HBO WCB 4/28 Danny Jacobs vs Maciej Sulecki / Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller vs Johann Duhaupas

[patscorpio]

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One of the worst kept secrets in boxing was made official on Sunday, with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn's announcement that former middleweight world titlist Daniel Jacobs will face Maciej Sulecki on April 28 in the main event of an HBO-televised card at Barclays Center in Jacobs' hometown of Brooklyn, New York.

Jacobs, Sulecki and others on the card are scheduled to appear at a news conference with Hearn on Tuesday afternoon in New York.

Hearn also announced two other bouts, the expected co-feature between heavyweight contender Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller and former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas in a title eliminator and a women's lightweight world title unification fight between Katie Taylor and Victoria Bustos.

After Jacobs (33-2, 29 KOs), 31, lost a close decision challenging unified world champion Gennady Golovkin last March, he left adviser Al Haymon, signed an exclusive contract with HBO and with Hearn and had the first fight of his new deal in November, when he easily outpointed Luis Arias.

The fight with Sulecki will be the second fight of the contracts, and Jacobs' aim is to land a fight later in the year against the winner of the May 5 rematch between Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.

"I'm delighted to stage our first show at Barclays Center," Hearn said. "Daniel Jacobs faces a tough test against Maciej Sulecki, and I believe victory will lead him to the winner of GGG and Canelo, [who fight] the following week. That's what Daniel wants, that's what HBO wants, and it's what the fans should demand."

The fight will be Jacobs' sixth at his hometown arena, where he serves as the spokesman for their boxing-branded merchandise.

"I'm very excited to be back in the Barclays Center. It always feels like home fighting there," said Jacobs, who lives close to the arena. "I'm looking forward to fighting Sulecki on April 28. He's an undefeated guy that I know will be looking to make a name for himself by beating me. I'm looking to have a great training camp and get myself focused to really put on a show for the Brooklyn fans come April 28."

Sulecki (26-0, 10 KOs), 28, of Poland, got the fight with Jacobs over other candidates, such as Spike O'Sullivan and former titlist Andy Lee. Sulecki moved down to junior middleweight for his three fights in 2017, including a 10-round decision win against former secondary titlist Jack Culcay in October, but he will return to middleweight to face Jacobs.

"This is an excellent opportunity for me to fight one of the very best middleweights in the world," Sulecki said. "I'll be very well prepared to stay undefeated and defeat Jacobs in front of the Polish boxing fans at Barclays Center as I continue my march to become a world champion."

Miller (20-0-1, 18 KOs), 29, also from Brooklyn, and Duhaupas (37-4, 24 KOs), 37, of France, will fight an eliminator that will move the winner a step closer to a mandatory fight with unified titlist Anthony Joshua, who is promoted by Hearn.

One scenario under discussion is that if Miller wins and England's Joshua retains his belts against Joseph Parker in their title unification fight on March 31 in Cardiff, Wales, then Joshua could make his American debut this summer at Barclays Center in a defense against Miller.

Miller, who is co-promoted by Dmitry Salita and Greg Cohen, knocked out former world title challenger Mariusz Wach in the ninth round in November on the Jacobs-Arias undercard and knows that a win over Duhaupas will position him for the world title opportunity he wants.

"Nothing makes me more gratified and blessed to do what I love best, and that's to get back in the ring and continue to solidify my place as the next heavyweight champion of the world," Miller said. "This fight on April 28 is just the next step to being recognized as the best in the world and a training ground for [potential fights against titleholders] Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder."

Duhaupas gave Wilder a tough fight in an 11th-round knockout loss in 2015 and owns wins over secondary titlist Manuel Charr and Robert Helenius. He has won three fights in a row by knockout.

"A top heavyweight does not have to be heavy or light, fat or slim. A heavyweight just needs to be strong," Duhaupas said. "I will show on April 28 that I am strong enough to beat Jarrell Miller."

Taylor (8-0, 4 KOs), 31, a two-time Olympian from Ireland who won a gold medal at the 2012 Games, won a vacant world title by unanimous decision against overweight Anahi Esther Sanchez in October and has made one defense, a similarly lopsided decision against Jessica McCaskill in December.

