Jacobs stops injured Mora in second round

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Daniel Jacobs - Sergio MoraWhen I spoke to Daniel Jacobs (30-1, 27 KO’s) at MGM Grand in June, we spoke briefly about how he wanted to become the first man to stop Sergio Mora (28-4-2, 9 KO’s) and he did just that on Saturday – albeit due to the pre-existing knee injury Tha Boxing Voice revealed a day before the fight – in a short, fiery display at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Jacobs, who defended his WBA World middleweight title for the second time, floored Mora in the first round with a fierce counter right hand. In what was the Round of the Year to many, Jacobs thought he had Mora on a silver platter, but ‘The Latin Snake,’ delivered a golden left hand of his own that put Jacobs on the canvas.

Following that exchange, both men were cautious for the remainder of the round, although Jacobs managed to finish the round strong with some hard shots on a cornered Mora.

Late in the second round, Jacobs had Mora cornered again, connecting with a right hand to the head and Mora’s injured right knee appeared to give way, which also injured his ankle. Referee Gary Rosato had no choice but to stop the fight at two minutes, 55 seconds.

Mora was visibly upset and heartbroken.

“I heard my knee pop and I want to see the replay because I know my ankle is broken,” Mora.

“I told you I came here to fight. I give him credit, but I came to take this championship. I want a rematch.”

It’s not likely.

“No rematch, no reason to go backward,” Jacobs said. “Thank God for this victory, but I’m not going to give him a rematch just because.”
He reasoning is justified. Mora knew he had a right knee injury before the fight, and his knee gave out – that’s his fault – and Jacobs shouldn’t have to be held back.

Jacobs, who has bounced back from a fifth-round TKO loss to Dmitry Pirog and a near-death experience with Osteosarcoma, is pursuing a fight against Peter Quillin, a former WBO middleweight champion who he has been chasing for over a year.

“I want Peter Quillin next,” Jacobs said. “It’s what fight fans deserve. Brooklyn always comes out and supports both of us, and it would be a great way to close out the year.”

Quillin is scheduled to fight September 6th, but an opponent has not yet been determined, although Tony Jeter (20-4-1, 14 KO’s), the current WBA-NABA USA middleweight champion, is rumored to be the leading candidate to face Quillin.

Mora’s career now looks uncertain. He briefly held the WBC light-middleweight title after a close bout with the late Vernon Forrest in June 2008, but was blown out in a rematch later that September – his last title shot to date before Saturday – and it may be the closest Mora will ever get to a second World title.