Jacobs Educates Arias Over Twelve

By Derek Bonnett

In the main event at Nassau Colisseum in Uniondale, New York, USA, former middleweight titlist Danny Jacobs met inexperienced contender Luis Arias in a twelve round bout. Arias, unbeaten and trainer by John David Jackson, came to New York and boasted KO prognostications over Jacobs, who reminded the up and comer that he owned more first round KOs than Arias had KOs in general. Jacobs stepped into the ring for the first time since his March defeat at Madison Square Garden against Gennady Golovkin, a bout which I favored Jacobs on my SecondsOut scorecard after twelve.

The world’s second best middleweight acquitted himself quite well and assumed the role of professor as he instructed his eager pupil round after round. Jacobs fought the first round boxing at a distance and landing his jab as he settled into the contest. Arias tried darting in, showing nervous energy in his first big fight. Jacobs stunned Arias early in the round with a punch high over the ear. Arias tackled the former champion to the canvas and survived the moment without a knockdown being ruled. Arias fought gamely in round two and capitalized on Jacobs’ low punch rate. Both fighters worked the body, but Arias showed a little more confidence in landing his left hook. Unofficially, I gave Arias the frame, but could not award the American with Cuban roots another round. Jacobs moved his jab from body to head and controlled the distance. Arias was forced to reach on his shots, taking away both accuracy and sting in the third. Jacobs hooked to the body well in the fourth. In fact, the Brooklyn fighter switched to southpaw with great effect. Arias held Jacobs and punched wildly in the clinch in an effort to land something. Jacobs’ work improved from round to round as Arias’ offensive was virtually shut down for the remainder of the fight. In the final round, Jacobs was awarded a dubious knockdown as balance issue saw Arias’ glove touching the canvas.

After twelve one-sided rounds, the three judges yielded a fair account of the action in delivering the first career twelve round victory to Jacobs by margins of 120-107, 119-108, 118-109. Jacobs, 30, raised his numbers to 33-2-0 (29) and can look forward to high profile super fights against Golovkin, Saul Alvarez, or Jermall Charlo. Arias, 27, must return to the gym with his head up in spite of not being able to capitalize on the opportunity. Arias’ dossier dipped to 18-1-0 (9), but has ample time and resource to establish himself as a viable contender in the transient lower half of the division.