Canelo: I’m going for the knockout against Jacobs

By Charles Brun

Saul Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2, 35 KOs) plans on taking out the bigger, stronger Daniel Jacobs on Saturday night in their big unification fight on DAZN at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Canelo, 28, wants to chop Jacobs (35-2, 29 KOs) down to size with his power shots to continue to make history. Canelo’s goal is to unify the 160 lb division, and Jacobs is in his way blocking his path from accomplishing his dream.

(Photo Credit: Tom Hogan-HoganPhotos/Golden Boy)

It’s not going to be as easy for Canelo to knockout Jacobs as it was in his last fight in stopping Rocky Fielding in the third round last December. Jacobs has talent, and he’s not going to let Canelo walk up on him and hit him with his best body and head shots the way that Fielding and Gennady Golovkin did. Canelo will have to look to trap Jacobs by cutting off the ring, and finding the right moment to land his knockout shots.

Canelo will need to watch out for Jacobs’ punches as well, because he’s got enough power to end the fight with one big swing. Jacobs is going to be hyped more than ever in this fight, since he knows what’s at stake for this fight. If he beats Canelo, he’ll get a rematch and be able to make untold riches. There will also be a rematch against Gennady Golovkin that would be waiting for Jacobs if he beats Canelo. There are all kinds of opportunities for Jacobs if he wins this fight. Jacobs’ career hasn’t taken off despite his immense talent, but if he defeats Canelo it would turn him into a star overnight. For Jacobs, he’s like’s a giant bow that has been pulled back for 32 years, and it’s about to be released. All he needs to do is win and his career will take off.

“We’re just ready for Saturday. I’ll repeat to you – I’m ready, I’m ready to continue writing history like I always have,” Canelo said. “What he brings on Saturday night is going to bring the reaction out of me to counter whatever he brings…If it’s there, trust me, I’m going to go for the knockout. I don’t care if he’s bigger, stronger, it’s never bothered me. I have the capability. I have the experience.”

Jacobs is so hyped up right now, he could run into something big if he doesn’t keep his head on his shoulders and fight smart on Saturday. The crowd is going to be doing a lot of shouting at the T-Mobile Arena. Jacobs will need to be cautious for him to make sure that he doesn’t get caught by one of Canelo’s hard left hooks or right hands. Canelo’s left hand is more of a weapon than his right, and for him to land that, he needs to be close. Jacobs will be vulnerable when he’s throwing his right hand shots. For that reason, Jacobs will likely focus on using his jab mostly in the early rounds until he figures out what Canelo’s rhythm is.

Canelo isn’t a big knockout puncher, but he can get the job done if he’s got a target that stands in front of him. Golovkin wasn’t going anywhere in his two fights with Canelo. GGG was like the Rock of Gibraltar. He wasn’t going to get knocked out by Canelo in either of those two fights. It would have been too risky for Canelo to go all out to try and KO GGG.

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In the last six years, Canelo has stopped fighters that were there to be hit. He has knockouts over Amir Khan, Liam Smith, Alfredo Angulo and Rocky Fielding. To knockout Jacobs, Canelo may need to land the perfect shot to hurt him, because he’s going to be moving too much for him to be able to land a lot of punches consecutively.

“What will take the win will simply be me being the best version of myself,” Jacobs said. “My physical advantages in itself can win me the fight, but I also have the mental capacity. I’m in my prime. I’m the only fighter Canelo has faced since Floyd Mayweather to be in his prime. I’m super confident and I’m going in there with the ability as well.”

Jacobs isn’t entirely correct about him being the only guy that Canelo has fought in his prime in the last six years. Erislandy Lara was still very much in his prime when he fought Canelo in 2014, and he gave him a lot of problems. Some boxing fan even think Lara deserved a victory against him. Jacobs is at the same level Lara was at when he fought Canelo. What stopped Lara from getting the win against the Mexican star is the same kept GGG from beating him. The judges don’t value jabs as much as power shots. It didn’t matter that Lara and Golovkin limited Canelo to one or two power shots landed in every round. the judges put more weight into those one or two punches landed by Canelo than the 30 jabs that those two fighters would throw each round. For Jacobs to win, he’s got to be able to match Canelo in power shots or perhaps even do more than match him, given that the fight is taking place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. The actual location isn’t the important thing. It’s the fact that the fight is taking place in Las Vegas, and the crowd will be on Canelo’s side and he means a lot to the city due to the huge crowds he brings each time he fights. The money flows into the city whenever Canelo fights there.

Earlier in his career, Jacobs was an excellent offensive fighter, who was capable of knocking out a lot of opponents. He’s not the guy that he once was. Mentally, Jacobs was in his prime in 2008 to 2010. After Jacobs’ loss to Dmitry Pirog in 2010, it took a lot out of him and made him overly cautious. He hasn’t been the same fighter since that point. Although Jacobs did stop Peter Quillin in the first round in 2015, that was a rare flash back to the fighter that he once was. Physically there hasn’t been a lot of change with Jacobs. It’s more mental. He doesn’t want to go on the attack like he used to. Perhaps he doesn’t have faith in his chin. When Jacobs turned it on in the second half of his fight against Gennady Golovkin in 2017, that was the old Jacobs. But he fought that way for six rounds after having given away the first half of the fight. If Jacobs fights like that against Canelo, he’ll lose for sure, because Canelo will win the first half of the fight. Obviously if it’s an even fight, Canelo will get the victory. He’s the A-side fighter in this promotion.