Daniel Jacobs hoped to get his career back on the right track with a victory over Shane Mosley Jr on Saturday night.
But the former world champion struggled to cope with his opponent’s engine. And after a ten-round battle, the New Yorker lost via unanimous decision, leaving fans wondering where the popular fighter will go from here.
Daniel Jacobs loses to Shane Mosley Jr in super middleweight clash
On the undercard of Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz, Daniel Jacobs returned to action against Shane Mosley Jr, in a match-up in the 168-pound division.
The charismatic Brooklyn native had spent two years away from the ring, after dropping an extremely controversial decision to John Ryder, at the Alexandra Palace in London, UK.
Thus, his adoring fans hoped that when he made his eagerly-anticipated comeback, he’d exhibit the thunderous power and flashy technique that made him such a fantastic operator at the peak of his powers.
Alas, the ring-rust played its part last night, as Mosley Jr made the squared circle inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, USA, his own, showcasing his ferocious engine en route to picking up a comprehensive decision win.
While Jacobs, who missed weight by a pound, showed glimmers of his always impressive hand speed and combinations, he struggled to let his shots go and was simply overwhelmed by a younger and fresher fighter.
His opponent was first to the punch for the majority of the bout, leaving fans wondering whether Father Time has caught up with the boxing icon.
However, the 37-year-old is no stranger to overcoming adversity, so if anyone can come back from this, he certainly can.
What does the future hold for Daniel Jacobs?
While some are concerned that the 2x world champion might be past his best, in all likelihood, spending two years away from competition could have been just as likely to have caused the defeat.
Regardless, Jacobs has proven on multiple occasions that he’s capable of dealing with everything life can throw at him and coming out the other side a better man.
When the likable athlete was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2011, it wasn’t just his boxing career on the line, but his life.
However, in a testament to his remarkable powers of self-belief, against all odds, the inspirational fighter bounced back, winning the WBA and IBF titles as well as earning the moniker of ‘The Miracle Man’, in one of the greatest stories the sport has ever seen.
The former champion has beaten a plethora of combat sports stars, including Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Gabe Rosado, Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Sergio Mora.
In addition, many felt he was unlucky not to receive the decision in his bout with Gennady Golvokin. After overcoming an early knockdown, the silky operator boxed an almost flawless fight, leaving many stunned when the Kazakhstani had his hand raised.
Therefore, with Jacobs having gone through so much, this could be nothing more than just another hurdle he has the ability to jump over.