‘The Miracle Man’ is back for a second time under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom banner in the USA. And after opening his account with a dominant win over the trash talking Luis Arias, he now faces far more humble opposition.
Maciej Sulecki fights out of Warsaw, Poland, but like many of his compatriots over the years, he has found a home fighting infront of American audiences. Namely in the New York areas, heavily populated with the Polish people.
Sulecki 26-0(10KO’s) has stumbled across a run of stoppages that have seen him edge closer to world championship level. A knockout of Grzegorz Proksa back in Poland started the role, before he halted Darryl Cunningham in America. This set the ball rolling, and the wheels really began to turn when he dominated and halted Hugo Centeno Jr in round 10 midway through 2016.
But having faced the very fringe world-class, he now meets a man who stands firmly in the top 3 Middleweights on the planet.
Jacobs 33-2(29KO’s) was narrowly – and somewhat controversially – beaten on points by Gennady Golovkin last year, and the confidence he gained from that performance should transpire into the boxing ring on Saturday night.
Jacobs already has a duo of stoppages of Sergio Mora, and first round wipe-out of Peter Quillin, and a 12th round finish of Caleb Truax, all since he returned from a battle with cancer.
Sulecki is a sharp puncher, even if he does not have the same levels of power that we have seen from Jacobs in the past. But his timing is good too, and he fights effectively when coming forward.
However, when Jack Culcay met him head on last time out, there were moments in that contest when the Polish man struggled. Culcay has always been the aggressive sort, and he pushed Sulecki back in their meeting last October, but ultimately Culcay is a Light Middleweight, and Jacobs is a very big Middleweight.
Sulecki will have the respect for Jacobs’ abilities from the off, and that could see the favourite take control of the centre ring from round one. If so, then it is hard to envision that Sulecki can gain back the charge against a man with a superior reach and experience.
But even if Sulecki does make an impression in the early goings, Jacobs will be happy to bide his time before inching forward and taking control of the contest from the 28-year old.
One has the feeling that Sulecki has solid whiskers, and this will be needed as Jacobs finds openings in his defence far too often. And once facial damage becomes a factor, alongside Jacobs being in total control of the bout, a stoppage may be creeping into the minds of both the referee and Sulecki’s corner.
By around the 8th session, Jacobs will have had his man on the canvas, but it will take an intervention a few rounds on to save Sulecki from any unnecessary punishment. Therefore, well ahead on the scorecards, Jacobs will have his hand raised in the 10th round thanks to a smart termination of the action.
AJ fans should have their eyes peeled as potential opponent for the Heavyweight ruler, Jarrell Miller looks to put on a show at the Barclays Center when he meets Johann Duhaupas.
Duhaupas 37-4(24KO’s) has mixed with good company over the years, but is unlikely to repeat wins over Robert Helenius and Manuel Charr.
A busy Miller 20-0-1(18KO’s) should walk him down before the weary Frenchman is halted in the 10th.