Chris Algieri, Former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion, (Quillin): “Tough fight to call. I believe whoever can assert their fight will ultimately take the victory. Danny needs to set a fast pace and box smart. Quillin will look to be explosive and bring the pressure. Too close to predict for me but will go with the more experienced man in Quillin to take it.”
Chris Arreola, Former Heavyweight Title Challenger, (Jacobs): “I think it’s a very good fight. I’m taking Jacobs in a very close fight. I just think Jacobs has more to prove and has had to overcome so much. I can’t wait to watch this fight!”
Andre Berto, Former WBC Welterweight World Champion, (No Pick): “Tough fight, it’s really a toss up. If it goes the distance I have Jacobs winning. If it doesn’t I have Quillin by knockout.”
Gabriel Bracero, Welterweight Contender from Brooklyn (Jacobs) – “I think they’re both good fighters and both strong. I think it’s going to come down to who’s smarter and whose sharper the night of the fight almost like an aggressive chess match the first person to make a mistake is going to pay.. I doubt that the fight goes the distance and they’re both going in there like they both have something to prove. I think Jacobs has more of an arsenal and will pull it off.”
Dominic Breazeale, 2012 U.S. Olympian & Undefeated Heavyweight, (Jacobs) – “My prediction is Danny Jacobs wins by way of KO in the 6 round. He’s a very humble, hard working man that deserves a great victory.”
Jermall Charlo, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion, (Draw): “I hope the fight ends in a draw. I think it’s going to be a draw. Both guys are real strong and they both have good days and they both have bad days. But if someone wins, it will be whoever is in better shape.”
Anthony Dirrell, Former WBC Super Middleweight World Champion (Draw): “I hope it’s a draw, and I think it may be. Both fighters are my guys. Daniel and I went through similar health concerns that brought us closer, but Peter grew up in Grand Rapids. So I really just want to see a great fight and may the best man win. I know both guys respect each other and I hope that’ll always be the case.”
B.J. Flores, Cruiserweight Contender & NBC Boxing Analyst (No Pick): “This is a rough one. I really like Danny Jacobs’ boxing ability and his offensive tools and weapons. He has speed and power. The question is, if Danny is going to be able to stand there and take the hits from Pete when he lands. Whenever he does land, it will be interesting to see if Danny will come in with a game plan to neutralize Peter or if there is really going to be a battle of brooklyn head to head and fight thats the right fight for peter quillin not for danny jacobs. danny needs to take his opponent’s attributes and pete’s main thing he can do is punch, so the question is will Danny be able to take that away from Pete. It is a great opportunity for both and there can only be one king of the city.”
Tony Harrison, Super Welterweight Contender, (Jacobs): “I’m up in the air on this one, but I’m leaning towards Jacobs because he knows what adversity is and how to overcome it. He’s got nothing to los and he’s fighting in his hometown. He should have a chip on his shoulder.”
Amir Khan, Former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion, (Quillin): “I think Peter Quillin wins the fight. It’s a really exciting matchup between two guys fighting in their own backyard in Brooklyn. There is very little to choose between both fighters but if I had to opt for one guy it would be Quillin. I really respect Danny Jacob’s background and the way he has fought to become champion. He’s shown that he has the resilience, skill and punching power to go in and beat the best middleweights around but I think that Quillin is going to look to outwork him and use his movement to win a close points decision. Jacobs has the advantage in reach and height so that could cause Quillin problems especially if he gets his jab going and boxes from the outside. Nevertheless, it’s a really hard fight to call and there are arguments either way but there’s no doubt it’s going to be a great fight because neither guy will want to take a back step in their hometown.”
Erislandy Lara, WBA 154-Pound World Champion, (Quillin): “This is a great matchup between two young hungry fighters and I think it’s going to be a very close fight. With that being said, I’m picking ‘Kid Chocolate’ to win. He’s got Cuban blood running through his veins and has fought better competition. I’ll also be watching very closely because the winner could be one of my future opponents.”
Andy Lee, WBO Middleweight World Champion (No Pick): “I think it’s a close fight. Danny probably has the better boxing fundamentals and will look to outbox Peter. But Peter is certainly the bigger puncher and will look to land heavy punches while boxing with Danny. It’s an exciting fight hard and a hard one to call.”
Aron Martinez, Welterweight Contender, (Jacobs) – “I’ll go with Jacobs by decision. It will be a great fight though I could really see it going either way.”
Sergio Mora, Former WBC Super Welterweight World Champion, (Quillin) – “Both Jacobs & Quillin are big punchers with flawed technique. In the battle of power punching, Quillin’s size & better chin will hold up better, but If Jacobs decides to box & move I can see him outpointing Quillin. It’ll be a close fight either way. I’m picking Quillin by late stoppage.”
Victor Ortiz, Former WBC Welterweight World Champion, (No Pick): “May the best man win. It’s a great fight. Blue corner and red corner. My prediction is that one of those corners is going to win.”
