Brooklyn has always been behind Daniel Jacobs. But the WBA World middleweight champion found a new corner of support in his home borough when he joined the Brooklyn Nets during a morning shoot around at HSS Training Center in Sunset Park.
Jacobs is on course for the fight of his life on March 18 against WBA Super middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, who also holds the WBC, IBF and IBO titles.
“It’s really cool because not only did Barclays Center open their arms up to me and my family with an amazing and tremendous heart, but they’re even a part of my camp now,” said Jacobs. “They’re allowing their staff who are dedicated to the Brooklyn Nets, to be dedicated to me. And that’s how much they believe in me and how much they care about me.”
The Brownsville native met with Nets Director of Player Performance Zach Weatherford and members of his team to discuss their performance program and ways in which they could assist Jacobs in his preparation to face Golovkin.
“The next chapter of his career and probably the biggest one,” said Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark. “As an organization and as a borough we want to be as supportive as we can for Danny. This isn’t just about Danny, I think this is about the borough. It’s about people that don’t necessarily get a second chance like Danny got. And he’s making the most of it. And we’re just so thrilled to be a part of it and to assist and help today when we can.”
Before he met with Weatherford and the performance team, Jacobs and his son Nate watched the Nets go through their shoot around in preparation for their game against the Golden State Warriors at Barclays Center, where Jacobs caught the action courtside later that evening.
“We spoke to the team,” said Jacobs. “A lot of the team said they’re gonna be at the fight cheering me on, supporting me. A lot of the staff as well. Everybody is a big boxing fan, believe it or not. A lot of people love sports, but boxing is always going to be one of those favorite sports. So I know I’ve got the support of my Brooklyn fans and support of the staff and the players.”
From the time he begins training camp in early January and right into the ring, the Brownsville native will wear Brooklyn Boxing gloves, trunks, shoes and robes.
Jacobs doesn’t just wear Brooklyn. He feels Brooklyn.
“I couldn’t even explain it to you,” said Jacobs. “I get chills just thinking about it. I’m the face of Brooklyn Boxing. I’m from Brooklyn. And for the Barclays (Center) to take me in; so many greats, so many great champions and contenders and prospects that come from here, for me to be chosen to be the ambassador, I’m honored. It was a privilege. But when I go inside that ring, and I hear all those fans screaming “BROOKLYN” it’s a pride you can’t explain.”
Since June, Jacobs has been the face of Brooklyn Boxing. It was the formalization of a relationship that has grown over the years, and goes beyond business. Jacobs was on the card when Barclays Center held its first fight night in 2012. He won his title there in the summer of 2014.
Those milestones came after Jacobs battled back from Osteosarcoma, a life-threatening form of bone cancer, enduring radiation treatments and surgery before returning to the ring. The October 2012 fight at Barclays Center was his first fight after that ordeal.
Jacobs has fought at Barclays Center five times overall. Yormark is looking forward to him bringing the middleweight belts back to Brooklyn and defending them in Barclays Center as part of an ambitious fight schedule for the coming year.
‘I’d say for sure that Barclays Center has taken a leadership position in the fight game across the country, no question about it,” said Yormark. “Just look at how many fights we’ve hosted. We’ve got two fight of the year candidates this year when you think of the Thurman-Porter fight last spring and then July Santa Cruz-Frampton. I don’t think there’s a building or market out there that has done more for the sport than we have over the last three years, and we’re going to continue to take a very aggressive approach.”
Jacobs will be an underdog when he enters the ring against Golovkin, the world’s top-ranked middleweight, who’s also been ranked as the world’s No. 3 fighter pound for pound. It’s no worry for him. This is familiar territory.
“Sometimes you have to go in there and overcome what seems to be impossible to some,” said Jacobs. “But if you believe in yourself and you believe in your ability, which I do, I think all will go well. Will there be some challenges? Of course. Will there be some hurdles I have to jump over? Of course. But that ain’t nothing that I ain’t been going through already. That ain’t nothing that I don’t know through and through.
“This is my life. I come from Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York. My life has always been, back against the wall, take that leap of faith, believe in yourself. And for the most part that’s how it’s been. And I’ve always come out on top.”