Canelo Alvarez

Daniel Jacobs came in more than three pounds over the 170-pound rehydration weight limit for Saturday's bout with Canelo Alvarez, but the bout will go on as scheduled.

"Jacobs came in heavy. It is what it is," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "We spoke to Canelo and his attitude is, 'I don't care. I'm still gonna kick his ass.' Canelo is pissed off, and he wants to kick his ass. Canelo was 169, solid and feeling stronger than ever. But the fact that Jacobs came in heavy tells you a lot. It tells you how unsure he is in himself."

Alvarez weighed in at 169 pounds. Both fighters made the 160-pound limit for their welterweight championship unification bout Friday but had a weight check-in Saturday where neither could be above 170 pounds.

Under terms of the fight contract, Jacobs will be fined $1 million of his $10 million purse guarantee. 

"My thought is as long as both guys made 160 and Canelo looked the stronger fighter during the weigh-in [Friday], that's all that matters," De La Hoya said. "We have a fight."

Jacobs is a naturally bigger fighter than Canelo, standing 6'0" to Alvarez's 5'8". His larger stature is a reason Alvarez's team put the second weigh-in clause into the contract for their fight so that their guy would not go into Saturday night at a significant weight disadvantage.

Alvarez, 28, is 51-1-2 as a professional, with his only loss coming to Floyd Mayweather in 2013. He's considered a heavy favorite to defeat Jacobs, who won the vacant IBF middleweight title from Serhiy Derevianchenko in October. Their most recent common opponent is Gennady Golovkin, who defeated Jacobs and drew/lost to Alvarez in their two fights.

Notably, Jacobs missed the pre-fight weight check-in for that bout against Golovkin. While that missed check-in cost him a chance at the IBF middleweight championship, his being overweight against Canelo will not affect the championships on the line. 

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:

Things getting heated between Canelo and Danny Jacobs ahead of their fight tomorrow 😳

(via @GoldenBoyBoxing)pic.twitter.com/zkWbrXc5ha

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 3, 2019

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.

Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs decided not to wait until Saturday night before squaring off in a face-to-face showdown. 

During Friday's weigh-in, Alvarez and Jacobs were involved in a skirmish on the stage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas:

🔥 @canelo vs @DanielJacobsTKO 🔥

LET’S GO!!!! #WatchOnDAZN @DAZN_USA pic.twitter.com/HS603L3AIB

— Golden Boy (@GoldenBoyBoxing) May 3, 2019

The lead-up to the altercation saw the two boxers pushing their heads together and Jacobs appearing to say something that caused Alvarez to shove him. 

It would appear Jacobs is following the Conor McGregor blueprint of promoting a fight by leaving the audience with a memorable final moment leading up to the big event. 

Now is when things get difficult for Jacobs. The 32-year-old will attempt to win the lineal middleweight title and defend his IBF middleweight crown against an opponent whose only loss in 54 fights was against Floyd Mayweather Jr.  

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs will meet on Saturday in a middleweight unification superfight that's been hailed by many as boxing's biggest bout of 2019 so far.

The pair will face off at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the expert picks have rolled in thick and fast approaching such a highly anticipated bout.

IBF middleweight titleholder Jacobs beat Serhiy Derevianchenko via split decision in October to take the vacant belt, while Canelo will put his WBA (Super), WBC, The Ring and lineal middleweight belts on the line.

All pre-fight signs suggest Canelo will add to his collection of crowns when he returns to Las Vegas on Saturday, although there are experts out there who back "Miracle Man" for a mighty upset. 

      

Expert and Pro Picks

Neither boxer is short on support heading into what promises to be a special matchup between two supreme talents. Jacobs has had 37 fights and lost only twice in his career, although Canelo's monstrous record of 54-1-2 is practically unparalleled in today's sport, certainly at middleweight.

ESPN writer Dan Rafael wrote that he felt the judges will play a big factor considering the panel is made up of those same names who awarded him a majority-decision victory over Gennady Golovkin in September. Rafael predicts Jacobs will last 12 rounds, but his display won't be enough to convince on the cards, and ESPN host Max Kellerman agreed.

Boxers turned ESPN analysts Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez also backed Alvarez to triumph on Saturday, albeit by knockout and split decision, respectively.

Presenter Stephen A. Smith threw his support behind Canelo and recently said the Mexican star's counter-punching would be key against Jacobs, who holds a three-inch reach and height advantage:

Jacobs, 32, has lost only twice in his career and is one of only five fighters who have gone the distance against former WBA (Super), WBC, and IBO middleweight champion Golovkin (a unanimous-decision loss).

