It’s the big middleweight showdown that is Canelo Alvarez versus Danny Jacobs on Saturday night and fans are fully expecting to see a great fight, a highly competitive fight and very possibly a distance fight that goes to the score-cards. But many of these same fans are asking the question: can Jacobs win a decision over Canelo in Las Vegas? Indeed, can any fighter (short of Floyd Mayweather) win a decision over the Mexican superstar in Vegas?
Addressing this question, and the perception amongst many that Canelo holds a huge advantage by fighting in Vegas, the scene of a number of the middleweight champ’s big fights, the two decision fights with Gennady Golovkin included, Oscar De La Hoya told Ringtv.com that “anyone can lose in Las Vegas.” De La Hoya mentioned how he himself lost a decision in Vegas despite being the big favourite to win (against Sugar Shane Mosley, their second fight, in 2003) before adding telling Jacobs, “don’t worry about the judges; worry about the fight.”
It has been confirmed that judge Adelaide Byrd will not be working Saturday night’s fight, and this comes as some relief to those fans who were so angered by the 118-110 score Byrd gave to Canelo in the first Golovkin fight. Still, it would be a big surprise to see Jacobs’ hand raised after 12 tough rounds. So can Jacobs win a decision if the fight goes to the wire?
“Anyone can lose in Las Vegas,” Oscar said. “I lost in Vegas and apparently I was always the favourite. Anybody can lose and I would be surprised if Danny Jacobs is thinking about that because I know what a professional he is. I can tell you Canelo is going in there with the mentality of winning and I expect Jacobs to do the same. Don’t worry about the judges; worry about the fight.”
But is Jacobs thinking about what might happen should the fight go the the judges? It has almost certainly crossed Jacobs’ mind at least one or twice, surely. How the fans will react if Canelo does have as tough a time on Saturday as plenty are thinking will be the case, only to be awarded a points win that is seen as too wide, remains to be seen. A KO, one way or the other, would of course put an end to any such concern, but both men have a good chin, ring smarts and toughness.
This one really does look like a 12-round distance fight. Let’s just hope the judges work impartially as should always, always be the case whoever it is that’s fighting.