DANIEL JACOBS will not take Sergio Mora lightly when he defends his WBA world middleweight title against the 34-year-old at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York on August 1.
The two will meet on the same bill as Danny Garcia’s next fight, against Brooklyn native Paulie Malignaggi.
Despite being installed as a betting favourite against the former light-middleweight world champion, Jacobs, 28, is expecting a difficult fight against the slick Mora.
“He’s the most experienced fighter that I will be stepping in the ring with,” he said.
“The former world champion, he has that experience. He knows what it is to go the distance. He knows what it is to be in a dogfight. I’m a young champion and I haven’t seen those things thus far.
“I can’t take him lightly even though he will be an underdog and even though people will pick me as a favourite to win. I’m looking at him as the most devastating opponent that I’ve had thus far coming up to middleweight.”
In his first defence since winning the vacant title last year, Jacobs stopped Caleb Truax in the 12th round in April and the New Yorker claims it was his choice to fight to 12 rounds for the first time in his career.
“I essentially wanted to go 12 rounds with Truax. I felt like I could stop him a little bit earlier, maybe in the sixth round but it was something that I wanted to prove to myself and knowing that I can go a full strong 12 rounds is something that I’m very confident with now.
“So, the test with Sergio Mora is – whether that he can be stopped or whether or not I can go the distance with him, he’s never been stopped before, so it will be icing on the cake to be able to not only to defeat him but to stop him in the match.
“But, he’s a crafty veteran and if I can take a win over a guy like that, a win is a win to me. But at the end of the day, what the fans want to see is knockouts.”
While Mora has highlighted his edge in experience, Jacobs acknowledges his need for development and is relishing the opportunity to learn against a fighter like Mora.
“I’ve always said that I’m just trying to get that experience most importantly. It’s important to me as a young champion, I’m not where I want to be as a fighter thus far.
“You’re still growing, you’re still learning. I’m looking at this as just a really starting test. I’m trying to really gain as much experience as I can in fighting such a crafty, slick veteran.”