Alvarez is also among that number and managed to do so on two occasions (one draw, one win), and two-time super featherweight world champion Gervonta Davis ranked him at the top of the pound-for-pound charts:

Canelo is my #1 P4P I feel like he’s a OG of this generation but so young!

— Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) April 30, 2019

It's been six years since Alvarez, 28, suffered the only defeat of his career to date against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Standing at just under six feet, Jacobs offers a different kind of dilemma and has the knockout potential to upset his superstar opponent.

One person backing bone cancer survivor Jacobs for a major shock is Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn.

Although he has clear bias in backing his own fighter, Hearn spoke passionately of why he felt Jacobs has the heart to end Canelo's reign, via TalkSport's Michael Benson:

🗣️ Eddie Hearn preaching the gospel of Daniel Jacobs (who recovered from a rare form of bone cancer in order to return to boxing) at the press conference ahead of his huge fight with Canelo Alvarez this weekend. pic.twitter.com/4PSBg2YbTP

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 2, 2019

Former super middleweight world champion Badou Jack spoke to the Mayweather Boxing Channel (some language NSFW) and said he was rooting for Jacobs. However, he echoed the opinion that Alvarez will not lose if it's left up to the judges.

Andre Ward has shown his expertise as an analyst since retiring as a boxer in June 2017, and he feels Jacobs has the capacity to shock Canelo.

He told FightHype.com: "Danny has to come in there with his mind made up, that he's not OK with losing a close decision. He has to make up his mind that 'I'm going to walk through fire to get what I'm trying to get and I'm not leaving here without it.' If he has that mindset, he's going to be a hard man to beat."

Least surprising of all is the fact Jacobs himself feels he has the power to defeat Alvarez on Cinco de Mayo, via Sky Sports:

Jacobs will attempt to become the first middleweight to beat Alvarez in Vegas on Saturday, and he'll continue to fight against the odds as the experts lean in favour of Canelo to take the victory.

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. 

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and business partner Maverick Carter will reportedly serve as executive producers on the upcoming DAZN series 40 Days, which is going to follow boxers as they prepare for marquee fights.

On Wednesday, TMZ Sports reported the first installment of the documentary series will feature Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs as they prepare for their middleweight championship bout in Las Vegas on May 4. The series is scheduled to premiere April 23.

James has taken on several projects away from the basketball court as part of his media company Uninterrupted, and he's also slated to star in the highly anticipated Space Jam sequel.

The DAZN series will likely take on a similar format to HBO's 24/7, which has provided a behind-the-scenes look at different sporting events, including championship boxing matches, outdoor hockey games and the head-to-head golf clash between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

"These documentaries will shine a light on the three-dimensional aspect of who these athletes are outside of the ring and empower them to tell their own stories as they prepare for some of the biggest moments in their boxing careers," Maverick Carter said in a statement, per TMZ.

James and Carter are working with Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya on the series.

"This is excellent for the sport as it will provide the kind of unique lens that only LeBron James and Maverick Carter can bring," De La Hoya said. "At the same time, there's no better way for them to start this partnership than by featuring the most important boxing event of the year, so Golden Boy is proud to be a part of it."

No further installments of the series were immediately announced.

Canelo Alvarez announced Thursday he will fight Daniel Jacobs on May 4. 

Es oficial, #CaneloJacobs este próximo 4 de Mayo. pic.twitter.com/IMYETfBpp0

— Canelo Alvarez (@Canelo) January 17, 2019

"I will unify my middleweight titles against Daniel Jacobs on one of the two most important dates that belong to me," Alvarez said of the fight, per the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire. "I have no doubt that I will be victorious and that I'll be one step away from becoming the undisputed middleweight world champion."

The fight will be part of Alvarez's five-year deal with DAZN that commits him to 11 bouts for the streaming service. According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, Jacobs struck an agreement with DAZN for three fights, including his date with Canelo.

Alvarez earned a majority decision against Gennady Golovkin last September in what was a rematch between the two stars. Although a third battle would undoubtedly be a big moneymaker for everyone involved, both Alvarez and Golden Boy Promotions chairman Oscar De La Hoya played down the prospect in December.

Pugmire reported Golovkin has received offers from DAZN, ESPN and Premier Boxing Champions as he weighs his next move. Not only has DAZN presented Golovkin with the "biggest" offer of the three, per Pugmire, but it would also open the door for a third installment of Canelo vs. GGG.

In the meantime, Jacobs should be a tough challenger for Alvarez. The 31-year-old is 35-2 with 29 knockouts, most recently earning a split decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in October. He claimed the IBF middleweight championship by virtue of the result.