Taylor, who will be boxing in the United States for the third time, will attempt to unify two belts against Bustos (18-4, 0 KOs), 29, of Argentina, who won her belt in 2013 and will make her sixth title defense in her first fight outside of her home country.

"Becoming unified champion is very important to me," Taylor said. "Last year was great, but I'm not really one for looking back, and it's all about the next challenge. I believe that winning my first world title as a pro is just the start of it. I want to fight all the other champions and unify the lightweight division
"Bustos is one of the longest-reigning champions in women's boxing, so I'm expecting a very tough fight. I've been back in training camp in Connecticut since the beginning of the month, so the hard work has started, and I'm excited to have the chance to win another world title."

HBO's telecast is scheduled to include only the Jacobs-Sulecki and Miller-Duhaupas fights "as of now," according to HBO Sports president Peter Nelson. However, he told ESPN that he will talk to Hearn about the possibility of airing Taylor-Bustos. HBO is in its 45th year of televising boxing and has never aired a women's boxing match.

Hearn also announced that former heavyweight world title challenger Artur Szpilka (20-3-0, 15 KOs), a 28-year-old Polish southpaw, and Brooklyn-based junior welterweight Shohjahon Ergashev (11-0, 11 KOs), 26, of Uzbekistan, will fight on the card against opponents to be determined.

 

[patscorpio]

 

[reservoirdogs]

Jacobs has some extra pressure on him now to look good after the Charlo performance imo
Jacobs fighting the guy who KOd Centeno first although not as fast as Charlo did (10th round of a 10th round fight)

I got Jacobs but he can't sleep on Sulecki. Not sure if it's KO or not. On his last fight Jacobs seemed cool with the points victory didn't press it so much... I don't know about Sulecki ever been down before, boxrec doesn't write about it... it can also depend on his chin

oh and Sulecki's KO record is tricky... He scored lot of decision wins earlier in his career but then went on to score 7 stoppages wins in a row which ended with his last fight. So seems like he has power despite the record.

on the other fight I expect Miller to win without much problems... probably stoppage too

 

[patscorpio]

im just about this card

i have no problem with jacobs-sulecki...just doesnt hold any real intrigue to me on paper but you're right Res..you cant sleep on him at all..i still remember him beating down centeno...could be a sleeper fight but Danny might want to look impressive and attempt to get the guy outta there

I really dont like watching Big Baby fight..dude bores me..and i know he's not going to come in the ring in any real shape...Duhaupas is most likely there as a durable body....he did give wilder a tough fukking time...trademarked him around the eyes and didnt even go down once..just got stopped standing..then he gets flattened brutally by Povetkin hopped up on PEDs lol.

 

[patscorpio]

 

[reservoirdogs]

Will be curious of the Yeleussinov debut and Ergashev too

Ergashev is the dude who lit up Sonny Fredrikson a few months ago

 

[patscorpio]

sulecki talking that shyt

Sulecki: Danny Jacobs Won't Ever Repeat Golovkin Performance

By Keith Idec

All Maciej Sulecki seems to hear and read about is Daniel Jacobs’ commendable performance against Gennady Golovkin.

Jacobs gained a lot of respect for giving Golovkin what to that point had been the most difficult fight of the unbeaten middleweight champion’s career 13 months ago. Sulecki can’t understand, however, why fans and media haven’t been as critical of the way Jacobs boxed against Luis Arias and others.

Poland’s Sulecki (26-0, 10 KOs) discussed during a recent conference call the effusive praise Jacobs (33-2, 29 KOs) has received for his 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) in March 2017 at Madison Square Garden.

“First of all, this was the best Danny Jacobs fight ever,” said Sulecki, who’ll face Jacobs on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“I don’t think he will ever repeat this kind of performance. It was more about Golovkin not fighting tactically well. It was a bad fight by Golovkin and I am really surprised people are judging Danny Jacobs only by using his fight versus Golovkin. Why not judge Danny [by] his fight versus Arias, such a clown like Arias? I’m putting the question out – why, Danny, didn’t you finish such a clown, like Arias?”

