DANNY JACOBS is training in Oakland, California in preparation for his highly anticipated clash with unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on March 18.
Golovkin will defend his WBA, WBC and IBF world titles against Jacobs, seen by most as the closest threat to ‘GGG”s 160lb throne at the moment, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Jacobs has taken his camp to Virgil Hunter’s talent-packed gym in Oakland, and the 30-year-old believes he is reaping the benefits.
“Having Andre Ward here in my camp is terrific. I have a great deal of respect for him, he’s a role model for me, we’ve known each other since the amateurs. I greatly appreciate his support,” he said.
“It’s the biggest fight of my career so I have to make sacrifices by leaving home and coming here, there’s too many distractions in New York. Being away adds to that motivation, it’s a sacrifice missing my 8-year-old son, but it makes me know that everything is worth it.
“Being around so many world class fighters here at Virgil’s gym helps push me and focus. We have smart sparring sessions, not wars.
“In addition to having Andre Rozier as my trainer, bringing aboard Chris Algieri was a great addition. He’s able to help with my nutrition plus he’s fought on the biggest stages in the biggest fights which helps me.”
A fifth round stoppage loss to Dmitry Pirog in 2010 almost derailed Jacobs – a cancer survivor – and having been dropped by the relatively light-punching Sergio Mora in 2015, some have questioned whether Danny can stand up to Golovkin’s monstrous power.
Although he acknowledges that he can’t judge Golovkin’s strength until fight night, Jacobs is adamant that he can dish out some punishment of his own to the unbeaten Kazakh.
“I’ve been down twice in my career but I’m but not worried about my chin. He’s a very strong guy but it’s up to me to prove I’m quicker and better,” he continued.
“I don’t know how hard he punches, I’ve never faced him but anybody can be hurt and I’m confident in my power that I can hurt him. All the questions about my chin and heart will be answered on March 18.
“I’m really a boxer, I’ve just become known as a knockout artist with all my stoppages.”
