DANNY JACOBS makes his first appearance since his May defeat to Canelo Alvarez in a slightly odd super-middleweight 12-rounder with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr that nobody really seems to have called for. With all sorts of interesting bouts still on offer down at 160lbs, Jacobs has instead decided to step up in a bid to win a world title at a second weight.
Chavez, meanwhile, has had just 86 seconds of action since his 2017 whitewash loss at the hands of Canelo and is unlikely to cause the slick, talented Jacobs many problems here, even if he manages to whip himself into something approaching his best shape. But Chavez is tough and should last the distance in another lopsided points defeat.
On the undercard at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix on Friday (December 20), Julio Cesar Martinez and Cristofer Rosales clash for the WBC flyweight title recently vacated by Charlie Edwards. It was Martinez who initially stopped Edwards back in August, only to have the result changed to a No Contest by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman after the Mexican challenger landed a punch while Edwards was on the canvas. Martinez will not have it all his own way against Rosales, who lost the belt to Edwards 12 months ago, but his all-action style should be enough to secure an inside-schedule win in what could turn into a thriller. Sky Sports Main Event (UK) and DAZN (US) broadcast this Matchroom promotion.