Edwin Rodriguez, IBF No. 10 Light Heavyweight Contender, (Jacobs): “”Jacobs is a better boxer and just as good of a puncher as Quillin with sharper technical skills. It should be an entertaining fight but Jacobs will win by unanimous decision.”
Leo Santa Cruz, WBA Super World Featherweight Champion, (Quillin): “It’s going to be a hard fight for both of them, but Peter Quillin is stronger and he’s never been hurt, so I think he might take it. Quillin by seventh-round KO.”
Keith Thurman, WBA Welterweight World Champion, (Jacobs): “Knowing Jacobs and his amateur background I believe that he has the skills and the knowledge to pull away the victory, but Quillin is no slouch. He has tremendous strength and the ability to stop or hurt Danny at any moment. I’m truly looking forward to this fight. This is another great matchup for the fight fans this year.”
Sammy Vasquez, Undefeated Welterweight Contender, (Jacobs) – “This can go either way. Both have power and are good fighters with two different styles as Peter just comes forward but yet stays mid range and is good at it, Danny moves a lot and has good angles, I would give Danny the edge for his movement but he needs to stay busy and hopefully he doesn’t run into any punches but it’s a toss up to me.”
Daniel Jacobs & Peter Quillin Introduce Nets Players
Before they enter the ring at Barclays Center, Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin took center stage at the arena in Brooklyn as they conducted the pregame player introductions of the Brooklyn Nets before their win Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns.
In addition, recently retired pound-for-pound king Floyd “Money” Mayweather was in attendance and posed with his fellow Grand Rapids born fighter in Quillin.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.comor by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
As their pivotal December 5 showdowns loom, Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (30-1, 27 KOs), Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (32-0-1, 23 KOs), Chris Algieri (20-2, 8 KOs) and “Sir” Marcus Browne (16-0, 12 KOs) took time out of training camp to share their Thanksgiving plans, memories and what it’s like to be training and fighting during the holiday season.
The December 5 event is live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center and is headlined by the all-Brooklyn middleweight title showdown between Jacobs and Quillin. In undercard action featured on SHO EXTREME, Long Island’s Algieri will take on Erick Bone (16-2, 8 KOs) in a welterweight bout while Staten Island’s Browne faces Franciso Sierra (27-9-1, 24 KOs) in a light heavyweight match.
While all the fighters have to deal with balancing training camp and the Thanksgiving holiday, there are different challenges for Jacobs and Browne, who remained in New York to train, and Quillin and Algieri, who have set up training camps in Miami.
Here is what the fighters had to say about those challenges, fighting at home and more:
DANIEL JACOBS
You’re going to be just over a week out from your fight, so what are you actually going to be doing for Thanksgiving?
“I’m so focused. I’m only thinking about my fight next week. I will be training and that’s it. There will be no partaking in Thanksgiving from me.”
What are you going to be able to eat at the Thanksgiving table if you are doing a Thanksgiving dinner?
“My family doesn’t really cook the healthiest things on Thanksgiving, so everything is off limits. They cook lasagna, a lot of soul foods and that is NOT in my diet right now!”
Do holidays ever affect when you are going to fight? You have a job to do, but does being in camp during the holiday season sway your decision making in any way?
“My son’s birthday is the Thursday of fight week so that shows I will fight any day. This is my job and my livelihood. It’s a very important time in my career. I would fight on New Years at midnight if I had to.”
Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions (when you aren’t training)?
“Family is a big thing for me. I was raised in a big family. Family is the best part of any tradition. We always spread love and make sure that everyone is close on those particular holidays.”
Is it extra special to be fighting in Brooklyn during the holiday season?
“I think it’s one of the things that for me, when I look at all of the things that I am sacrificing, it makes it all worth the while. Training and missing Thanksgiving and other holidays, birthdays it’s adding to the hunger and making the victory that much sweeter. It’s not about what I am missing, its what it adds to.”
What are you most thankful for this holiday season?
“I am most thankful for my son. That I get the chance to see him smile everyday and get some of the things that I never had as a child. This fight is a lucrative fight for me. That will change his life forever. From that statement, I am very fortunate. Every day is Thanksgiving for me.”
PETER QUILLIN
You’re going to be just over a week out from your fight, so what are you actually going to be doing for Thanksgiving?
“I am actually going to be down here in Miami visiting all of the family and friends I have here. I won’t be eating, but I will be visiting! My wife has family members that live here. My best friend lives here too and his family is my extended family.”
What are you going to be able to eat at the Thanksgiving table if you are doing a Thanksgiving dinner?
“I am actually going to a bunch of dinners, but I am able to eat vegetables and some lean turkey but that’s about it. Everything in moderation.
Do holidays ever affect when you are going to fight? You have a job to do, but does being in camp during the holiday season sway your decision making in any way?
“I look at it like it’s a balance that you must have. If you don’t have that balance you’ll never get where you’re trying to go. This is an opportunity to be there for my wife and be a professional fighter. I stay focused because there’s no other way around it.”
Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions (when you aren’t training)?
