Daniel Jacobs moves up in weight to take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
On Friday, December 20 former middleweight champions Daniel Jacobs (35-3, 29KOs) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (51-3-1, 33KOs) will collide in a super middleweight headliner hosted by DAZN.
The fight will take place at The Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Fight card coverage is expected to start at 7:00 PM ET with the main event at approximately 11:00 PM ET.
Daniel Jacobs
The former IBF middleweight champion was outclassed in May against the former unified champion Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36KOs) in their unification clash. He will be looking to bounce back with a win over a recognizable name in a higher division.
As a boxer-puncher, Jacobs has virtually every single advantage going into this fight except size. He has good hand-speed and can put combinations together well but his bread and butter is his power. He packs power in both hands that can decapitate his opponent.
Ask former WBO champion Peter Quillin.
Heading into this fight, questions are out about the quality of Jacobs’ chin. He has only been stopped once in his twelve year career, however, he has been dropped and hurt numerous times.
While gifted with a versatile skillet set and the ability score a sudden stoppage behind an enormous right hand, Jacobs will need to put his boxing skills on display.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
The Mexican fighter has the marquee name, but doesn’t quite have the skills to live up to the legendary name. What he has going for him is he’s the naturally bigger man and has shown to have a pretty sturdy chin.
Although he was stopped in April 2015 by former light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara, Chavez has shown several times over that he can take the best his opponents give.
Additionally, he has shown respectable power and the ability to apply fight changing pressure when in the proper condition.
Similar to how former unified junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd wears down his opponents by with his size, Chavez is known for the same. Just because a fighter is beating him round after round doesn’t mean he won’t comeback down the stretch and land something that could change the fight!
Prediction
The fight was originally set as a super middleweight contest, however, was changed prior to a new contracted catch-weight of 173 pounds. After witnessing Chavez Jr weigh-in at 172 pounds, the change could have come due to the former WBC champion realizing he couldn’t make 168 pound limit.
With all things being considered, I expect a one-sided decision victory for Jacobs who’s just the superior fighter in all aspects heading into this matchup.
While I believe Chavez Jr will have his moments early in the fight while his stamina is still at a respectable level, as the fight continues into the middle rounds, I expect Jacobs to outbox Chavez and shoot for a late round stoppage.
I tab Jacobs the victor by way of a unanimous decision.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
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