By Stephen "Breadman" Edwards

The Daily Bread Mailbag returns with Stephen "Breadman" Edwards tackling topics such as Canelo Alvarez vs. Daniel Jacobs, Errol Spence vs. Shawn Porter, Gennady Golovkin hiring Banks as his new trainer, and more.

What's up Bread?

Do you buy "making weight" as a factor in Daniel Jacobs' performance against Canelo Alvarez?

Also best of luck this weekend, I will be rooting for you and J-Rock

Peace,

William in West Palm

Bread’s Response: I think making weight is a factor in Danny Jacobs making 160lbs but it can’t be an excuse because he chooses to fight there. The jump from 160 to 168 is no joke and in my opinion it’s the biggest jump in boxing.

Hi Bread,

simply put your analysis is the truth.

When the canelo and Jacobs fight was made I thought to myself. Jacobs will do just enough to keep the fight interesting, then when the fight is over he will say I thought i did enough to edge the fight. Which he clearly never.

To me Andre Ward summed it up best when he was asked about his pre-fight prediction.

He said Danny has to go in their with a made up mind, to say im not leaving here without the victory and not to be happy with just putting on a good showing. This to me sums Jacobs up totally, he a charming respectful ambassador for the sport and he can fight. But he just does not have that dawg in him at the top level to really go after it. In the 12th round when he had to really press the action he didn't.  If you read in between the lines of what SOG said he was really predicting the obvious outcome. A man who is a good fighter but will fall short against the very best.

blessings Welbeck

london England

Bread’s Response: When I broke this fight down I kept looking at Jacob’s in ring demeanor. There was something about it that made me tepid in picking him out right. Make no mistake Danny CAN beat Canelo. But The energy of this fight was bizarre. It was a fight where if Danny had a different demeanor more people would cry robbery at this result. I thought Canelo won close but clean. But there were some weird rounds where I thought to myself Danny is leaving some work on the table.

The best way I can articulate this, is boxing is like a courtroom. It’s not always about who is actually winning. It’s about who the judges think is winning. Who appears to be in control. Canelo has that calm, dominant alpha way about him. He doesn’t have to beat you up in order to beat you. Danny did some nice work but he just didn’t capture the audience’s or judge’s favor. Danny seems really hyper and not so much in control as the calm Canelo. In close fights so many small things matter.

Breadman ,                   

Danny Jacobs was clearly the bigger guy in the Canelo fight . Danny was also risking his IBF belt . Why would he not take it to Canelo . He is bigger and weighs more . Canelo clearly had trouble with this . The judges had it very close . I thought the fight was a draw . I live scored it six rounds each . Danny Jacobs missed a one in a lifetime opportunity . He will never fight Canelo again . Never get a shot at all the titles and the ring lineal . He just looked like a LHW compared to Canelo . I think if he went after Canelo he could have knocked him out . I am just puzzled at how reserved he was . I know he admits having trouble with the weight , but he makes a good champion . He is articulate and talks well . Just a shame he could not turn up in the biggest fight of his life .

        

This trainer Banks is all wrong for GGG . He talks like he is punch drunk . I have no idea what GGG is thinking . Bad really bad mistake on his part . GGG will realize this when it is too late . That is some bad karma with Abel . But people talk too much when they should just say nothing .

1} Please give your thoughts on the Canelo Jacobs fight .

2} Please give your thoughts on GGG new trainer and what to expect .

                                                   

Thank You

J.B.

Bread’s Response: I thought Canelo won 7 or 8 rounds. I thought Jacobs won 4 or 5. Anything more in either direction may be over compensating. Most likely Canelo won 7 rounds and Jacobs won 5. The judges were ON POINT in this fight. They did a good job the scores were 115-113 and 116-112 Canelo.

I don’t like the way Jacob’s body looks when he rehydrates. He gives me the look of a fighter who should be one division up. I know everyone talks about the advantages of being able to get so much bigger after the weigh in. But there is a flip side to that. The body has to lose the weight in the 1st place then put it back on properly. There is only so much weight you can lose and still be strong 36 hours later and each body is different, so there is no exact science to it.