“We try to get everyone together and get people together. It’s all about being with family and being grateful for the things we do have in life. It was kind of crazy growing up how I grew up. There were never good holidays for me growing up. We grew up a lot less fortunate than families that I see now.”
“I am now able to provide for my family and I am thankful for what I have now. People forget when they get into the rhythm of these American holidays. My wife is Jewish and I am learning about new holidays. With Christmas, I want my son to know that it is not just about receiving gifts, but being a giver and the purpose of Christmas.”
Is it extra special to be fighting in Brooklyn during the holiday season?
“Of course, it’s like the culture of being in Brooklyn. What more can I say than that I am blessed to be living in Brooklyn and I am happy about anything that comes with it. I’ve come a long way in life. It’s a reminder what I have transformed my life into and how fortunate I am.”
What are you most thankful for this holiday season?
“I am thankful for my life and being humble. I’ve come a long way and I am thankful that I am a humble person. I share these wonderful things with my wife and my son and I just feel so blessed.”
CHRIS ALGIERI
You’re going to be just over a week out from your fight, so what are you actually going to be doing for Thanksgiving?
“I will be going to my aunt and uncle’s house here in Florida. We have traditional Thanksgiving meal; turkey, sweet potatoes, a ton of vegetables. My weight is good, so there won’t be really anything I am missing out on. I won’t eat any pie, but I am not a big sweets guy anyways.
“Thursday is my off day as is, so I will head over there in the afternoon, have a nice meal, spend some time with my family, who I am very close with, and then head back home to rest and relax for the remainder of the day.”
Do holidays ever affect when you are going to fight? You have a job to do, but does being in camp during the holiday season sway your decision making in any way?
“No not at all. This is my job and it comes first, before anything else.”
Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions (when you aren’t training)?
“I am the one who cooks the meal back at my home in New York. I am in charge of preparing and the cooking the turkey and my specialty dish, twice baked sweet potatoes. After dinner, before dessert, all of the men in the family go for a nice long walk.”
Is it extra special to be fighting in Brooklyn during the holiday season?
“Yes. There is an extra buzz in Brooklyn during the holiday season that is palpable.”
What are you most thankful for this holiday season?
“I’m most thankful for my health and the health of my family. There is a lot of tragedy going on throughout the rest of the world right now and we sometimes take the little things for granted. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the recent victims of these tragedies, and I wish that they find some solace during these trying times.”
MARCUS BROWNE
You’re going to be just over a week out from your fight, so what are you actually going to be doing for Thanksgiving?
“I am definitely making weight and I’ll be spending the holiday with my kids. A lot of my family isn’t even here so it’s not a big holiday for us anyway.”
What are you going to be able to eat at the Thanksgiving table if you are doing a Thanksgiving dinner?
“Turkey is good. It’s not too bad for you. I would even eat some stuffing, but my diet right now consists of smoothies, grilled chicken salad and salmon.”
Do holidays ever affect when you are going to fight? You have a job to do, but does being in camp during the holiday season sway your decision making in any way?
“I’m happy that I am getting this fight out of the way before Christmas. I have a beard too now so you know I’m going to dress up like Santa this year. If I’m going to miss a holiday I’m glad it’s Thanksgiving and not Christmas.”
Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions (when you aren’t training)?
“People would go to my mom’s house. My aunt, grandmother, sister, brother, nieces and nephews and it was great, but now they now live farther away. My nieces and nephews were my kids before my kids so it was great to be with them.”
Is it extra special to be fighting in Brooklyn during the holiday season?
“I’m not a Grinch. It’s the holiday spirit. I’m fighting at Barclays Center for the 10th time. I want to give my kids a Christmas present by knocking this guy out.”
What are you most thankful for this holiday season?
“My kids, my health and to be able to fight another day.”
The first live fight is at 4:30 p.m. ET. Tickets start at $50, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com,www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
In a top undercard, non-televised match, undefeated Brooklyn female star and boxing sensation, Heather “The First Lady” Hardy (14-0) meets Noemi Bosques (10-3-2, 2 KO’s) in an eight-round super bantamweight rematch.
Preceding the Jacobs-Quillin all-Brooklyn battle on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, exciting, hard-hitting WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar (27-1, 21 KOs), of Buenos Aires, Argentina, will defend against Puerto Rico’s Jonathan “Polvo” Oquendo (26-4, 16 KOs) in the 12-round semi-main.
On SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT), popular former world champion and Long Island-native Chris Algieri (20-2, 8 KOs) will be opposed by Ecuador’s Erick Bone (16-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout, and promising undefeated Staten Island light heavyweight Marcus Browne faces Francisco Sierra (27-9-1, 24 KOs) of Tepic, Mexico, in an eight-rounder.
Daniel Jacobs vs. Peter Quillin is a 12-round middleweight championship fight taking place Saturday, December 5 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT). In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® co-feature, WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar will face exciting Puerto Rican contender Jonathan Oquendo. The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by Corona. The Algieri vs. Bone and Rosinksy vs. Smith Jr. fights are promoted in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.
