By Peter Wells: On May 15th on the undercard of Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden, Middleweight hopeful Daniel Jacobs will engage in his 19th and toughest fight of his career against Super Middleweight contender Peter Manfredo Jr. Jacobs has been tested well in recent fights, but has held up well to outbox his last few opponents. Power hasn’t been a big asset for the Golden Child from Brooklyn, but speed and skill have served him well and has gotten a grand 15 knockouts. Two of his last 3 have gone the distance though this should be his first 12 rounder.
His last challenge was against tough Ishe Smith who put up a tough 10 rounds, but his toughness only added to the excellence of Jacobs’ performance.
Peter Manfredo Jr is a tough fighter, and is going into his 41st fight. He has won on 36 occasions wining 18 by knockout while losing the other 6, twice being stopped to Joe Calzaghe and Sakio Bika both in 3 rounds. Manfredo has mixed it with some good fighters, also losing to Sergio Mora twice and Jeff Lacy, and Alfonso Gomez early in his career. On two attempts for world titles he has been cut out in a few rounds and hasn’t got much of a chance at getting one now. He has just beaten very tough Matt Vanda, but Vanda isn’t a young prospect like Daniel.
This may be the fight to lift him into the big boys, and 2010 could be the beginning of things to come, a big win over Manfredo Jr would be a excellent set up. At the moment I could only go with Jacobs and I doubt my opinion will change, but I couldn’t give a full prediction just yet.