Former IBF/WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs says he’s training for a fight in early to mid-June.
Why Berlanga?
Jacobs (37-4, 30 KOs) isn’t saying who the opponent is, but fans believe it’s super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga.
- Shared Manager
- New York Connection
- Puerto Rican Day Parade
The two share the same manager, both are from New York and were pictured facing off recently at a sporting event
The Puerto Rican Day Parade in early June, which coincides with when Jacobs plans on making his ring return. Berlanga is Puerto Rican, so it makes sense that he’s the one Jacobs will be fighting next.
Saudi Arabia Speculations
Some believe that Jacobs is coming back to try and take advantage of the Saudi money available to select fighters in the sport.
Would His Excellency Turki Alalshikh be interested in an aging 37-year-old inactive Jacobs, whom younger fans have never heard of or seen before? Older fans remember Jacobs, but he wouldn’t resonate with younger ones who have never seen him before because it’s been so long since he last fought.
It’s been two years since Jacobs last fought, losing to John Ryder by a 12-round split decision in February 2022.
Jacobs has only fought two times in the last four years, and some believe that the huge money that he’s made from his fights against Canelo Alvarez, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has taken away his ambition to stay active.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jacobs’ fortune is estimated at $10 million, which is pretty good for a fighter whose best career win came against Sergio Mora.
Berlanga’s Potential Risk
Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) is in the running for a fight against Canelo in 2025. He’d be taking a risk against the ring-rusty Jacobs, and he could end up regretting taking the fight if it happens.
It would look better on Berlanga’s part to fight an active, relevant fighter like David Morrell Jr. than an older from the past, but one gets the sense that unwilling to take any chances of getting beaten and missing out on the Canelo payday. Morrell would be all wrong for Berlanga because he’s an amazing talent.
The Brooklyn native Berlanga has fought marginal opposition his entire career and struggled when matched against fringe-level fighters Steve Rolls, Roamer Alexis Angulo, and Jason Quigley.
Jacobs Speaks
“We’ve been training for the last few months now, and we’re looking for either early or mid-June. The contracts haven’t been officially signed yet, so I can’t talk too much details, but you can definitely look forward to seeing me back in the summertime,” said Daniel Jacobs to iFL TV about his comeback fight.
“I’m not sure. I can’t quite say,” said Jacobs when asked if his fight in June will be with Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn. “There’s still top names in the division at middleweight, super middleweight or even above. There’s plenty of opportunities.”
The only money fights for Danny Jacobs at 175 would be against David Benavidez, Artur Beterbiev, and Dmitry Bivol.
None of those fights would make sense without Jacobs beating someone notable because fans would be critical if he leapfrogged over the top guys to challenge for a world title at light heavyweight against the Beterbiev-Bivol winner or even got a fight with Benavidez.
Jacobs needs to beat someone better than Berlanga for him to be getting a title shot against any of the champions at 175. Hopefully, Jacobs isn’t thinking about getting a rematch with Canelo because that would be delusional.
Fans don’t want to see a second fight. Jacobs has been too inactive since his loss to Canelo in 2019, fighting just three times since then against these fighters:
– John Ryder: 2022
– Gabriel Rosado: 2020
– Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: 2019
“I’m at the point now where whatever makes sense for me and whatever the fans want to see ultimately, I think that’s the direction I’m going to go in.
