# Daniel Jacobs (boxer)
**Daniel Jacobs** (born 1987) is an American professional boxer from Brooklyn, New York, who fought from 2007 to 2024, won world titles at middleweight under the WBA banner, and returned to world-level boxing after treatment for osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that surrounded his spine, earning the nickname "Miracle Man".[1](https://ring-record.com/fighter/daniel-jacobs) • [2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) • [3](https://as.com/us/us/2019/02/04/masdeporte/1549317162_661020.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987, Brooklyn, New York; stance orthodox; height 182 cm (5'11.5"), reach 185 cm (6'1")[1](https://ring-record.com/fighter/daniel-jacobs) |
| Professional record | 37 wins, 5 losses, 0 draws, career 2007–2024[1](https://ring-record.com/fighter/daniel-jacobs) |
| Amateur record | 137-7, with four consecutive Golden Gloves titles[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) • [4](https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/07/30/jacobs-pirog) |
| Cancer and comeback | Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in May 2011; returned in October 2012 and won 10 straight fights[5](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/boxing/from-golden-child-to-miracle-man-daniel-jacobs-journey-to-gennady-golovkin-face-off) |
| Signature defeats | Dmitry Pirog (2010, stoppage), Gennady Golovkin (2017, unanimous decision), Canelo Alvarez (2019, unanimous decision)[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) • [6](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/mar/20/kt.pdf) |
| Nicknames | "Golden Child" as a prospect, "Miracle Man" after his cancer recovery[7](https://www.premierboxingchampions.com/daniel-jacobs) |
## Amateur career and early professional rise
Jacobs grew up in Brooklyn raised by his mother, grandmother, and aunt, who pushed him to finish high school and stay out of trouble.[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) He had his first amateur fight at 15, won a U.S. national title by 2006, and compiled a record of 137-7 while taking four consecutive [Golden Gloves](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-gloves) titles.[4](https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/07/30/jacobs-pirog) • [8](https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=4777491) Advisor Keith Connelly gave him the nickname "Golden Child" during this run.[4](https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/07/30/jacobs-pirog)
He turned professional on December 8, 2007, on the undercard of [Floyd Mayweather Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/floyd-mayweather-jr) versus [Ricky Hatton](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-hatton) in Las Vegas, stopping Jose Jesus Hurtado in 29 seconds of the first round.[9](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/daniel-jacobs-tale-of-the-tape-career-record-highlights-age-height/1uclr1ex0nwce1w0wyz6eqavov) Fighting at middleweight and super middleweight, he ran up 20 consecutive victories, 17 by knockout, and was regarded as one of [Golden Boy Promotions](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-boy-promotions)' leading prospects.[10](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/daniel-jacobs-is-much-more-than-the-golden-child-or-the-miracle-man/ptd6h1asbtgt1m0lk92a3w18s)
## The Pirog loss and cancer
In July 2010 Jacobs fought [Dmitry Pirog](https://www.edgepedia.org/dmitry-pirog) for the vacant WBO middleweight title and was stopped, his first professional defeat.[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) • [10](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/daniel-jacobs-is-much-more-than-the-golden-child-or-the-miracle-man/ptd6h1asbtgt1m0lk92a3w18s) Shortly afterward, in May 2011, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a life-threatening bone cancer, after developing severe leg pain; a cancerous tumor surrounded his spine and required surgery that carried a risk of paralysis.[3](https://as.com/us/us/2019/02/04/masdeporte/1549317162_661020.html) • [11](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/boxing/fighting-again-a-victory-for-jacobs) Doctors warned him he might not walk again.[12](https://as.com/masdeporte/2019/05/01/polideportivo/1556674101_126279.html)
He returned to the ring in October 2012, stopping Josh Luteran by technical knockout, the first of 10 straight post-cancer victories.[5](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/boxing/from-golden-child-to-miracle-man-daniel-jacobs-journey-to-gennady-golovkin-face-off) In early 2013 doctors told him he was free of cancer, and he adopted the nickname "Miracle Man".[7](https://www.premierboxingchampions.com/daniel-jacobs) He later founded the "Get in the Ring" foundation to help people with cancer.[3](https://as.com/us/us/2019/02/04/masdeporte/1549317162_661020.html)
