DANNY JACOBS
updated August 22, 2009
A native of the same Brownsville, Brooklyn neighborhood that produced former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, and Shannon Briggs, Daniel Jacobs is a middleweight with a heavyweight punch, as well as the speed of a lightweight and the smarts of a veteran way beyond his 22 years. It's why boxing insiders have raved about him for years, and now fans around the country are starting to see why 'The Golden Child' is one of the sport's brightest hopes.
Jacobs began boxing at the age of 13, and his impact was soon felt around the amateur boxing world. Just take a look at these accomplishments: 2003 Junior Olympics national champion, 2004 United States national champion in the 19-and-under division, 2004 National PAL champion, 2004 National Golden Gloves welterweight champion, 2005 National Golden Gloves middleweight champion, 2005 National PAL champion, and 2006 United States Amateur middleweight champion. And though Jacobs would be upset in the Olympic trials, he was undeterred from his path of excellence, and he chose to enter the pro ranks on December 8, 2007 with a 29 second destruction of Jose Jesus Hurtado.
Unfortunately, Jacobs' opponents in 2008 didn't fare much better, with only Alexander Volkov (TKO2), Leshon Sims (TKO4), Emmanuel Gonzalez (W6), Jimmy Campbell (TKO3), and Victor Lares (TKO2) making it out of the first round. Jacobs' seven other foes were sent packing in a single round, including 26 fight veteran Sergio Rios, a man who has shared the ring with current or former world champions Paul Williams, Vernon Forrest, and Raul Marquez.
He entered the pro ranks on December 8, 2007 with a 29 second destruction of Jose Jesus Hurtado.
This year got off to an impressive start as well, with Jacobs taking Jose Luis Cruz out in a single round on February 28th. On April 24th, Jacobs made a huge statement in his ESPN2 Friday Night Fights debut as he knocked out veteran contender Jose Varela with a single punch in the second round.
But there's no rest for this talented young man, as he will step back into the ring just eight days later, on May 2nd, to fight on the Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton undercard in Las Vegas.
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