And why not?
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin fights Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs
When Gennady “GGG” Golovkin risks his middleweight crown against Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs it will not just be a fight between the consensus number one and Number two middleweights in boxing on an existential level anyone involved in the fight and all observers know they will be witnessing something special-a boxing match the likes of which has not been seen since the Four Horsemen fought it out among themselves and battled their way into the history books as well as collective human memory more than a generation ago.
The Wanderer
Gennady Golovkin was born in a remote corner of the crumbling soviet empire April 8th 1982 in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Straddling the Silk Road, the Eurasian steppe where he was born saw the Mongol horde range far and wide and led by the fierce Genghis Khan brought nothing less than the entire known world from China to central Europe to heel.
That warrior DNA has imbued one of the most feared boxers in recent memory and has seen “GGG” maraud and plunder through the ranks of the middleweight division to capture the IBO, WBA, WBC and IBF Middleweight titles.
All this stands in stark contrast to a man, though approaching 35 retains his boyish looks, easy going affect and good humor. Perhaps more amazing still is the sheer combat experience of the man. His amateur record is astounding; the figure most widely recognized purports 345 wins and only 8 defeats, coupled with a professional record of 36 wins no losses and 33 wins by knockout.
It’s stunning to contemplate-389 fights, that’s more than a 11 fights a year for every year that GGG has lived on Earth and one would assume he was born to fight. Growing up as he did in the stark deprivation in the waning Soviet Empire. An environment perfectly suited to create a fighter without an ounce of mercy or hesitation and a work ethic second to none in the sport currently and invites comparison to the recent middleweight greats like Roberto Duran and Marvelous Marvin Hagler at least in ability and ferocity.
Throughout the millennia, Kazakhstan was influenced by the many peoples and cultures that passed through, again owing to the country’s history for being a weigh station upon the Silk Road Tartars, Mongols the Rus, the Chinese and the Turks all left their genetic finger print. In fact, it was the Turks and the word Qaz meaning “to wander” that gave birth to the name Kazakh the Persian suffix added later-stan or “place of” describes the nation’s birth perfectly as a land created by and for nomads and wanderers.
So again, how fitting that Gennady Golovkin would travel to the other side of the world to hone his craft in northern California-Big Bear Lake to be exact where he would arrive at the airport awaiting a ride to the gym and his new home under the auspices of renowned trainer Abel Sanchez. Known as an uncompromising task master few can handle the rigor of training at the state of the art facility, yet here GGG thrived, proving true the axiom that adversity reveals character it does not often build it.
It can be said the GGG knows little else but being a world champion. He’s been one since he knocked out John Anderson Carvalho in the 2nd round at the Nuerburgring race track in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany winning the vacant WBO intercontinental middleweight title on July 11th 2009. One year later in August 2010, fittingly at Arena Roberto Duran in Panama City, Panama GGG became interim WBA world middleweight champion blitzing Milton Nunez at just 58 seconds of round one.
GGG added the vacant IBO title 16 months later with another vicious first round Kayo of Lajuan Simon back in Germany. Multiple defenses against Curtis Stevens, Mathew Macklin and Daniel Geale and Gabe Rosado among other followed until GGG took on the gritty Marco Antonio Rubio in October 2014 for the interim WBC title. Normally a light heavyweight Rubio struggled on the scale and failed to make weight. No matter, GGG knocked him out in the 2nd round. GGG amassed 31 wins at this point, 29 by stoppage.
Martin Murray faced GGG next at The Forum in Inglewood, CA February 2015. This was the first time GGG was challenged by an opponent. Using a good jab, movement and angles Murray found success early. GGG did not use much head movement and was caught cleanly several times. GGG is the very definition of a pressure fighter though, he comes right at you but not recklessly, GGG landed thudding body shots in the 4th round that sent Murray down twice. That changed the entire complexion of the fight and after Murray was a shell of himself and continued to diminish. Murray was down again in the 10th . When ref Luis Pabon waived the fight off in the 11th it was an act of mercy.
Hard hitting French Canadian David Lemieux was next to surrender his IBF belt in October 2017 at Madison Square Garden. Lemieux was down in the 5th round and ref Steve Willis was forced to step in to save the slugger in the 8th round. Lemieux is a powerful puncher in his own right but wilted when he got a taste of his own medicine.
Like Alexander the Great who skirted the central Asian steppe of Golovkin’s birth there seemed to be nothing left to conquer. Talk rose of GGG moving up to super middleweight to take on Andre Ward. A fight with Chris Eubank was rumored and due largely to Eubank Sr. failed to materialize. Buzz began for a money fight with Canelo Alvarez but fell through and frustrated (and continues to frustrate) the boxing community.
