Peter Quillin says there will be nothing friendly about his world title matchup with fellow New Yorker Daniel Jacobs this weekend. The pair will do battle in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center on Saturday night, with 28-year-old Jacobs putting his title on the line against the undefeated Quillin.
However, despite pre-fight talk of the duo being friends outside the ring, Quillin insists that will most certainly not be the case when they lock horns.
“Danny and I are very cordial, but when I step into that ring I want to bring harm to him and he wants to do the same to me. So I don’t know if you can consider us friends if we want to do that to each other,” said Quillin.
“I see a determined man in Daniel Jacobs. He’s battled with something I could never tell you about, so I give him that respect. I know what he’s coming to do Saturday night and I have to do it to him first,” he said.
Jacobs’s story is an incredible one having overcome cancer to eventually become world champion following a fifth round stoppage of Jarrod Fletcher last year.
This bout now represents the chance for him to claim hometown pride and he is ready to grab it with both hands, no matter how the fight plays out.
“A lot of people have said this won’t go 12 rounds. But you never know how a fight will go. Sometimes a war is expected and a boxing match breaks out. You never know how a fight will go,” said Jacobs.
“We’re prepared for the best Peter Quillin, whether he’s coming forward, backwards or side-to-side we do what we have to do to get the victory.
“I’m in a comfort zone at Barclays Center with my friends, family and fans cheering me on. But I also like that he has his people cheering too. That’s extra motivation. Technically there are people in my backyard rooting for me to lose,” he said.
‘The Miracle Man’ is also ready to put any friendship to the side when they get in the ring and was keen for the fight to happen sooner, when Quillin held the WBO title before vacating the belt.
“Peter Quillin said he didn’t want to fight me, years ago. Because of our personal relationship he said he didn’t want to fight me. I respected his opinion but I didn’t agree. This was back when he was a champion,” Jacobs said.
“I’m expecting the best Peter Quillin. We’ve both gone through intense training in order to make weight and be the best that we can be on fight night.”
The middleweight division features some of the biggest names around including Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez, with WBO champion Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders set to clash on December 19th to determine the other leading name at 160 pounds.
Jacobs though is ready to face any of the top candidates should he successfully come through the fight with 32-year-old Quillin.
“I just need to keep fighting at the elite level for 12-rounds in matchups like this. I’m a fan of the sport and I want to be in there with all the top guys. That’s why I called out Peter Quillin.
“I feel like I have the skill to be the best out there. When I get this victory I want to keep fighting bigger and better opposition,” said Jacobs.
