Alvarez struggled at times, but he had most of the answers.
For the 32-year-old Jacobs, it's another night of disappointment on the big stage. He came close to beating Gennady Golovkin in 2017, and this shot against Alvarez likely represented his last chance at getting a signature win. Had he fought Alvarez a couple of years ago, he may have been able to pull this one out, but his best years are behind him.
Alvarez, 28, looks every bit like a fighter taking full advantage of his glory days. He's beaten Triple G and now Jacobs, two of his toughest tests. A trilogy fight with Golovkin would be welcome, or he could go after Andrade and unify the middleweight division.
Another option is going back up to 168 pounds. He ran roughshod over Rocky Fielding in a super middleweight title bout in December. That's life for a complete boxer in the best years of his life. He can go anywhere and do anything.
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (51-1-2, 35 KOs) will look to unify three world titles on Saturday night when he takes on Daniel Jacobs (35-2, 29 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in a middleweight superfight.
Alvarez, one of the richest athletes in the world, owns the WBA and WBC belts, while Jacobs holds the IBF title. Demetrius Andrade holds the WBO strap, and Alvarez could soon have him in his sights if he can do what's expected of him and beat Jacobs on Saturday.
Having defeated the dangerous Gennady Golovkin in a rematch bout in September (the first was called a draw), Alvarez is seeking out a new set of challenges. He beat up Rocky Fielding to win a title at super middleweight in December, but he has moved back to 160 pounds with his sights set on conquering the division.
Jacobs has had a stellar career that's seen him win world titles and beat cancer, but he's 32 and past his prime. Beating Alvarez would be the biggest win of his career, but he will have to bring his best stuff to pull it off.
This is a massive bout for both boxers. You could see that at Friday's weigh-in, where the simmering tensions boiled over:
Here's how to watch the match.
Alvarez vs. Jacobs Fight Info
When: Saturday, May 4, at 9 p.m. ET
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Live Stream: DAZN, Sky Go (UK)
Odds: Alvarez -450 (bet $450 to win $100), Jacobs +350 (bet $100 to win $350)
Odds according to Oddschecker and updated Saturday at 7 a.m. ET.
The oddsmakers have Alvarez winning this bout, as do many of the pundits, writers and fellow boxers. In ESPN.com's roundup of predictions, 16 of the 17 people polled have Alvarez winning the bout. Most expect him to have to work for it, though; only three have him winning by stoppage.
In fighting and surviving Golovkin twice, Alvarez has shown that he can take a punch with the best of him. Jacobs is a hard hitter, but he doesn't pack the same force as Triple G. Unless he catches Alvarez perfectly, he's unlikely to win by knockout.
If the fight is going to go the cards, Alvarez has shown he knows how to win points. The pride of Mexico has an excellent jab and a superb sense of timing that allows him to set up eye-catching counterpunches, the kind that send his opponent's head whipping to the side before snapping back into place like a bobblehead.
Jacobs is unafraid to mix things up, so he will have to be careful not to get caught in too many vulnerable positions when he goes on the offensive. Don't expect him to hit the canvas for a 10-count. Like Alvarez, he is one of the few men to survive 12 rounds with Golovkin, although he came out on the losing side in a narrow decision.
So how does Jacobs expect to win? By taking advantage of his natural gifts. He's taller, has a longer reach than Alvarez and has a naturally bigger frame. He'll hope to combine that with ring smarts to pull out the victory.
"What I know is that I have the physical advantages, and I look forward to using my physical advantage, my reach, my height and range," Jacobs said, per the New York Post's George Willis. "Being that I also have speed, power, and ring IQ, that's what I feel like is going to make me victorious."
It's a potent combination, but it might be too late for him to make good on his physical attributes and talents. Alvarez, 28, is in his prime and has developed into a superb all-around talent.
Whatever strategy Jacobs opts for, whether it's roughing him up inside or staying on the outside or switching stances, Alvarez has the skills to counter.
If this fight had happened a couple of years ago, it would be possible to see Jacobs pulling off the upset. But on Saturday, look for Alvarez to win a close decision on the cards.
Prediction: Alvarez by narrow unanimous decision.