So, what to do? In to the breach stepped Kell Brook, an undefeated welterweight from Sheffield, Yorkshire England. Fast, talented and domestically popular promoters had little trouble filling the O2 Arena in London for the showdown booked for last September 2016. The two men met in the center of the ring and engaged immediately, many believed Brook ‘exposed’ some defensive liabilities, like Murray did however Brook was caught with a nasty body shot and a left hook that had Brook visibly damaged. Brook landed solidly inside on several occasions particularly with a short upper cut but the power was gone. GGG showed no respect for Brook’s punches as he walked through and ate any that landed. Meanwhile GGG chopped and chopped away at the Brit, his corner had seen enough by the 5th round throwing in the towel saving Brook who was only covering up to gain some respite. He’d leave with a fractured eye socket and ought to count himself lucky.
Despite Golovkin’s dominance and unified champion status, despite the undefeated record and the 92% knockout rating somehow questions persist. Many do not believe that GGG has fought the best available competition. One popular argument is fellow child of the Evil Empire Vasyl Lomachenko. The boxer currently ‘GGGing’ the lighter weights has sought out the toughest fights and best available competition and has less than 10 fights professionally. Lomachenko himself is a decorated amateur like GGG, and fought wily veteran Orlando Salido for the vacant WBO featherweight belt in just his second fight.
This argument is a straw man, there is a reason nobody wants to fight GGG, a reason why Canelo Alvarez surrendered the WBC Middleweight belt rather than fight him and even if you removed half of GGG wins, say the first 16 when he fought primarily in Europe his record is still exemplary. The fact that he’s been champion for nearly a decade and frankly beaten up every challenger counts.
I have identified some weaknesses in his game however and he will be 35 next month.
Can Danny Jacobs identify and exploit those weaknesses remains to be seen.
It Took a Miracle
It began as generalized fatigue and weakness down the leg.
It ended with the oncologist uttering the blood curdling word Cancer.
Osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive malignant neoplasm that forms in the long bones primarily and affecting about 20,000 new Americans every year.
May 2011 Danny Jacobs then only 25 was now face to face with his greatest and most merciless opponent ever. Forget boxing, the devastating news meant a promising young life potentially cut short by a disease that has wrought tragedy on millions of families. Jacobs was told in no uncertain term that if he survived the surgery needed to excise the tumor on his spine and the debilitating chemotherapy after he would never box again.
Danny Jacobs however had other ideas. Doctors and cancer had no idea what Danny Jacobs was made of.
Born February 3rd 1987, in the Brownsville ghetto of Brooklyn, NY. Growing up as it were not unlike his opponent Gennady Golovkin amidst scarcity and deprivation. Not in a Soviet backwater but in a crumbling unforgiving metropolis ravaged by Reaganomics.
Early on Jacobs discovered boxing and like so many inner city and minority youth became his chief vehicle for extrication from his circumstance.
At just 16 years old Jacobs won the National Championship at the Junior Olympics. He also became a National Gold Gloves Champion in 2004 and even defeated former Golovkin foe Martin Murray twice in a meet between the English and US squads in London. In 2007 Jacobs was a US Olympic runner up beating another Golovkin opponent Dominic Wade and beat tough American welterweight Shawn Porter two times in the same tournament for good measure.
Late in 2007 Jacobs turned pro with a TKO win over Jose Jesus Hurtado and then steamrolled nearly all his first 20 opponents going the distance only three times until he ran up against Dmitry Pirog July 31st 2010. Pirog is the most like GGG of the opponents on Jacobs’ resume and the only one thus far to beat him and stop him. Ahead on all three judges’ cards heading into the 5th round Jacobs backed straight up into the ropes, the stalking Russian shifted and brought down a huge overhand right over Jacobs’ jab. He was out before he hit the canvas. Referee Robert Byrd took one look at the splayed figure of Jacobs and waived the fight off.
Not one year later Jacobs would receive the diagnosis of cancer. A word that changed his life forever.
Then, miraculously, improbably, Jacobs beat the disease and slowly worked his way back into the boxing ring with his mother Yvette who raised him all those years in the projects and longtime trainer Andre Rozier by his side-now rechristened the Miracle Man Danny Jacobs made a triumphant return on home court at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn knocking out Josh Luteran in the first round.
Danny Jacobs made his second debut, a new man. A changed man. And he picked up right where he left off. Ten straight fights ten straight finishes.
The Breakdown
Gennady Golovkin versus Danny Jacobs have many feeling nostalgic for the glory days of the middleweight division. Serious boxing heads and some fighters like Showtime analyst and recently retried former boxer Paulie Malignaggi have referenced the short, violent and epic clash between “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns.
