Jacobs, Collazo Win at Barclays Boxing Debut

Danny Jacobs won merely by stepping into the ring on Saturday night at the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The Brownsville, Brooklyn middleweight had been nearly dropped and stopped by a tumor on his spine last April, but he had surgery, and radiation treatments, and a heart a mile wide. And he still has a nasty left hook, judging by the first round KO he scored on Josh Luteran.

The left hook-right follow floored Missourian Luteran, and ref Eddie Cotton didn't even bother finishing a count. The time of the TKO was 1:13. After, Jacobs let it all out.

“I feel a little sad the way I hurt him but I wanted to make a statement, and I did with a first round kayo in the brand new arena,” the Park Slope, Brooklyn resident said. “This is electrifying, no moment has ever been greater than right now. This moment means the world told to me. They told me I would not walk or box and I proved everyone wrong. I gave a great show and want everyone in Brooklyn to be proud.” I dare say they are.

Luis Collazo of Williamsburg, Brooklyn didn't look unduly rusty after a year off, as he engaged Steve Upsher of Philly in a welterweight tussle. Collazo, who is looking to get back in the welter mix, took the tussle by scores of 78-72, 79-73, 77-75. The ex welter champ has lost to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley and Andre Berto, but he is just 31, and as he told me the other day, hasn't been in wars. There were no knockdowns in the bout, but Collazo had his man buzzed a couple times.

Left hooker Eddie Gomez, a prospect out of the Bronx, took on Saul Benitez of Phoenix.

A left hook dropped and stopped Benitez in round two, time of 1:23. He wanted to get up but his body wouldn't let him. Gomez is now 11-0 with 8 KOs. Lots to like about Eddie, who doesn't lack for confidence and has so far performed to back up that mindset.

Body Melson drew with Jason Thompson in the arena opener. The junior middles traded knockdowns, and I thought Melson overall did enough to get the nod, but the judges saw it even.

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