Jacobs Tabs Andy Lee To Beat Saunders, Eyes HBO Foes

By Victor Salazar

New York - The future seems bright in 2016 for the winner of Saturday’s fight between middleweights Danny Jacobs (30-1, 27 KO’s) and Peter Quillin (32-0-1, 23 KO’s), who battle for the WBA "regular" title. Showtime recently added the December 19th WBO middleweight title clash between champion Andy Lee of Ireland and champion Billy Joe Saunders from England.

With Jacobs-Quillin airing on Showtime this weekend, one would think that a collision between the winners is in line for 2016 on Showtime. Jacobs is hopeful that such fights in the middleweight division happen in 2016.

“I think its good they (Showtime) picked the fight up,” Jacobs said in regards to Lee-Saunders on Showtime. “I think whoever wins this fight is going to have a mandatory before that. Obviously, it’s good that Showtime picked up another great fight. Whoever wins this fight can have a great matchup against the winner of Lee-Saunders”

Jacobs tabs Lee to win the fight in two weeks.

“I pick Lee to win that fight,” Jacobs told BoxingScene.com. “He has more power and experience. They’re both southpaws but neither has one big advantage over the other. I think Andy’s the longer fighter, he will be able to get his jab out there a little more.”

On the other side of the street on HBO, there are two superstar middleweights in champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Gennady "GGG" Golovkin. Politics aside, Jacobs would love an opportunity at both.

“I don’t come into the sport to duck and dodge,” Jacobs said. “I’m just making sure I get in there and get compensated correctly. I’m not trying to make 10 fights and fight a guy. I have an advisor that always advises us to get compensated well for all the risk we take and I think that’s fair and across the board.”

He’s also hopeful that HBO's decision to promote Peter Nelson to the top spot of their sports department will open the doors at the network to restore a working relationship with manager Al Haymon. If that connection can be fixed, Jacobs is eager to fight the likes Golovkin and Alvarez in the future.

“I see that happening,” Jacobs said in regards to fighting on HBO. “I just don’t know how easy it would be to make. I think they are going to reach a dead-end where they say 'who do we fight' and vice versa and the fans will push more. I’m a fan of the sport and I want to make the best fights. That’s why I called out a Peter Quillin. I want to be in there with the best. The opportunity is there so I want to make it happen sooner than later.”