## World champion at middleweight
In August 2014 Jacobs stopped Jarrod Fletcher in five rounds to win the WBA middleweight title.[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) He made successful defenses against Caleb Truax, Sergio Mora (twice, in 2015 and 2016), and [Peter Quillin](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-quillin), whom he knocked out in the first round in December 2015.[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557)
**Golovkin and Canelo.** The fight was the first in Golovkin's career to go the full distance.[6](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/mar/20/kt.pdf) He lost that belt to Canelo Alvarez by unanimous decision on May 4, 2019 in Las Vegas, in a fight for three of the four major middleweight belts.[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) • [12](https://as.com/masdeporte/2019/05/01/polideportivo/1556674101_126279.html)
## Later career at super middleweight
After the Canelo loss Jacobs moved up to super middleweight, where making the middleweight limit had become a struggle.[13](https://boxingnewsonline.net/news/analysis-the-super-middleweight-divison/) He beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Las Vegas in December 2019[14](https://apnews.com/article/0e49fd6acbb0b113ae35a9149b66e424) and [Gabriel Rosado](https://www.edgepedia.org/gabriel-rosado) in November 2020, then lost to [John Ryder](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-ryder-boxer) by split decision in February 2022 in a WBA eliminator.[2](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557) His final listed bout came in July 2024 against [Shane Mosley Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/shane-mosley-jr) at light heavyweight, and The Ring Record lists him as retired with a final mark of 37-5.[1](https://ring-record.com/fighter/daniel-jacobs)
## Style
Writers have described Jacobs as a boxer-puncher with strong natural gifts, an ability to move, box, and punch intelligently, and heavy hands, with 29 knockouts among his 37 wins.[13](https://boxingnewsonline.net/news/analysis-the-super-middleweight-divison/) • [12](https://as.com/masdeporte/2019/05/01/polideportivo/1556674101_126279.html) At 182 cm he was a large middleweight, and against Golovkin he used a 10-pound weight advantage and his reach to take the champion the distance for the first time.[6](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/mar/20/kt.pdf)
## References
1. [Daniel Jacobs — The Ring Record](https://ring-record.com/fighter/daniel-jacobs)
2. [Boxer: Daniel Jacobs, World Boxing Association profile](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=557)
3. [Daniel Jacobs from surviving cancer to fight against Canelo, AS.com](https://as.com/us/us/2019/02/04/masdeporte/1549317162_661020.html)
4. [Middleweight contender Jacobs has all the ingredients for stardom, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/07/30/jacobs-pirog)
5. [From Golden Child to Miracle Man: Daniel Jacobs' journey to Gennady Golovkin face-off, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/boxing/from-golden-child-to-miracle-man-daniel-jacobs-journey-to-gennady-golovkin-face-off)
6. [Golovkin outpoints Jacobs to retain middleweight titles, Kuwait Times](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/mar/20/kt.pdf)
7. [Daniel Jacobs — Next Fight, Fighter Bio, Stats & News, Premier Boxing Champions](https://www.premierboxingchampions.com/daniel-jacobs)
8. [Jacobs is Prospect of the Year, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=4777491)
9. [Daniel Jacobs tale of the tape, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/daniel-jacobs-tale-of-the-tape-career-record-highlights-age-height/1uclr1ex0nwce1w0wyz6eqavov)
10. [Daniel Jacobs' story is about more than 'The Golden Child' and 'The Miracle Man', Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/daniel-jacobs-is-much-more-than-the-golden-child-or-the-miracle-man/ptd6h1asbtgt1m0lk92a3w18s)
11. [Fighting again a victory for Jacobs, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/boxing/fighting-again-a-victory-for-jacobs)
12. [Jacobs: why do they call Canelo's rival 'Miracle Man'?, AS.com](https://as.com/masdeporte/2019/05/01/polideportivo/1556674101_126279.html)
13. [Analysis: The super-middleweight division, Boxing News](https://boxingnewsonline.net/news/analysis-the-super-middleweight-divison/)
14. [Who is Julio César Chávez Jr.?, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/0e49fd6acbb0b113ae35a9149b66e424)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Boxing › American boxers › Active and recent boxers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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