IBF middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs is very confident that he would topple his division rival, WBC/WBA middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
Last Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Jacobs was ringside as Canelo demolished Rocky Fielding in three rounds to capture the WBA "regular" super middleweight title.
Initially, David Lemieux - who like Canelo is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions - was the frontrunner to face the Mexican superstar on May 4th in Las Vegas.
But that is no longer the case, after Lemieux was unable to compete on the Canelo-Fielding undercard. Lemieux was scheduled to face Tureano Johnson, but failed to make weight due to severe dehydration, and was taken to the hospital by his handlers.
“Right now I’m fortunate to be in the position that I’m in. I’m a champion,” Jacobs said to Boxing News. “For me that opens a lot of doors in general.
“I may not be the A-side to a guy like Canelo but I’m a key player in the division. To me it’s the right fight and if I can get that Canelo fight it will take my career to the next level. I’m in a good position so I’m excited, I’m anxious. I want this big fight. I want to fight Canelo.
“What’s understood doesn’t really need to be said. For me I understand Canelo is the A-side because he’s the bigger draw. Regardless if I’m the better fighter or not, he’s the bigger draw. So ultimately he would be the A-side. He’s been champion. He has an incredible resume so he’s rightfully so. But my thing is just as long as I’m treated as champion, I can take the B-side. It’s not a problem.
“It would be everything. It would be the closure of my chapter, this movie that I’m putting together in my mind of how my life and career is taking place, it’s incredible. I think if I can get that fight, I truly deep down in my heart feel like I can win, win impressively, decisively, with no controversy. So I’m just waiting till my turn. I’m just patiently waiting but, like I say, I’m in a great position.”