PBC on Spike Quick Picks

Daniel Jacobs vs. Sergio Mora: Just over a year ago Daniel Jacobs (31-1, 28 KO) and Sergio Mora (28-4-2, 9 KO) met for a middleweight title fight at the Barclays Center.  Jacobs won that fight with a second round stoppage after Mora suffered an injury to his leg and was unable to continue.  However, the reason most fans remember the fight is for the electric first round that saw both fighters get dropped.  That round ended up as Big Time Boxing's runner-up for the 2015 Round of the Year.  Now the two fighters will meet again on Friday when the PBC returns to Spike in a fight scheduled to go 12 rounds with Jacobs' WBA middleweight belt.  The fight is a bit surprising though considering Jacobs is coming off a brutal first round knockout of Peter Quillin, his biggest win to date.  Many expected Jacobs to get a big name fight after that win but instead he will have to prove his first win over Mora was legit.  The two fighters couldn't be more different.  Jacobs is an orthodox power puncher but he isn't a straight brawler and he does have some high level boxing skills.  As for Mora, he has little to no power and has spent his career relying on his boxing skills and high ring intelligence.  Jacobs likes to work behind a stiff jab and while he has a solid straight right hand he doesn't use that punch all that often.  On the inside Jacobs will do some damage with his right hand but his best punch is his left hook.  That left hook is short and quick and can end a fight in a instant, as it did when Jacobs fought Quillin.  His chin is still a question mark though since the lone loss of his career was a knockout and Mora, who has very little power, dropped him in their first fight with a left hook.  Mora is also an orthodox fighter but he relies on his intelligence and movement as opposed to his power which he doesn't have much of.  Mora hasn't fought since injuring himself against Jacobs and it will be interesting to see how that injury may hinder his movement in the ring.  Mora is now in his mid 30s and while his quickness and reflexes have held up as boxing fans know those things can go at any moment.  Mora likes to stay on the outside and counter with left hooks and wild right hands and in this fight he will have to make sure he stays in constant motion while still scoring points.  If this fight takes place in the pocket like their first fight did the outcome may be very similar.  Mora has put together a nice career despite never having serious power but Jacobs is on another level right now.  Jacobs can box and punch and Mora will have to be near perfect if he hopes to beat him.  Mora will give it his best shot but Jacobs will win this fight with a fifth round stoppage.


Richard Commey vs. Robert Easter: The co-feature for Friday's PBC on Spike will showcase two fighters with perfect records.  However, those records may be fools gold because neither man has ever faced a top opponent.  Those fighters are Richard Commey (24-0, 22 KO) and Robert Easter (17-0, 14 KO).  Their fight on Friday is scheduled to go 12 rounds with the winner earning a vacant IBF lightweight title.  This will be a big fight for both men who may be each other's best opponent to date.  The best pugilist Commey has been in the ring with was Bahodir Mamadjonov while Easter's best opponent was Argenis Mendez, neither considered elite.  Commey is an orthodox fighter with excellent power, although there is no telling how that power will stack up against better opponents.  The undefeated Commey likes to fight behind a busy jab and bring a strong right hand behind it.  However, he often fights with a nervous energy that sees him lunge at opponents and often get out of position.  Commey also carries a nice left hook but because he often falls forward and doesn't protect himself when he punches he could get exposed as he moves up the rankings.  Easter also fight out of the orthodox stance and he is extremely tall for the lightweight division at 5-feet 11-inches.  On the outside Easter flashes a nice jab and also has a short left hook that does damage.  He will also find success on the inside though mainly with uppercuts and right hands.  Between the two fighters it is Easter who seems more at ease in the ring and that calm demeanor could play a big role in this fight.  Commey is a power puncher who has never lost so he should be confident and look to stop Easter.  However, that confidence will backfire as Easter will remain calm and consistently catch Commey on the way in until he stops him in the ninth round.