Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs: Date, Time, Channel & Early Odds

Gennady Golovkin faces off against Danny Jacobs on March 18 for GGG’s IBF, IBO, WBC, and WBA super world middleweight titles.
(Photo: Tom Hogan, K2 Promotions)

Gennady Golovkin returns to the ring to defend his smorgasbord of world middleweight titles, and his perfect record, when he takes on Daniel Jacobs on Saturday, March 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The fight will be broadcast live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

“I love fighting at Madison Square Garden, it feels like my second home”, said Golovkin (36-0, 33 KO’s) via press release. “Danny is a great fighter, one of the best middleweights and a big test for me. I look forward to another ‘Big Drama Show’ in New York City.”

Golovkin enters the bout a heavy favorite in Las Vegas and on online sportsbooks (see number below). But Jacobs (32-1, 29 KO’s) will be GGG’s toughest assignment to date, and his size, strength and elite boxing skills may be the test for Golovkin that fight fans have been demanding.

“I’m excited about facing Gennady and proving I’m the best middleweight in the world. On March 18th I’m bringing all the belts back to Brooklyn with me,” said Jacobs.

Let’s take a look at how the bookies are calling it:

bet365: Gennady Golovkin -900 Daniel Jacobs +550
skyBET: Gennady Golovkin -800 Daniel Jacobs +450
sportingbet: Gennady Golovkin -700 Daniel Jacobs +450

Fighting out of Los Angeles, California by way of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, Golovkin was last in action with stopping Kell Brook in September of last year. Prior to the Brook encounter, GGG had defeated Dominic Wade with a second-round KO and detained the heavy-handed David Lemieux in the eighth round of their 2015 matchup.

One of today’s most feared and exciting boxers, Golovkin is a high action, one-punch knockout machine, with a ring style resembling a killer robot– always moving forward on his prey, eating shots for breakfast, while closing the distance before unleashing his fury.

Golovkin, 34 years old, is a selective, economical puncher who throws with purpose and deadly intentions. He wields a stiff jab that he employs as an offensive weapon, and he carries fight-ending artillery in both hands. The Olympic silver medalist has a reliable chin, possesses quality footwork and ring generalship, and is an excellent strategist. It is this ability to cut off the ring and apply constant pressure, together with his explosive power, that makes Triple-G among the most exciting pugilists of our time.

“This [fight] is huge for me, for us, for everybody. I believe Danny is very ready for this fight, because I have four belts, this is a dream for him,” said Golovkin. “It’s very important for us to prove who is #1 in the middleweight division, not for the future but for right now.”

Here is a taste of the ‘Good Boy’ at work:

Daniel Jacobs, a 29-year-old cancer survivor, made his last appearance in the ring with a seventh-round technical knockout victory in his rematch against Sergio Mora in August. Prior to the Mora encounter, Brooklyn-native Jacobs had stopped Peter Quillin in just 1 minute and 25 seconds. Check out that KO here:

Jacobs is known for his power, but he’s a lot more than just a slugger. A ring savvy technician with a deep amateur background (record of 137-7 before going pro), Jacob has quick hands and feet, an educated jab, and a comprehensive defensive game.

“I look forward to seeing everyone and my fists will do the talking inside that ring,” said Jacobs. “At the end of the day it’s about fight night and as a fighter that’s exactly what we do. Much respect to Team Golovkin but we have an amazing plan and we look forward to executing it.”

In the evening’s undercard pound-for-pound certified Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez faces 30-year-old heavy-handed Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.