By Sean Jones: Daniel Jacobs says he’ll be using Gabriel Rosado as a stepping stone to get a world title shot when he faces him this Friday, November 27th on DAZN.
Jacobs (36-3, 30 KOs) isn’t happy with the things Rosado (25-12-1, 14 KOs) has said about him in the lead up to this fight, and he wants to make him eat his words when he gets him in the ring.
Despite having a poor record with 12 defeats, Rosado is still a contender, and he can punch. It’s no secret that Rosado has lost half of his last six fights since 2016, and he has a history of being a bleeder.
Jacobs wants to challenge for a world title in 2021 against one of the world champions at super middleweight.
Daniel didn’t need to face Rosado to get a world title shot, as his promoter Eddie Hearn was interested in him taking on WBA 168-lb champion Callum Smith or top-rated contender John Ryder.
Instead, Jacobs chose Rosado for personal reasons, and the decision isn’t a popular one with the fans. They dislike the Jacobs-Rosado fight, as see it as another easy payday for Jacobs.
The contest gives DAZN something to stream on their platform, but it’s not a fight that will attract many subscribers. It’s the equivalent of junk food.
Fans not excited about Jacobs vs. Rosado
What Jacobs and DAZN don’t need is another early stoppage due to an injury. Jacobs’ last opponent, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, bowed out after five rounds after suffering a broken nose in Phoenix, Arizona.
The fans were so upset that they bombarded the ring with debris after the contest ended, and both fighters had to flee from the ring to avoid injury.
Former IBF/WBA middleweight champion Jacobs, 33, and Rosado are headlining on Friday night on DAZN from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The reaction boxing fans have about the Jacobs-Rosado contest is a mixed one. Many don’t understand Jacobs’ rationale for choosing to fight a 160-pound contender in #11 WBC Rosado when he moved up to the 168-pound division last year in December.
Jacobs defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by a fifth-round knockout in his debut at super middleweight in his last contest in December 2019. However, the bout against the 34-year-old Rosado will be conducted at 168. The boxing public wonders why Jacobs has decided to hand-pick a middleweight as his opponent rather than someone from the 168-lb division.
The perception many people have is Jacobs is looking for easy paydays for his fights on DAZN and not serious about wanting to take any real risks unless it’s a massive money fight against the likes of a rematch with Canelo Alvarez.
Jacobs made good money in May 2019 in losing a 12 round unanimous decision to Canelo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If Jacobs were a younger guy just starting, it would make sense for him to be burning through his career fighting the likes of Rosado and Chavez Jr in consecutive fights. But he’s not young, and he’ll be turning 34 in February.
Jacobs sees Rosado as a stepping stone
“I want to come out and get a stepping stone to that next level, which is the world championship status and those caliber of guys,” Jacobs said during the e-press conference for his fight on November 28th against Rosado.
“I feel that Danny is a guy that the networks force on you,” said Rosado. “It’s about putting a*** in seats. You can’t sell out in your own hometown. They got to keep painting a pretty picture of you to market you.
“You know you need a Gabe Rosado to get attention. Sometimes promoters push the wrong dudes. To me, there’s nothing special about Danny Jacobs. I think he’s boring. 100%, I believe I can win this fight. Danny has decent speed, but it’s not lightning speed.
“His punching power is okay. It’s not as if he’s a knockout artist. At this level of the game, it’s about who has the better strategy and comes out with the better adjustments.
“It’s a matter of coming with the right game plan and adjustments. I feel like I got that going into this fight,” said Rosado.
Jacobs might be wasting his time if he truly believes that the sanctioning bodies will be impressed with him beating a fringe middleweight contender like Jacobs.
Ideally, #3 WBO, #5 WBA, #5 WBC, and #9 IBF Jacobs needs to be fighting contenders from the 168-lb division, preferably ones ranked in the top 10. By choosing Rosado, Jacobs makes himself look like an opportunist who is selecting flawed opposition in showcase fights.
If Jacobs really wants to impress boxing fans and get pushed up the rankings at 168, he needs to fight these types of contenders:
- David Benavidez
- Edgar Berlanga
- John Ryder
- Aidos Yerbossynuly
Daniel wants to make Gabe eat his words
“I feel like he’s the perfect opponent for me to display everything I have in my arsenal,” said Jacobs. “I don’t feel like this is one of those fights that’s going to take my career to the next level.
“I want to make him eat his words. To me, a knockout is the best scenario. Any fighter that steps in the ring wants a knockout, but I’ll settle for a spectacular performance.
“As long as I’m able to do what I want to do inside that ring. But I know there’s a really high chance for a knockout with Gabe Rosado. He’s been knocked out; he’s been knocked down several times.
“He’s far from the fastest. One thing I respect about him is his grit, and he shows it. I’m going to be ready to rock and roll, but at the same time, I’ve got a point to prove.