I don’t think he could have knocked Canelo out. Canelo intimidates you with his counter punching and relaxed defense. It’s just one of those things. Team Canelo is very smart. They saw something in Danny and they picked him for a reason. Danny had to show more than he showed previously to prove them wrong which was possible. But in Danny’s 3 toughest fights, Sulecki, SD and GGG. He fought well. But he never pulled away as far as rounds won. He never won 3 rounds in a row and took over the fights. I assume Team Canelo looked at those 36 rounds and they knew they were facing an excellent fighter but not a dominant one at the top level.

Canelo didn’t beat Danny up. He just outboxed him going forward for the most part. Canelo is becoming a ring master. He’s reaching a new level that very few hit. People don’t respect it because of some of he scorecards he’s received in the past and his positive ped test. But Canelo is the truth in a boxing ring. He knows how to win a top level fight without going full blast. Danny is a threat because he’s fast and he can punch. So Canelo was able to outbox him being the shorter, smaller man with less length without going in over drive gear.

I don’t want you guys to assume I’m suggesting he took it easy on Danny. Because he didn’t. But because Danny is a threat and because Danny can punch, Canelo did what he had to do without putting himself in harm’s way. Only master boxers can do that. Floyd, Rigo…. Manny has developed into that also. I’m telling you guys Canelo is something.

Why is Jonathan Banks a bad choice? Banks has experience at the top level. He had a great mentor in Emanuel Steward. He knows boxing. Wladimir Klitshcko picked him for a reason and so did GGG. I was just telling a colleague of mine that GGG would pick a black coach.

The reason why is because at his age, he has to be able to do more while exerting less energy. He won’t be able to throw 70 power punches a round. He won’t be able to spar killers every other day. When I heard he picked Banks I actually said to myself good choice. Banks is a sharp dude and a good coach. Let’s see how it plays out before we say it won’t work. I like Banks’s pad work and he will emphasize a rhythm breaking jab, and a better right hand. Most of Emanuel Steward’s coaches work under the same philosophies. GGG has only been able to land his hard jab vs Canelo and Jacobs which is where his performance slide started.  GGG has monster heavy hands. Whoever he hits with constant power punches he destroys.

Hi bread,

I know you are a busy man, but I am hoping you'll have the time to tackle the questions below:

You mentioned Tommy Loughran many mailbags ago, and it got me thinking about the other greats from the 20's and 30's.

To me, Tommy did more than Tunney and yet, Tunney is better rememebered. What separated the two men in terms of:

- legacy

- careers

- talent and physicality

- skillset

Lastly, what made each man so effective in the ring. I watched some of their old tapes and noticed their footwork didn't look very neat, but it was actually pretty effective. Both were pretty left hand reliant. Tunney seemed to have a better punch but he never was known as a puncher. He also seemed tovwalk guys into his right hand more and timed his clinches well.

Did the sport change so much that they couldn't be top LHW's in the 90's to 2000's?

How come there weren't more KO's way back in the day with those much smaller, less padded gloves. They couldn't use the gloves as shields as much back then and the punches would hurt more with less between the knuckles qnd the opponents. They could parry better and fight inside better since you could have a better hold with smaller gloves. You'd have to move your head more, too....

Thank you very much for your time!

Sincerely,

Jay

Bread’s Response: Tunney is better remembered because his record was prettier and he fought in more famous fights vs Jack Dempsey who was an icon. But they were pretty much even as fighters.

Both would be top light heavyweights today but they would just fight different if they were born in this era. Fighters adopt the rhythms, set ups and styles of the eras they are in. Do you notice that fighters in the 70s and 80s throw their stick off the bounce because Ali did. It’s just one of those things. But the cream rises to the top in every era.

They weren’t more kos back then because the men were tougher and you may not believe this, but less padding causes more hand breaks. I would rather get punched by bare knuckles than a good 8 oz glove covered hand. The puncher will punch harder because his hands are more protected.

This is shaping up to be a solid year in the world of boxing. With Spence vs Porter just being announced and possibly Pacquiao vs Thurman coming soon these are some big fights at an affordable rate. Who do you think comes out of that quartet?

Bread's Response: Um....I would favor Errol Spence but as you guys will see. Top level boxing is no joke and he will have some tough moments vs Porter as well as Manny or Thurman.

Send Questions to dabreadman25@hotmail.com