Pernell Whitaker vs. Gary Jacobs

Pernell Whitaker vs. Gary Jacobs, billed as "Summer's Blockbuster" was a professional boxing match contested on August 26, 1995 for the WBC and lineal welterweight titles.

Summer's Blockbuster
DateAugust 26, 1995
VenueConvention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Title(s) on the lineWBC/lineal Welterweight Titles
Tale of the tape
Boxer Pernell Whitaker Gary Jacobs
Nickname "Sweet Pea" "The Kid"
Hometown Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. Glasgow, Scotland
Purse $1,500,000 $200,000
Pre-fight record 35–1–1 41–5
Height 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 147 lb (67 kg) 147 lb (67 kg)
Style Southpaw Southpaw
Recognition WBC/lineal
Welterweight champion		 WBC
#1 Ranked Welterweight
Result
Whitaker defeats Jacobs by unanimous decision (118–109, 118–107, 117–109)

Background

In his previous fight, Pernell Whitaker had won the WBA super welterweight from Julio César Vásquez to become the fourth man to win world titles in four different weight classes.[1] Immediately following the victory, Whitaker would vacate the super welterweight title and announced that he would return to the welterweight division to make a mandatory defense of his WBC welterweight title against Gary Jacobs.[2] Jacobs was the number-one ranked welterweight contender by the WBC but was not viewed as a serious threat to Whitaker and was instilled as a 20–1 underdog. When Whitaker was asked about his quality of opponent, he stated "I don't pick and choose who I fight. This is something I have to do if I'm going to represent the WBC."[3]

Then-WBA welterweight champion Ike Quartey was originally scheduled to defend his title against Andrew Murray on the undercard, but Quartey instead made the defense in France three days prior.

The fight

Whitaker got off to a sluggish start as Jacobs did well leading with his jab and slipping Whitaker's punches. However, Whitaker would eventually take control from the fifth round on. In the 11th round, Jacobs was incorrectly credited with a knockdown after Whitaker missed with a wild left hook and his momentum sent him to the canvas after Jacobs had tapped him on his body with a right, though replays showed that it should have been ruled a slip. In the 12th and final round, Whitaker would score two knockdowns in the final 30 seconds, first dropping Jacobs face first on the canvas following a left hand. After Jacobs got back up with 10 seconds remaining, Whitaker quickly attack and sent him down again with another left. Jacobs would again get back up just as the bell rang to end the fight and the fight would go to the scorecards. All three scorecards were lopsided in Whitaker's favor, who won unanimously with scores of 118–109, 118–107 and 117–109.[4]

Following the fight, Whitaker admitted that then-IBF super middleweight Roy Jones Jr., who was commentating the fight for HBO, had suggested to Whitaker to attack Jacobs with body punches, stating "It took me four or five rounds to figure out what in the world Gary Jacobs was doing, Roy Jones was mouthing to me that I needed to work the body more. Hey, my corner does a great job, but I could use a little help in there."[5]

Fight card
Weight Class Weight vs. Method Round Notes
Welterweight 147 lb Pernell Whitaker (c) def. Gary Jacobs UD 12/12 Note 1
Heavyweight 200+ lb David Tua def. Mauricio Villegas TKO 6/10
Welterweight 147 lb Larry Barnes def. Benji Singleton PTS 10/10
Heavyweight 200+ lb Andrew Golota def. West Turner TKO 1/8
Welterweight 147 lb Jermal Corbin def. Jose Miguel Fernandez TKO 3/6

^Note 1 For WBC and lineal Welterweight titles

References
  1. Whitaker Beats Vasquez for Junior Middleweight Title, NY Times article, 1995-03-05, Retrieved on 2020-04-18
  2. Whitaker returning to welterweight, Baltimore Sun article, 1995-03-06, Retrieved on 2020-04-18
  3. A Challenger with Direction, Daily Press article, 1995-08-26, Retrieved on 2020-04-18
  4. Whitaker Fends Off Jacobs for Decision, NY Times article, 1995-08-27, Retrieved on 2020-04-18
  5. Whitaker Exalts in His Power After Going Distance, NY Times article, 1995-08-22, Retrieved on 2020-04-18
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