KELVIN SEABROOKS w rtd 9 THIERRY JACOB
July 4, 1987; Circus Tent, Calais, France
THE riotous nature of boxing is evidenced beautifully in this thrilling encounter. Inside the opening 15 seconds, Frenchman Thierry Jacob is decked by Seabrooks. But the IBF bantamweight champion cannot sustain the advantage and is floored himself on two occasions in the first round and sent to his knees in the sixth. Meanwhile, Jacob picks up a nasty cut in the third before the two go ballistic in the eighth round, exchanging furious blows. Seabrooks gets on top in the ninth. At the end of the session Jacob is retired due to his eye injury and a belief it will go to the cards. Bedlam ensues: Seabrooks is named the stoppage winner before French officials intervene and Jacob is announced as the victor. Later, the IBF insist Seabrook is still king.
DID YOU KNOW? The Jacob corner appear to try and make their fighter’s cut worse at the end of the ninth round before signalling he cannot continue. The plan backfired.
WATCH OUT FOR: The action is superb. And the aftermath is pure soap opera – made all the more difficult to follow because it’s in French.
