By CompuBox
Danny Jacobs (20-0, 17 KO) is favored to capture the vacant WBO middleweight title against Russian Dmitry Pirog (16-0, 13 KO), but whatever the result the numbers indicate an exciting and explosive contest.
Despite their KO ratios both bank on volume. When forced to go longer rounds (against George Walton and Ishe Smith), Jacobs unleashed 90.7 punches per round and landed 42 percent of his 46.6 power shots each round. He limited Walton and Smith to 42.3 punches per round.
When Jacobs is in KO mode, as he was against Victor Lares and Tyrone Watson, 62.5 percent of his 67.3 punches per round were power shots as opposed to the balanced ratio against Walton and Smith (51-49 in favor of power).
Pirog is a poor-man’s Antonio Margarito in that he wears opponents down with volume rather than force. Pirog thrives against aggressors as he averaged 95.3 punches per round against Kofi Jantuah and 101.7 against Sergei Melis, landing a combined 39.4 percent of his power shots to his foes’ 20.8. But against mobile survivor Eric Mitchell, his output dropped to 63.2 and he landed just 26 percent of his power shots to Mitchell’s 29. Therefore, versatility may be key for Jacobs.
Prediction: Pirog is making a quantum leap up in competition and he’ll pay the price. Jacobs has superior size and talent and it appears he’s back in the KO groove as his last two fights have ended early. Expect a repeat here.
