By Jake Donovan
Sergio Mora is well aware of how boxing pundits view his fighting style. The 34-year old has won a major championship also claimed top honors in Season One of the now-defunct The Contender boxing reality series.
Both achievements have helped expand his notoriety over the years, but neither has helped expand his fan base.
“I’ve been labeled a spoiler, but I see it as a good thing,” notes Mora (28-3-2, 9KOs), who plans to play that very role in his upcoming title challenge versus reigning middleweight titlist Daniel Jacobs. The two collide August 1 at Barclays Center in Jacobs’ home borough of Brooklyn, New York.
“A spoiler is that I will go in there and upset Danny Jacobs,” Mora says, in his best effort to put a positive spin on an otherwise negative label. It was a role he played in 2008, upsetting Vernon Forrest to win a junior middleweight title, though conceding the crown in their rematch just three months later.
The August 1 matchup pits a young titlist in Jacobs versus a cagy veteran in Mora. Stylistically, it doesn’t figure to threaten whatever constitutes the current Fight of the Year race, a category Mora has yet to grace. Modest punching power and his ability to survive (nine knockout wins, and having never been stopped through 33 career fights) often mean a long night at the office whenever he’s in the ring.
Distance fights are one thing; the lack of sustained entertainment over the course of an evening, however, will cause unrest among just about any viewer. Hence, the general reason why Mora is viewed as a veteran spoiler in the ring.
“The negative for the fans as a spoiler that I will go in there and stink up the show,” Mora recognizes, though is quick to point out it hasn’t been the case in recent fights. “My past few fights, I kept my word to be more aggressive and am now going on to fight for this world title.”
Mora enters riding a five-fight win streak, including wins over Grzegorz Proksa and most recently an off-the-canvas 12-round decision over Abraham Han.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox