Daniel Jacobs is backing rival Andy Lee to emerge the winner out his fight against Billy Joe Saunders to set up a unification fight, but the Hatfield ace says he’ll scupper that.
Brooklyn puncher Jacobs smashed neighborhood rival Peter Quillin – who held Lee to a draw in April – inside a round last Saturday night in a brutal performance that sent shockwaves through the 160lb ranks that also holds elite fighters Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez.
Jacobs will be a keen observer of the Lee v Saunders battle on Saturday 19th December at the Manchester Arena, that will be televised live in the U.S on Showtime, and believes a fight against Lee – who’s fought the majority of his career in the States and is a fight fan favorite with his thrilling KO wins against John Jackson and Matt Korobov – will be a bigger draw than Saunders.
“I’m excited for the winner of Lee vs. Saunders,” said Jacobs.
“I’m rooting for Andy Lee because I think that’s a bigger fight for me. Doing something in the U.S. between the two of us would make a lot of sense.
“He has a huge following here in New York, just like me obviously. It would be a classic showdown that Brooklyn would appreciate.
“May the best man win between the two of them, but if Andy wins I think it would be very interesting for both of us.”
However, undefeated Saunders has told Jacobs not to book any dates to face Lee just yet as he aims to emerge the winner.
“Full respect to Jacobs for winning his fight against Quillin in such sensational style,” Said Saunders
“I did predict beforehand that Quillin would beat him on points and I called that one wrong when he did him in a round. I also said that I’d be too fast for both him and Quillin and I still say that would be the case,”
“So he’s tipping Andy Lee in this one? For the boxing trade and public it is a genuine 50-50 fight and a hard one to call, but I know in my mind what I’m going to do in the fight and win the world title,”
“We’ll see what happens in just under one week’s time when me and Lee clash, but there’s only one winner and that’s me.”
“If Jacobs is getting excited at the thought of him against Lee then I’m going to have to crush that dream for him.”
