By Daniele D’Alessio
ONCE upon a time, Daniel Jacobs was one of the best 160-pounders in the world. Nicknamed the ‘Miracle Man’ after overcoming bone cancer in 2011 and then capturing a world title in 2014, the American was at the peak of his powers.
He was so formidable, in fact, that he went twelve rounds with a prime Gennadiy Golovkin in 2017, losing narrowly on all three judges’ scorecards.
This was before he challenged Canelo Alvarez for the IBF, WBC and WBA middleweight world titles and defeated a couple of previously unbeaten fighters, such as Maciej Sulecki and Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
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But now, at the age of 37, Jacobs is not the boxer he once was. Father time is undefeated, and this was apparent when he returned to the ring after over two years of inactivity on Saturday night and suffered a unanimous points loss to Shane Mosley Jr.
You could say the end was already nigh when he scraped through a split-decision win against Gabriel Rosado and then lost a split-decision to John Ryder.
Saturday was the icing on a crumbling cake. One without the same texture it had when it came straight out of the oven. Shane Mosley Jr is on a five-fight winning streak and has the genetics of his hall-of-fame father. However, five years ago, it’s plausible the result would have been different, and Jacobs would have had a better chance of emerging victorious.
Yet, Jacobs is not the only example of a fighter who is seemingly struggling to hang up the gloves. Mike Tyson went on longer than he should have, Roy Jones Jr still hasn’t officially retired, and Floyd Mayweather Jr is taking part in regular exhibitions, albeit in glorified sparring matches against no-chance opponents.
The irony is that some of the boxers who have achieved the most in the sport are the ones who seem to have more to prove to themselves.
It’s like the world titles, legendary status and millions of dollars aren’t enough to satisfy their insecurities. Or it’s possible that nothing will ever come close to the thrill experienced inside the squared circle.
No drug can replace the adulation received when your hand is raised, when thousands are screaming your name in an arena or the simple perception among the boxing fraternity that you are ‘the man.’
Of course, not every boxer leaves with his health faculties in check and generational wealth. If you don’t invest your money wisely, the quality of your accomplishments is dampened and you might be forced to start fighting again just to make a living.
Not every ex-fighter becomes a world-class trainer, pundit, or promoter. The majority fade from the spotlight, or, as Tyson Fury once put it, they become ‘just another bare bum in the shower.’
And even if you leave professional boxing at the right time, there’s no guarantee you will live the rest of your life in harmony, enjoying all your riches. Rocky Marciano famously ended his career with a perfect record of 49-0 at 32 years old. But thirteen years later he died in a plane crash on the day before his 46th birthday.
Prior to facing Mosley Jr, Jacobs said he wanted to tick one more box in his career. He wants to become a three-time world champion and cement his place in the Hall of Fame.
Last night’s defeat makes it near impossible to envisage how he could capture another world title, especially at 168 lbs, with Canelo still around, who is four years younger than Jacobs and closer to his peak.
Not to mention, top fighters like David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. have temporarily moved up to 175 lbs and will no doubt return to 168 if the world titles disperse.
Beyond the glitz and glamour of boxing, it is easy to forget this is a brutal sport. If you go swimming, you’re going to get wet. But instead of damp hair, with regular enough punishment, it’s going to be brain damage.
The great Muhammad Ali took an estimated 200,000 hits during his career and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984.
Jacobs hasn’t revealed if he will continue his boxing career yet. It can only be hoped he finds purpose in another pathway and retires for good while he has adequate health.