Life can hardly be better for Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. He's signed the richest contract in sports history with DAZN, is in his prime at 28 years old, holds two world middleweight titles and has beaten one of the toughest fighters in the world, Gennady Golovkin.
He's all but conquered the sport of boxing, but rather than sit back and cash in, he's taking on another challenge in IBF world middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs.
If you had to pick another fighter other than Golovkin to dethrone Alvarez—and some would argue Golovkin did just that in the first meeting, ruled a draw—Jacobs would be the guy.
He has power in both hands, is tough as nails and can take a punch. He faced Golovkin in March 2017, losing by a narrow decision but breaking up a stoppage streak for the Kazakh boxer that had spanned nine years. Jacobs is a legitimate threat to Alvarez's reign at middleweight.
The two will clash Saturday night in Las Vegas for a Cinco de Mayo weekend superfight. Here's how to watch.
Alvarez vs. Jacobs Fight Info
When: Saturday, May 4, at 9 p.m. ET (main card)
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Live Stream: DAZN, Sky Go (UK)
Odds: Alvarez -450 (bet $450 to win $100), Jacobs +333 (bet $100 to win $333)
Odds courtesy of Oddschecker.com and updated May 2 at 7 a.m. ET.
We last saw Alvarez in December when he was busy making his debut as DAZN's newest golden boy, pummeling Rocky Fielding to win the WBA world super-middleweight title with a third-round technical knockout.
Alvarez's journey at 168 pounds is on hold, as he is back down to a more natural fit at middleweight to take on Jacobs, with three world titles on the line.
For Alvarez and his trainer Eddy Reynoso, they have unfinished business at middleweight.
"We have a tremendous challenge in front of us, a tremendous champion in Daniel Jacobs, but this year, our goal is to sweep the middleweight division and win all four belts, and Daniel Jacobs will not obtain that goal," Reynoso said, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael.
Jacobs has done the best work of his career at 160 pounds. Before losing to Golovkin, he racked up a stoppage streak of his own, one that spanned 12 fights in just under six years.
He defeated the likes of Caleb Truax, Peter Quillin and Sergio Mora (twice) along the way. He also beat a rare form of bone cancer during that time, earning the nickname of "Miracle Man."
He's won three fights since losing to Golovkin, his most recent seeing him take the IBF crown from Sergiy Derevyanchenko in October. It should be noted that all three fights went to decision, so it's possible Jacobs, 32, is losing some of his sting as he ages.
His mind remains sharp, however. It has to be if you survive 12 rounds with a brutal hitter like Golovkin and come close to winning. Jacobs has been studying Alvarez, and he believes he has found the key to beating the Mexican superstar.
"From his skill set, he has no weaknesses," said Jacobs, per the New York Daily News' Tony Paige, before adding "he has undereducated footwork and has a hard time with a moving target. We've created not only Plan A, Plan B and Plan C, but a few game plans to exploit Canelo's weaknesses."
Alvarez likes to stand and trade, often getting the better of his opponents with his signature counterpunching skills. Jacobs and his team apparently want to stay away from that and get Alvarez moving around the ring, perhaps chasing the action.
Drawing out Alvarez could work well for Jacobs, who is a bigger man with a longer reach, but it also has its pitfalls. When Alvarez lands, the punches are crisp and true. They can be eye candy for judges, and he only needs to land a few flashpoint blows each round to sway the judges and get a win on points.
Speaking of judges, the same three scorers who worked Alvarez's majority-decision win over Golovkin will also be judging Saturday's fight, per Rafael. That's hardly welcome news for Golovkin supporters who think their man deserved to win that fight and may be hoping Jacobs can upset the favorite.
If Jacobs wins, it will be the signature victory he's been looking for his entire career and will earn him another massive payday or two. It will also deal a blow to Alvarez's standings in the pound-for-pound rankings.
Should Alvarez emerge victoriously, it will only cement his status as one of boxing's elite, especially since he's shown a willingness to routinely take on the toughest competition in an era when so many potentially great fights don't get made. It will also help him move beyond the failed drug tests that led to a six-month ban in 2018, assuming there are no further failed tests. A good life will get that much better.
