The Fight Game: Andre Ward sits down with Daniel Jacobs

In the latest installment of HBO’s The Fight Game, Andre Ward sits down with Daniel Jacobs to discuss a variety of topics. Check it out…

Jacobs on there being turmoil in the middleweight division with Canelo testing positive for banned substances:

“Even though he can be one of my opponents in the future, he still represents and is one of the biggest figures in all sports. So he represents us all. And it doesn’t make us look good. It doesn’t make the sport look good. For me, I couldn’t live with myself if I was to have to, you know, do PEDs or, you know, harm another man and put his life in jeopardy. How do you live with yourself?

“This has to change. It’s not good for our sport.”

Reflecting on his fight with Gennady Golovkin:

“It’s just all of this hype of his power, his skill. You know, I was expecting, really, an extraterrestrial being inside that ring. And I got a mere human. And it was just that simple. But at the end of the day what I showed in that ring that night can’t be argued. I belong.”

On his recent business moves:

“I am a businessman enough to know, and how to take control of my situation. How to take control of my circle — and that’s so important because boxing is not put together business-wise like the NBA is. It’s not an organization so your kinda in it by yourself.”

On how he would recommend young fighters getting their inner circles and business situations right:

“Educate yourself. We in 2018. We have the world of the internet. There’s no way, shape or form people cannot educate themselves. For any and everything in life, find some source to be able to give you some good information. Because we don’t have that. We’re the stereotype: fighters come from the ghetto, dumb fighters, drop outta school, all you know how to do is throw punches. Nah, we changing that.”

On the narrative that African American fighters have to play the villain role in order to be marketable:

“There’s a lot of narratives out there. But overall the glory of boxing and what the Black man has [brought] to the table — because that’s what we’re speaking of — you look at the Sugar Rays of the world, the Muhammad Alis of the world, the Jack Johnsons of the world, all these people who stood for something outside the ring, something greater, something more positive.

“Yes, guys have tactics of selling fights but I stay true to myself and there’s guys who stay true to being a gentleman of the sport because that’s the way the sport needs to be handled. I have a certain responsibility in how I live my life. Not only because of me having a second chance but I do know that there are people, kids, that are inspired by me or that look up to me, so I have a responsibility. I also have a child. All these material things — this is just material stuff. You have to put it in its perspective. I’m happy to have life!

“So when people feel entitled, that is the worst thing that you can possibly feel ever — like entitled. You know, you’re not even entitled to your own life. For me, me, after all that I’ve been through, to act greater than any situation, it’s unjust, man.”