Daniel Jacobs Misses Promoter Golden Boy’s Imposed Weight Limit, But Canelo-Jacobs Fight Still On At T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas
By Cassandra Cousineau
LVSportsBiz.com
Tonight’s fighter Daniel Jacobs missed weight Saturday morning, hours prior to the biggest boxing match of his life at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip.
He weighed in over the 170 pounds allowed per his contract with Canelo Alvarez’s promoter, Golden Boy. In order to seal the deal, the middleweight contender, and IBF champion, agreed to a bit of gamesmanship played by head honcho, Oscar De La Hoya. A rehydration clause insisting on a 170-pound second day weigh-in limit was initially called “insulting “by Jacobs, although he agreed to make the fight happen.
Jacobs tipped the scales at 173.6 pounds and will have to dish out anywhere between $100,000-$250,000 per pound in fines to Golden Boy as a result. Listening to the Brooklyn native during this week’s press conference, it became clear he wasn’t counting on hitting the 170 on the button.
“First it was $250,000 a pound, we got it down to $100,000. So this is, really — you guys are seeing the concerns that they have. They’re thinking because I’m a big middleweight that I need an advantage and they wanna keep me as small and dehydrated as possible. But it won’t work. For my last fight I felt great, I did, and followed the rules of the IBF and weighing 170 the next morning and I felt great for my fight. So, I’m not really looking forward to physically being drained but I am highlighting the fact that these guys put that in there because it’s not supposed to be there,” Jacobs explained.
A million dollars is a lot of cash for most fighters to leave on the table. However, DAZN will pay him $10 million for the unification bout, and the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s official statement says Jacobs will haul in $2.5 million.
The 32-year-old has the support of his promoter at Matchroom Room Boxing, Eddie Hearn , who dismissed the fine as an issue earlier this week.
“Listen, he doesn’t have to come in 10 pounds under,” Hearn said while seated behind his nameplate at T-Mobile Arena. “It’s up to him. What I’m saying is that he can come in 10 pounds if he wants. There’s still penalties. There’s still a fight. But see how he feels.”
There won’t be any additional fines imposed by the IBF.
Besides, most importantly, the fight is still on for tonight at the big arena on the Strip.
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