Dmitry Pirog vs Daniel Jacobs

Dmitry Pirog, an unbeaten but largely unfamiliar Russian middleweight, produced a decisive and unexpected victory over Daniel Jacobs at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on 31 July 2010, stopping the highly regarded Brooklyn prospect after 57 seconds of the fifth round. The contest, staged beneath the Juan Manuel Marquez–Juan Diaz lightweight championship rematch, was for the vacant World Boxing Organisation middleweight title. Jacobs entered with 20 victories from 20 contests, 17 inside the distance, and was regarded by the American promoters and television audience as the man more likely to leave with the belt. Pirog had won all 16 of his professional bouts, 13 by stoppage, but had boxed almost entirely in Russia and had yet to establish himself against a leading American opponent. Jacobs weighed 160 pounds and Pirog 159. A crowd of 8,383 attended the programme, although much of its interest was centred upon the principal contest later in the evening.

Jacobs began in the manner expected of the younger and faster boxer. He worked behind a quick left jab, moved lightly around the outside and sought to maintain the distance at which his superior reach could be used. An overhand right found Pirog early in the opening round, but it did not deter the Russian. Pirog advanced without haste, altering the height of his stance, moving his head from side to side and occasionally changing from orthodox to southpaw. His movements were unusual but economical. Rather than follow Jacobs directly, he shifted his feet before punching and attempted to place himself at an angle to the American’s lead shoulder. Jacobs continued to score with the jab and was the busier man, but Pirog’s pressure caused him to retreat in straight lines more often than was comfortable. The first round was close in action, though the judges preferred Jacobs’ cleaner and more obvious work.

The second followed a similar course, but Pirog began to reduce the space between them. Jacobs still landed the jab and attempted quick combinations before moving away, yet he was obliged to work hard to keep the Russian from settling at middle distance. Pirog slipped punches with small turns of the shoulders and waist, then answered with left hooks or straight right hands. One such attack appeared to disturb Jacobs, who briefly lost his composure as Pirog came forward. Pirog later said that he had hurt Jacobs during the round and had become convinced that the American could be stopped. Jacobs recovered quickly and resumed jabbing, but there was a difference in their bearing. Jacobs was using considerable energy, bouncing on his feet and throwing in bursts, whereas Pirog remained composed and continued to advance at the same measured rate.

Pirog enjoyed his clearest success in the third round. His upper-body movement made Jacobs miss with several of the heavier punches, and he began placing the left hook around or between the American’s gloves. Jacobs attempted to match Pirog’s changes of stance, but he was less comfortable when required to lead from unfamiliar positions. Pirog stepped inside the jab and attacked from angles which made it difficult for Jacobs to answer immediately. The Russian did not rush his work. He would draw a punch, move his head away from its line and return with two or three compact blows before stepping aside. Jacobs remained active and occasionally caught Pirog coming forward, but the authority of the round belonged to Pirog. All three judges awarded him the session.

Jacobs steadied himself in the fourth. He returned to the left jab and made a greater effort to complete his attacks with the right hand. Pirog continued pressing and landed several solid punches to the head, but Jacobs produced enough clean work late in the round to impress the officials. The American’s hands remained quick, and when he stood his ground he was capable of striking Pirog before the Russian could bring his feet into position. Nevertheless, Jacobs appeared increasingly uneasy whenever Pirog moved through the first line of defence. He often withdrew directly towards the ropes rather than turning away from danger, leaving Pirog able to follow without resetting. Pirog, by contrast, showed no signs of anxiety. He maintained his head movement, varied the rhythm of his approach and waited for Jacobs to expose himself while attempting to halt the advance. Although Pirog appeared to have done much of the stronger work, Duane Ford, C. J. Ross and Paul Smith each gave the fourth round to Jacobs. After four rounds, all three official cards therefore read 39–37 for the American.

The ending came suddenly in the fifth. Referee Robert Byrd warned Jacobs after a punch strayed low, and the fighters touched gloves before resuming. Pirog immediately began moving Jacobs backwards. As the American approached the ropes, he extended a left jab while leaving his head upright and his right hand unable to close the opening in time. Pirog slipped slightly to his own left and sent a short overhand right across the top. The punch landed flush on the jaw. Jacobs fell backwards heavily, his arms spread wide as his head and shoulders struck the canvas. For a moment he lay motionless with his eyes closed. Byrd began a count but quickly recognised that Jacobs was in no condition to continue. Although Jacobs started to stir, the referee stopped the contest at 57 seconds of the round rather than permit him to rise unsteadily under further attack. There was no protest of substance from the fallen boxer or his corner. Jacobs later acknowledged that he had not seen the punch and remembered little between its landing and the stoppage.

The result gave Pirog the vacant WBO middleweight championship and improved his record to 17 victories without defeat, with 14 stoppages. Jacobs suffered the first loss of his professional career. The official scoring showed that the American had been ahead, but it did not fully describe the direction in which the contest had been moving. Jacobs had gathered rounds with his jab, speed and greater activity, yet Pirog had steadily imposed the more difficult questions. His changes of angle, relaxed defence and patient pressure obliged Jacobs to box at a pace that became increasingly hurried. The final right hand was not an isolated stroke thrown in desperation. It was the conclusion of a method Pirog had applied from the opening round: drawing the jab, moving outside its line and striking through the space left behind it. In less than five rounds, the Russian passed from obscurity to world champion, while Jacobs was left with a severe defeat delivered by a punch he neither anticipated nor saw.

Funny how some upsets really stick in your mind. I remember this one like it was yesterday simply because Golden Boy had built Jacobs up as a sure-fire future world champion, which, of course, he was later on. But, at the time, Daniel Jacobs was the name they expected to win. He was 20–0, quick-handed, heavily fancied and being moved like one of America’s next middleweight stars. He’d already beaten Ishe Smith and had stopped Juan Astorga in two rounds. Dmitry Pirog arrived in Las Vegas unbeaten but virtually unknown outside serious boxing circles. However, anyone who studied his win over the experienced Kofi Jantuah knew he wasn’t some imported opponent brought over to behave himself.

What impressed me was how relaxed Pirog looked. Jacobs had the faster hands and scored with his jab, but he was bouncing about and backing up in straight lines. That’s dangerous against a man who understands distance. Pirog kept changing his height, slipping from side to side and switching stance without losing his balance. He wasn’t chasing Jacobs; he was quietly cutting down his room. Jacobs was working harder to stay safe, while Pirog looked like he could keep doing it all night. He hurt Jacobs in the second and knew from then on that the power coming back wasn’t going to discourage him.

The finish in the fifth was proper technical work, not a lucky swing. Jacobs jabbed while retreating towards the ropes, Pirog shifted outside the line and dropped the right hand over the top. Jacobs never saw it and went flat on his back. Robert Byrd stopped it at 57 seconds, and rightly so from where I was sitting—the lad had been switched off. Pirog exposed the difference between looking polished and being comfortable under intelligent pressure. Jacobs later proved he was world-class, which only makes Pirog’s performance look better. That night, the Russian didn’t just beat the favourite; he took him apart and finished the job cleanly.