Can Danny Jacobs win a world title up at light-heavyweight? According to a news story from Dan Rafael at RingTV.com, we may get an answer this fall. As Rafael’s story reports, Joe Smith Jr and Jacobs are in talks, with reigning WBO 175 pound champ Smith looking at defending against Jacobs in New York. Eddie Hearn, who promotes “Miracle Man” Jacobs, has made an offer to Smith’s team and the offer is currently being looked at.
Jacobs, 37-3(30), outgrew the middleweight division, where he ruled as WBA champion in 2014 to 2017, and he has now also outgrown the super-middleweight division. Last boxing in November of last year, Jacobs laboured to a decision win over Gabe Rosado. It might be that Jacobs, big for a middleweight and a super-middleweight, will feel comfortable at light-heavy.
Smith, 27-3(21) won the WBO title with an exciting win over Maxim Vlasov, who he edged in a tough battle in April. Smith’s all-action, warrior style would perhaps be too much for Jacobs. What we will very likely get if these two do fight is a good action fight. With extra energy, not having had to struggle to make the 168 pound limit, it could be that Jacobs is given a whole new lease of life. Jacobs is the better boxer of the two, Smith the natural light-heavyweight.
So who wins? It’s a pretty tough call.
“It’ll be the biggest fight between New Yorkers in New York in a long time,” Keith Connolly, Jacobs’ manager, told Ring. “I think Barclays Centre and Madison Square Garden would be really interested in the fight. It would be a huge fight for New York and for boxing.”
That it would. Now let’s hope the fight is actually signed, sealed and delivered. At age 34 (to Smith’s 31) can Jacobs become a world champion all over again? Or might Smith, who famously ended the career of all time great Bernard Hopkins (when he knocked “The Executioner” clean out of the ring back in December of 2016) end the career of another big name?