Billed as The War the two great middleweights met at Caesars Palace in Nevada three decades ago.
Hagler, known for his durability and underrated boxing IQ was pitted against Hearns’ supreme angles and vaunted right straight. The two men tore at each other from the opening bell, Hearns drew first blood opening a massive cut on Hagler’s head.
The blistering pace of the first round seemed to affect Hearns leaving him worse for the wear going in to the second round, Hearns did not seem to have his legs under him and Hagler closed in landing a barrage of punches to end the round.
Hagler finished Hearns in the third round with a vicious assault, the blood from the cut opened as Hagler battered his foe the blood steamed down his face leaving a grotesque red mask on the champion. Two concussive upper cuts sent Hearns down prone to the canvas. Gamely he struggled to his feet but the fight was gone from him. Veteran referee Richard Steele saved Tommy Hearns halting the bout.
Now The Great War between GGG and Jacobs does have some superficial similarities-they are the two best consensus middleweights in boxing. GGG has been an undefeated, undisputed champion for nearly a decade like Hagler was and carries a fearsome reputation into the ring with him. Jacobs has a long lean athletic build, like Hearns and has very respectable power as his 88% KO rating can attest.
For me this is where the similarities end. Hagler was a much better defensive fighter then he’s ever give credit for, he hid his chin behind his shoulders very well and observe his little slips and rolls under the punches that came at him. For his part GGG never moves his head. Not when he jabs, not when his opponent jabs, he comes right at you. What he does well is economical foot work that allows him to cut off the ring setting up his power shots behind his intelligent probing jab. GGG has some of the most solid boxing fundamentals in the sport and crushing, soul stealing power. He possesses nothing less than the touch of death in each hand.
Danny Jacobs’ best attribute is his plasticity. He can be whatever fighter he needs to be to win, he can box off the back foot, he has power, he’s not afraid of a good fight! The criticism-if anyone can believe it is that he’s ‘chinny.’ Ladies and gentleman, he has one loss, he’s been down too granted but he’s been stopped only once and that loss was seven years ago, to Dmitry Pirog a very underrated boxer who likely would have gone on to do great things not unlike his neighbor GGG.
Jacobs does get excited and reckless at times. In Jacobs’ first fight with Sergio Mora he scored a quick knockdown in the first round off a short left hook. Smelling blood Jacobs tried to storm Mora and was himself knocked down just seconds later. The fight ended prematurely due to Mora’s injury to his knee though he was soundly beaten by Jacobs in the rematch.
Much is made of the job Kell Brook did to ‘expose’ GGG in their fight last year. GGG and Abel Sanchez try to explain this away as GGG wanting to get into a brawl with Brook, impose his power and physicality. It worked to some extent however Brook a welterweight moving up to fight GGG when no one else would did land some significant shots and even stumbled GGG for a moment. Even so, GGG’s crippling attack took the power out of the Brit. Jacobs has the speed and the power to hurt GGG in those similar exchanges. The question will be when, not if GGG lands on Jacobs will he retain his power and a better question in my opinion can Jacobs remained disciplined and not get into a wild shoot out with GGG.
One thing I learned from the recent upset of David Haye by Tony Bellew was that you ought to believe in the man with the quiet confidence. If you listened to Bellew leading all the way up to the fight he thought he was going in the ring with King Kong, he went to very dark scary places in his mind and overcame his fear of the power that Haye possessed by believing, knowing he would get hit with the kitchen sink and when he did and he was still standing it gave him the confidence to soldier on and win. Making his heavy punching foe miss and counter punching effectively did not hurt either.
Jacobs knows what he’s up against. He has respect and a healthy fear. That said, Jacob’s will move and box for the first 5-6 rounds, he’ll pick his shots and use his three-inch reach advantage to spear a jab into the body and solar plexus of the Kazakh. Punching big takes a lot of energy and Jacobs can invest early in stealing GGG’s power away from him.
By the middle rounds, Jacobs confidence will grow, he will pick spots to brawl landing hard and cleanly but being careful not to stay in the pocket too long-land two or three hard shots max and keep moving. Jacobs will press his advantage late and score a stoppage in a big flurry in rounds 10-12.
I understand the comparisons between Hagler and Hearns but I believe the roles will be reversed. Jacobs will play the role of Hagler, setting a blistering pace and sapping the energy of GGG who has not faced a puncher like Jacobs who will not be intimidated by GGG’s power like Lemieux was mostly because he will refrain from being sucked into trench warfare.
Danny Jacobs has beaten cancer. He didn’t cheat death, he faced it down.
So, The Miracle Man is uniquely suited to this task.
