The only thing Danny Jacobs remembers about the biggest punch of his career was how enraged he was when he threw it.
The Brownsville native abandoned his game plan after veteran opponent Giovanni Lorenzo head butted him in the third round and cut him under his left eye. Jacobs immediately went on the attack.
“I really don’t remember what combination I threw,” Jacobs said. “I’m excited to see the replay. I blacked out. I just wanted to hurt him.”
What he’ll see on the tape is a flurry of angry punches backing Lorenzo onto the ropes, and Jacobs eventually dropping his opponent to the canvas with a viscous right hook for a technical knockout win at the 2:05 mark of the third round at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square on Monday night.
The punch earned Jacobs the vacant WBC Continental Americas Middleweight title.
It is also the first time Lorenzo (32–6 24 KOs), a 32-year-old veteran of numerous world-title bouts, has been stopped in his career.
Jacobs, nicknamed Miracle Man after coming back from a cancer that paralyzed him, believes the victory moves him closer to a world title fight.
“The fact that he’s never been stopped before gave me a boost of confidence,” said Jacobs (26–1 23 KOs). “It gave me the idea of me being a world champion. I know that I belong.”
Jacobs reveled in having his glove raised and a championship belt strapped around his waist of the first time. He thanked the strong contingent of Brooklyn fans for coming out to support him, and eventually leapt atop the ring post to raise the green and gold belt in triumph.
The bout was a big moment in Jacobs’ career, which was nearly derailed when spinal cancer left his legs partially paralyzed. He was told he would never fight again, but instead he persevered to earn his own main event — and got to launch the Golden Boy Live fight series on Fox Sports 1.
“God has been touching my life and my career in such a perfect way, if you think about what I’ve been through and where I came back from,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs represents much more than himself every time he steps in the ring. He knows he is a role model for those who are battling or have beaten cancer.
“Where I come from, man, sometimes you just have to bite down and you just got to fight,” Jacobs said. “I’ve been plenty of times with my back against the wall and I rise like a Phoenix.”
Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.
