One by one, each fighter took to the podium and told the crowd of reporters, photographers and supporters how privileged he felt to be part of the first major boxing card at Barclays Center.
Danny Jacobs, the Brooklyn-bred middleweight who will be making his return to the ring on the Oct. 20 card after a cancer-caused, 17-month absence, had trouble expressing his emotions.
That he was even on the dais spoke volumes.
“It’s very hard to put into words as far as all the things I’ve gone through,” said Jacobs, ESPN.com’s Prospect of the Year in 2009 who has a 22-1 record with 19 KO’s and fell to Russia’s Dmitry Pirog for the WBO middleweight title in July 2010.
Jacobs, who will fight an opponent to be determined, is on the undercard of the Oct. 20 show, to be televised by Showtime. Three world title fights will be featured, including Unified Super Lightweight champion Danny “Swift” Garcia defending his title against veteran Erik Morales and Brooklyn product Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi defending his WBA welterweight crown against Pablo Cesar Cano.
In May 2011, Jacobs, 25, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a life-threatening form of spinal cancer that caused nerve damage and partially paralyzed him from the waist down.
Doctors told him he would never fight again. Jacobs didn’t listen.
Two surgeries removed the tumor and soon he was attacking physical therapy sessions like he would a heavy bag, gradually working his way back from the severe illness, learning how to use his legs again and eventually getting back into the gym. In fact, Jacobs said 2 ¹/₂ months after the tumor was removed, he was back in the gym wearing a brace.
“This is what I love to do,” he said.
One month ago, doctors gave him the go-ahead to fight, the same doctors who previously told him he couldn’t fight anymore.
“I knew I was in control of my own destiny,” he said.
Jacobs’ trainer, Victor Roundtree, said the skills that made him a big-time prospect are still there — the fast and powerful hands along with the quick reflexes. It will take him a few fights to get going, Roundtree said, understandable considering the lengthy layoff.
“He’s back,” Roundtree said.
Whatever happens, Jacobs is just happy to be back, particularly on this card. He marked it on his calendar months ago, as the event in which he could make his return, in front of friends and family in his backyard.
“This was my motivation,” he said of being a part of the Barclays card. “Those are the moments you will remember for the rest of your life.”