It’s on Canelo-Jacobs that is. Golden Boy Promotions announced that Canelo Alvarez will step back into the ring on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Defending middleweight world titles in a 12-round unification fight against IBF Middleweight World Champion Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs. Fight night is Saturday, May 4, 2019.
Canelo Alvarez
Canelo, a 28-year-old native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico had quite the 2018. He defeated Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in their rematch in September 2018. Establishing himself as the WBC, WBA, Lineal and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion. Canelo made some history by signing the biggest sports contract for an athlete in history. Canelo rounded out the year by fulfilling fight number one under that mega contract. He made his Madison Square Garden debut. He also became a three-division world champion by knocking out Rocky Fielding in three rounds.
“I’m happy to announce my next fight during the festive weekend of Cinco de Mayo,” said Canelo. “I will unify my middleweight titles against Daniel Jacobs on one of the two most important dates that belong to me. I have no doubt that I will be victorious and that I’ll be one step away from becoming the undisputed middleweight world champion.”
Daniel Jacobs
Jacobs is a 31-year-old native of Brooklyn, New York and considered one of the best middleweights of this era. Despite being away from the sport for 19 months, due to a form of bone cancer that he courageously overcame. Jacobs rose up the middleweight rankings to win the WBA Middleweight World Title against Jarrod Fletcher in 2014. Jacobs made several successful defenses, including a first-round knockout of Peter Quillin. Despite losing to Triple G in a very close fight in 2017, Jacobs has remained undefeated since and captured the IBF Middleweight strap. Jacobs will look to capture more middleweight hardware in the biggest fight of his career.
“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for. The opportunity to achieve greatness inside the ring,” said Daniel Jacobs. “I have always believed I can beat Canelo, and on May 4…I will get my chance to play it out. It’s been nearly four years since Canelo has faced an American challenger. It’s going to be a huge event where I believe I will cement myself as the best middleweight in the division.”
“Canelo Alvarez wants the best fights and the biggest challenges,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “That’s what he did as the 154-pound champion, and that’s what he’s doing now as the king of the middleweight division.”
“What a fight! I can’t tell you how happy I am that Danny Jacobs gets this opportunity to fight Canelo on Cinco de Mayo in a massive unification fight,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport. “Victory would cap one of the most incredible, inspirational boxing stories of our generation, and Danny and the team will be putting everything in place to lead him to victory. Respect to Canelo and Golden Boy for accepting this challenge.”