Worldwide

Who Wins and How, Jacobs or Derevyanchenko? AND: Hardy Tells Off Vincent

Published

October 24, 2018

Michael Woods

Who Wins and How, Jacobs or Derevyanchenko? AND: Hardy Tells Off Vincent

Not sure about you, but I can't get a bead on who thinks deep down they will win in the middleweight scrap to unfold at the MSG Theater Saturday night, and on HBO.

I think Sergey Derevyanchenko is quite confident that it will be a good fight…and back and forth…and that he will do well. But I get the same sense from Danny Jacobs…I don't sense he KNOWS he will get the W.

Makes sense…those two have sparred like ten fights worth of rounds in the last few years, as they share the same training staff. OK, no, sparring ain't the real deal Holyfield…but guys generally know who has the upper hand in the spar…and, by extension, maybe when and if they glove up for real. But I couldn't sense that from watching the Wednesday presser, which hyped the card, put together by Matchroom, and Lou DiBella.

Maybe the best VISUAL from the presser came here…

Adevon Art Production pic of Hardy, a head taller than the bearded lady, Vincent.

…when Heather Hardy and old “friend” Shelly Vincent faced off.

For the record, Hardy reported that Vincent, who came to the event with a painted-on beard, said, “I'm running through you Saturday.” She laughed, and the reply from the boxer who fights out of Gleason's Gym?

“Nah, you're just gonna try.”

HERE IS THE RELEASE MATCHROOM SENT OUT:

JACOBS: I HAVE THE MENTAL EDGE AT THE GARDEN

‘Miracle Man' says World title experience will tell against Derevyanchenko

Daniel Jacobs believe his experience in World title action gives him the mental edge over Sergiy Derevyanchenko as they clash for the vacant IBF Middleweight crown at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday night, live on HBO.

Jacobs (34-2 29KOs) can become a two-time World ruler at Middleweight with victory over the Ukranian, but with the pair knowing each other inside out having trained alongside one another for years, Jacobs knows that this could be an intense battle with fine margins.

The ‘Miracle Man’ enters his eighth World title contest against ‘The Technician’ who laces them up in his first bout for an elite belt after reaching 12-0 (10 KOs). The Brooklyn favorite has 44 rounds of action in World title fights, compared to the total of 57 rounds as a pro that amateur standout Derevyanchenko has had. Jacobs believes that experience in his return to Madison Square Garden – where he was edged out by Gennady Golovkin in a unification fight in – will see him regain World champion status.

“I feel like I’m the strongest Middleweight that he has stepped in the ring with professionally,” said Jacobs. “The height and the reach are some key things, especially when I set my mind to be being a boxer, I can do that very well.

“But if I want to come forward or be a counter puncher or even just want to outright brawl, I do believe that I have the power to back it up. So, there’s a lot of dangers inside this fight when it comes to both of us. But for me, I truly feel like I have the best advantages.

“Once you put on ten ounce gloves and you actually go in there and compete with the best, all of these dangers that you have inside the ring, that’s when you’ll truly know. So, I feel like that I have the advantages when it comes to the mental aspect of the experience of knowing I can go full 12 solid rounds with the best of them and compete at an all-time high level. I mean, I know that. I have it in my bank, I have it in the gas tank already.

“A guy that’s inexperienced with only 12 fights, I would presume that it would be a second guess on his behalf. So, only time will tell but for me, I’m just 100 per cent physically and mentally ready. I do see my hand being raised, but how I get the victory I have no idea, but I’m willing to get it any way I can.”

Jacobs’ clash with Derevyanchenko is part of a stunning triple-header of World title action live on HBO, with unbeaten WBA Super-Featherweight champion Alberto Machado defends his title against Cleveland’s Yuandale Evans and there’s a mouthwatering rematch of the 2016 fight of the year contender between Heather Hardy and Shelly Vincent, with the WBO World Featherweight title.

Tickets for Saturday night’s action are available from www.MSG.com

Related Topics:Danny jacobs Sergey Derevyanchenko

Up Next

Pedraza Promises He Will Surprise Lomachenko

Don't Miss

Charlo Brothers Do Twin Thing Dec. 22 on FOX

Michael Woods

Founder/editor Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the then-impregnable Mike Tyson. The Brooklyn-based journalist has covered the sport since for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Bad Left Hook and RING. His journalism career started with NY Newsday in 1999. Michael Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live, since 2017.