Daniel Jacobs was finished in brutal fashion by a fighter who could’ve carved out an incredible legacy.
In his sensational career, ‘The Miracle Man’ proved himself to be one of the greatest middleweights of the modern era.
Blessed with tremendous footwork, thunderous power and an iron will to win, the American captured the hearts of boxing enthusiasts around the world. Some fans think Jacobs even did enough to beat Gennadiy Golovkin.
His sensational achievements are made even more impressive by the fact that he had to bounce back from a crushing defeat against an extremely gifted operator.
WOW: Gennadiy Golovkin was stunned by a massive uppercut from a big underdog in a thrilling fight
Daniel Jacobs was brutally finished by Dmitry Pirog
On July 31, 2010, Daniel Jacobs went to war with Dmitry Pirog for the vacant WBO world title at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The styles gelled from the start with the pair trading vicious shots, with the New Yorker connecting with thudding jabs, while the Russian started finding a home for his right hand.
In the second round, Pirog wobbled Jacobs badly, with the future world champion somehow remaining on his feet.
With the contest warming up, the pair both oozed class as they targeted each other’s midsections.
As the bout unfolded, Jacobs began to find success, detonating a big shot upstairs, giving his supporters hope that the tide could be turning.
But in the fifth round, that possibility was swept from beneath their feet, when Pirog landed a destructive right hand, sending Jacobs crashing towards the canvas, prompting the referee to jump in.
After securing the win, Pirog made three defenses before targeting a superfight with Gennadiy Golovkin.
Alas, the bout never came to fruition, with back issues forcing the brilliant practitioner of the sweet science to prematurely retire, leaving the boxing world wondering what might have been.
Looking back on the career of a boxing legend as Daniel Jacobs hangs up the gloves
After losing to Pirog, Jacobs refused to give up on his dreams of scaling the boxing mountain.
However, his life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with cancer.
In an inspiring story, the legend not only survived but thrived, winning two world titles.
After announcing his retirement last year, we looked back at Jacobs’ remarkable journey.