In boxing’s last hoorah on HBO, Daniel Jacobs will be fighting for glory and a shot at Canelo

For Daniel Jacobs, his upcoming fight on Saturday, October 27 means more than you know. Not only would he be able to add another title to his personal connection with a win, but it also opens the door for an opportunity of a lifetime.

After 45 years of boxing, HBO is leaving the sport for good. Jacobs will end the historical run in his backyard of the Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden, when he faces off against Sergiy Derevyanchenko for the vacant IBF middleweight title. The title was stripped from Gennady Golovkin back in the summer.

Losing to GGG back in 2017, Jacobs (34-2) has won two in a row. With a third win, the Brooklyn native could get the $365 million man in Canelo Alvarez. Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, representing Jacobs, recently signed an exclusive deal with DAZN, who just happened to court Canelo just a few days ago. He is set to face Rocky Fielding for the WBA Super Middleweight Title on December 15 inside MSG. After Canelo beat GGG in their second battle against one another, Jacobs was confident in his ability to take out Alvarez. Via Fight Hub TV, Jacobs had the following to say:

“I’d stop Canelo. I’d knock Canelo out. It don’t matter what round. Put him in there and I’ll knock him out.”

While talking about one opponent is how this whole boxing thing works, Jacobs must first worry about who is currently in front of him. While he may not be of Canelo’s (50-1-2) caliber, Derevyanchenko (12-0) has ten knockout victories, at one point winning five fights in a row via KO. Taller than Jacobs’ last two opponents, Maciej Sulęcki and Luis Arias, Derevyanchenko (5 ft 9 in) almost feels like a GGG-like (5 ft 10 in) matchup. If Jacobs can work around the power of his opponent and connect with his own devastating hooks, Serigy will be in trouble.

The bout that has been talked about since August could finally be coming into fruition if Jacobs got the win. Keep in mind that the fight would most likely take place in late 2019. Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar De La Hoya, who made a small deal with DAZN outside of the Canelo deal, will look to negotiate many different possibilities in contract talks. Between him and Hearn, the battle between boxing’s mad geniuses could outperform a fight between their fighters.

Since 1973, HBO has been the Godfather of boxing. As Jacobs closes its lengthy occupancy, his career will also be at a crossroads. With a win, he could get that big fight fans, promoters and he himself want. A loss brings him into the unknown. Can he end it all on a high note, securing a date with destiny in the process?

Tickets for Jacobs/Derevyanchenko are still available at Ticketmaster.com and the MSG box office.