Daniel Jacobs Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
Date: Friday, December 20
Time: 7 pm ET
TV:Sky Sports Main Event
Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena — Phoenix, Arizona
Until Wednesday, it was unclear whether Daniel Jacobs would actually be allowed to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Friday.
Chavez, who has fought only once in the past 29 months and who previously had failed two drug tests, had been suspended indefinitely by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after he declined to submit to a random drug test in October. Though the Jacobs-Chavez Jr. bout was originally supposed to take place in Nevada, it was then moved to Phoenix, but the NSAC said he couldn’t fight there either.
On Wednesday, though, a Nevada judge granted a temporary injunction for Chavez. Since Chavez did eventually pass a drug test and is licensed in Arizona, that means Friday’s contest on DAZN will move forward.
In reality, Jacobs should dominate Chavez as the former middleweight titlist makes his 168-pound super middleweight debut. But Chavez—who weighed nearly 173 pounds during Thursday’s weigh-in and had to surrender a portion of his purse to Jacobs for the trouble—still poses a danger
Prediction
Chavez’s career will be defined by poor performances, drug testing issues and generally failing to live up to the legendary name of his father. Jacobs’ will be defined by overcoming cancer, being a legitimate world champion and battling tough against men who will go down as legends of this era. Men like Chavez don’t beat men like Jacobs and that makes this prediction a simple one. Jacobs will outclass Chavez in every possible way during this fight, but likely won’t pick up the stoppage
DANIEL JACOBS
- Jacobs is coming off the third loss of his career which was a unanimous decision against Canelo Alvarez, losing his IBF middleweight title.
- After finishing 12 opponents in a row between 2010 and 2016 Jacobs has gone to a decision in his last five fights and lost two of them – to Alvarez and the other to Gennady Golovkin in 2017.
- Although his last five fights have gone to a decision, Jacobs has a huge knockout ratio of 83% and will carry that power as he moves up to 168 lbs making his debut in the super middleweight division.
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR
- Chavez Jr also suffered a decision loss to Alvarez back in 2017 and he has only fought once since which was a knockout win over Evert Bravo in August this year.
- Chavez Jr’s eligibility to fight has been up in the air after evading VADA drug tests, thus serving a suspension in Nevada. There is no guarantee he will be cleared to fight on 21st December, so it has been reported that Gabriel Rosado is on standby to fight Jacobs should the fight fall through.
- Chavez Jr has been very inactive; only fighting once in 2016 and 2017 and making a return four months ago against a relatively unknown opponent. However, he is a former dominant middleweight champion who racked up 46 wins before tasting defeat.