Cinco de Mayo Superfight: Daniel Jacobs set to face Canelo Alvarez on DAZN

The stars were aligning almost too perfectly. After signing a record-breaking deal with DAZN, Canelo Alvarez was looking to prove he was the middleweight king. On the other side, Daniel Jacobs was working his way back up in the boxing world. Winning gold once again, Jacobs wanted those big money fights that helped further cement his legacy. The two of these fighters were bound to clash, and now the time has finally arrived.

It was announced that Brookln’s Daniel Jacobs will face off against Canelo during Cinco de Mayo weekend. The latter will be defending his WBC, WBA, Lineal and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Titles. Jacobs will be defending his IBF Middleweight World Championship as well. While a location has yet to be determined, Las Vegas appears to be the destination.

This comes after Jacobs signed a three-fight deal with DAZN.

“On any other network or platform, Canelo vs. Jacobs would be an expensive pay-per-view,” said DAZN EVP of North America Joseph Markowski. “At DAZN, we believe the best fights should be available to our subscribers at no extra charge. Beyond being a champion, Danny is a terrific person with an inspiring story. Adding him to the mix is a key part of DAZN’s plan to orchestrate premium events that deliver pay-per-view level fights without pay-per-view cost.”

For Canelo (51-1-2), this is a chance to continue his streak of solid performances. After a controversial tie with Gennady Golovkin, Canelo took the rematch via majority decision. A third fight was always on the table, but time was going by too quickly. He needed to create more moments. It took only three rounds for him to defeat Rocky Fielding inside Madison Square Garden to win the WBA Super-Middleweight Championship. While GGG and DAZN are working on a potential deal, Canelo v. Jacobs just made the most sense.

For Jacobs (35-2), a win against Canelo would only cement the ultimate comeback story. In 2011, Jacobs was diagnosed with cancer but survived. The “Miracle Man” received that nickname due to his strength during this time and the comeback he showcased in the ring. After a controversial loss to GGG, Jacobs fought on, winning three in a row.

Jacobs’ last fight was a split decision victory over teammate Sergiy Derevyanchenko for the IBF title. He talked to Eddie Hearn and the media regarding becoming a belt collector and facing the best of the best. Now he gets his opportunity.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for. The opportunity to achieve greatness inside the ring,” said Jacobs. “I have always believed I can beat Canelo, and on May 4 live on DAZN, 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.”

With legacies on the line and a chance to change the landscape of boxing, both Canelo and Jacobs will look to prove why they are the best in the world today. This is a fight that proves why boxing is alive and well, especially with new opportunities for growth coming left and right.