Canelo Alvarez vs Danny Jacobs – what they said
Canelo Alvarez: “I’m very happy, I’m very content because everything came out the way we worked hard for. We always knew going into the fight that Jacobs was going to be difficult, strong but that’s what we prepared for. I’m very happy to add another belt, another title to my history and we’re going to continue working and continue winning titles and continue making history.
“That’s the goal. Whoever has the title, it doesn’t matter, our goal is to unify all the belts, become the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. We’re going to sit with our team and come back with a decision.
“My objective is to fight for another title. But the only other champion [WBO titlist Demetrius Andrade] fights in June. You all know my fight’s in September, that might be too close, so we’re going to think about it as a team and come up with a decision.”
Danny Jacobs: “I felt I did enough to get the victory, especially with the conversations I had with my cornerman. I know it was back and forth action but for me early on it was hard to get the rhythm of Canelo and I felt once I get the rhythm I started to push him back and then it became a really competitive fight.
“I wanted to trade a little bit more but his timing was really good as far as knowing when to punch and when to back off.
“Canelo is a warrior obviously and for me I just have to go back to the drawing board to see what I can do better. But it’s questionable for me if I’m going to stay in the middleweight division. It is taking a toll on my body and it’s showing. I might have outgrown the middleweight division and I might take my talents to super-middleweight. We’ll see.”
Oscar De La Hoya (Canelo’s promoter): “We all said it was going to be very difficult and tough. I had Canelo winning by two or three points, maybe one of the rounds was a tie, but Jacobs is a warrior. So we’re very pleased with everything.
“Canelo has many options as you know. There’s nobody that he doesn’t want to face. But he has many options. That’s the wonderful part about being the man in the sport of boxing is that everyone wants to fight him, whether it’s at 175lbs, 160 or 168lbs, he has many challenges. It’s one thing about Canelo that he never shies away from a challenge.
“He’s doing a great job carrying the sport on his back.”
Eric Gomez (Golden Boy president): “He’s in a great position. He’s the king right now.
“We look at the top guys. One of the fights Canelo has told us he’d love to do, love to do, is Callum Smith. Eddie [Hearn] I think he knows some people at Wembley Stadium there. So that would be a great event there. So the sky’s the limit.
“Whatever the fans want, whatever the biggest challenge is.”
Eddie Hearn (Jacobs’ promoter): “I thought it was a very high class fight, a high level fight between two elite fighters… I scored it 115-113.
“I think the right man won the fight, that’s the general consensus.
“I see him moving to 168lbs. He’s had a brilliant run at 160lbs.
“I think it’ll be a new challenge, I think he’ll be a different monster there as well. If that’s what his team decides I think that would be a wise move.”
