By Robert Segal: Danny Jacobs was pleased at seeing super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) come out victorious last Saturday night in his step-up fight against former two-time world-title challenger Alexis Angulo (27-3, 233 KOs) at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The former IBF/WBA middleweight champion Jacobs was supportive of seeing fellow New Yorker Berlanga win. He didn’t have anything to say about the bite incident that took place in the seventh round of the contest.
Likewise, Jacobs didn’t comment negatively about the scoring for the fight, which many boxing fans felt was too wide in Berlanga’s favor. The judges scored what appeared to be a razor-close fight by these set of lopsided scores:
- 99-91
- 99-91
- 98-92
Fans were divided on who they felt won the Berlanga-Angulo fight, but where they agreed is viewing it as a close match. For that reason, the scoring by the three judges seemed out of sorts, making no sense at all.
“I thought he won the fight. I wasn’t really paying attention to the scorecards,” said Danny Jacobs to Fighthype, discussing Edgar Berlanga’s victory over Alexis Angulo last Saturday night. “I was just here to support him.
“I’m happy he won. This was a step-up for him, so I’m happy with where his career is going—the best of luck. I was just glad he won. I wasn’t really trying to critique it too much, but he’s a good fighter.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for him,” Jacobs said when asked what Berlanga could have done better in the fight.
“It’s one of those things. You got to talk to the manager about that. We take care of the business aspect of it. Things weren’t looking the way they should be,” Jacobs said when asked about a catchweight fight at 165 pounds against Jaime Munguia that failed to happen.
“Obviously, me being a prizefighter, I had to move in that direction. Of course, I want any fight that makes sense,” Jacobs said when asked if he’d still be interested in fighting the unbeaten Munguia. “I want what the fans want, period.”
Jacobs has lost two out of his last four fights, and it wouldn’t be a good idea to throw him in with a fighter like unbeaten middleweight Jaime Munguia (40-0, 32 KOs).
With the 25-year-old Munguia’s power and youth, it would be only a matter of time before he cornered the 35-year-old Jacobs and knocked him out. Jacobs had his day, but he’s looked like a shell of his former self since his narrow loss to Canelo Alvarez in 2019.
In Jacobs’ last fight, he was beaten by John Ryder by a 12-round split decision last February in the UK. Jacobs spent much of the fight holding & running.
“We’ll have to see. Only time will tell,” said Jacobs on whether he’d be willing to fight Jermall Charlo. “I’m up for fighting anybody, so we’ll see what happens.
“It was a good fight. I was there live and in person, and I was commentating the fight,” said Jacobs about whether the judges got it right with the scoring for Canelo Alvarez’s contest against WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol on May 7th.
“To say that the judges got it right, I think they did, as far as how many rounds is arguably debatable, but I would say the right man won. Yeah, I believe he can do it once; he can do it twice,” said Jacobs about his thoughts on Bivol likely defeating Canelo a second time if the rematch happens in 2023.
You can argue that Canelo Alvarez has doubts that he can beat WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in the rematch.
If he thought he could win, he would be facing him in September instead of 40-year-old Gennadiy Golovkin.