Brooklyn’s Jacobs declined to answer Sulecki’s question on the aforementioned conference call. The 31-year-old contender did defend his performance against Arias (18-1, 9 KOs), who was reluctant to engage and lost a lopsided unanimous decision to Jacobs in their 12-rounder November 11 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

His criticism aside, Sulecki acknowledged that he anticipates Jacobs becoming the toughest opponent of his seven-year pro career. That distinction, according to Sulecki, currently belongs to Jack Culcay.

Sulecki out-boxed Ecuador’s Culcay (23-3, 11 KOs) in his last fight to win a 12-round unanimous decision October 21 in Newark, New Jersey. The Sulecki-Culcay bout was contested at the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds, six pounds lower than the limit for Sulecki’s fight against Jacobs.

“Yes, when you look at it on paper, wins and losses, Danny Jacobs is the best fighter who I ever fought,” Sulecki said. “But we’re gonna verify who is on the 28th.”

HBO will broadcast Jacobs-Sulecki as the main event of a “World Championship Boxing” doubleheader Saturday night from Barclays Center. Brooklyn’s Jarrell Miller (20-0-1, 18 KOs) will face France’s Johann Duhaupas (37-4, 24 KOs) in a 12-round heavyweight fight to open that telecast (10 p.m. ET).

 

[OGBobbyJohnson]

Rooting for Jacobs

 

[patscorpio]

Jacobs vs. Sulecki, Miller vs. Duhaupas - Weigh-In Results

By Keith Idec

Maciej Sulecki competed at or just above the super welterweight limit of 154 pounds in each of his last three fights.

The Polish contender had no difficulty whatsoever making weight Friday afternoon because he was afforded six additional pounds for his middleweight match against Daniel Jacobs on Saturday night. Warsaw’s Sulecki stepped on the New York State Athletic Commission’s scale at 159.2 pounds at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, also the site of their 12-round, 160-pound main event.

Brooklyn’s Jacobs officially weighed in at 159.6 pounds.

According to promoter Eddie Hearn, the winner of the Jacobs-Sulecki fight will become the WBA’s mandatory challenger for Gennady Golovkin’s WBA middleweight title. Jacobs badly wants a rematch after giving Golovkin a very tough fight in March 2017, a 12-rounder he lost by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden.

The 31-year-old Jacobs (33-2, 29 KOs) is consistently listed as at least a 15-1 favorite over the unbeaten but unknown Sulecki (26-0, 10 KOs).

Jacobs-Sulecki will be the main event of an HBO “World Championship Boxing” doubleheader scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In the opening bout, heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller will attempt to continue on his path toward a title shot against veteran Johann Duhaupas.

Brooklyn’s Miller (20-0-1, 18 KOs) weighed in Friday at 304¼ pounds, 21 pounds heavier than he was for his last fight.

The 6-feet-4 Miller officially weighed 283¼ pounds prior to his previous bout, a ninth-round stoppage of Poland’s Mariusz Wach (33-3, 17 KOs) on November 11 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Miller feels he was too light for that fight and expects to perform better against France’s Duhaupas because he is heavier for their match.

In the bout before he faced Wach, Miller weighed in at 298¾ pounds for his technical-knockout victory over Gerald Washington (18-2-1, 12 KOs) on July 29 at Barclays Center.

The 6-feet-5 Duhaupas weighed in at 244.2 pounds Friday.

fukking big baby weighing in at 304..21 lbs heavier than his last struggle fight

 

[aceboon]

Lmfao @ 304

 

[aceboon]

Hearn finding out shyt in the US aint that easy

 

[patscorpio]

Hearn finding out shyt in the US aint that easy

a nikka could prolly just walk into barclays and be let in off GP lol

 

[MasterOfAllHeSurveyz]

fukking big baby weighing in at 304..21 lbs heavier than his last struggle fight

Dude out here looking before he's actually .

From now on, he's Jarrell "Big Gravy" Miller.

 

[reservoirdogs]

Hearn finding out shyt in the US aint that easy

He didn’t build his UK scene in a few months either. I don’t think that not having full arenas half year after he expanded to the US means that he was overconfident. In a few years we will see how it went.

 

[Newzz]