“Trying to look good at the same time and hurt him, it’s going to be a good thing for me because I see myself being victorious, so it doesn’t matter how I get that victory. I want to make sure he eats his words, and we get out of the ring safe,” said Jacobs.
The chances are high that this Friday’s Jacobs-Rosado contest will end early, with Gabe suffering a cut that causes an early stoppage. As I said, Rosado is a bleeder, and he’s got a lot of scar tissue over both eyes.
As soon as Jacobs starts hitting Rosado with solid shots, he’ll likely start bleeding and could see the ringside doctor halting the fight. For some reason, Jacobs believes he’s going to shine in this fight and knockout Rosado, but that’s not realistic.
Rosado has a good chin, he can take a good shot, and he’s not going to be bowled over by the potshots that Jacobs tends to throw. If Jacobs goes all out by throwing combinations, he could stop Rosado, but that would take courage on his part.
Rosado can punch, and he may catch Jacobs with a shot in between. Jacobs’ punch resistance isn’t the best, as we’ve seen him getting knocked cold by Dmitry Pirog in the fifth round in 2010.
Jacobs is too timid for him to knockout Rosado in the traditional fashion. That knockout loss Daniel suffered at the hands of Pirog changed how he fights, making him cautious and unwilling to let his hands go like he used to.
It didn’t help that the light-hitting Sergio Mora dropped Jacobs in 2015.
Rosado hoping to earn a title shot
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to win, whether it means applying pressure or throwing 100 punches per round, whatever it takes,” Rosado said. “A win over Jacobs, I’m sure there’s a title fight right behind that.
“That’s something that keeps me going. I want to win a title. I’m looking at Jacobs like he’s in front of me. I can’t let this opportunity slip. I want to be solid all the way around with my game.
“It’s going to be a high volume chess match, but I feel like I have an advantage on him mentally. I’m a savage. I don’t think he’s got that in him as I do,” Rosado said.
“It’s self-explanatory. I don’t think I have to tell you, nor do I have to sell you about the grit or the dog or the beast within because I show you each and every time I fight,” said Jacobs.
“I’m one of those fighters that will do whatever it takes,” said Rosado. “I will put my health on the line; I don’t give a f***. He doesn’t got that in him; I do. I’m a different savage period.”
Jacobs doesn’t need to fight lower-level middleweight contenders like Rosado for him to get a title shot. His promoter Hearn is willing to match him against WBA champ Callum Smith or WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders.
The fight that Jacobs is holding out for at 168 is against Canelo Alvarez, especially if he defeats Callum in their fight on December 19th.
The boxing public doesn’t have any interest in seeing Canelo fight Jacobs again. Still, you can understand why Daniel is trying to position himself for another fight against the Mexican star. Jacobs made a lot of money fighting Canelo in 2019, and he could make even more in a second fight.
For Canelo to face Jacobs a second time, it would be a sign that the Mexican star doesn’t want any part of facing Gennadiy Golovkin, Edgar Berlanga, Caleb Plant, and David Benavidez.
Jacobs has lost three times in defeats against these fighters:
- Dmitry Pirog
- Gennady Golovkin
- Canelo Alvarez
Jacobs: I’ve got the perfect game plan for Rosado
“I get what you’re saying, but the skill separates us,” Jacobs said. “You can go in there with all the heart in the world, but the skills are going to show that there’ levels to this game.
“Just like you got a draw with Arias when you thought you were going to go in there and demolish him,” said Jacobs.
“I went out there and outboxed him,” Rosado said of his fight with Luis Arias. “Everybody expects me to bang, but I outboxed him. I hurt him more than you did. He ran from you. I’ve never run.”
“I expect him to take his chances, but I also expect him to be on cue, to be ready for what comes,” Jacobs said about Rosado. “I think he’s going to be a little wary, but at the same time, for me, it’s all about going in and executing the game plan.
“We’ve got a perfect game plan for this guy. We know his style. We’ve seen him all his losses, and we’ve studied this guy for however long we’ve studied him. I’m not saying I’m going to go in there and disregard everything he brings to the table.
“No, I’ve got to train for that. I’ve got to train to make sure I’m ready for all these things. But at the same time, when I’m 100%, it’s a total difference,” Jacobs said.
Once Jacobs starts hitting Rosado with shots, he’ll likely start bleeding, and the fight will be stopped soon after. It would be great if Rosado doesn’t get cut and we see an action-packed fight, but that doesn’t seem likely.
Rosado can punch, and if he catches Jacobs with a big shot early, he can put him down. Jacobs’ chin is his weakness, which is why he fought timidly for the first six rounds in his losses to Canelo and Golovkin.
Against Rosado, Jacobs will be a little more courageous because he has less to worry about, but he’ll still likely play it safe for the first four rounds.
Prediction:
Jacobs wins by a fifth-round cut stoppage.