He came, he saw, he conquered, and now he leaves. Former middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs has decided to retire from boxing at the age of 37. Putting on a pair of boxing gloves, infused him with a sense of purpose. To him, it was more than just belts and rankings. “Being able to inspire others with my story has always made me feel like my life meant more than just fighting inside the ring,” he wrote in his X post. From a kid in a hopeless neighborhood in Brownsville to becoming a two-time world champion who survived cancer, he has truly realized the American Dream.

Jacob’s last fight was against Shane Mosley Junior, his comeback after two years ended up in a unanimous decision loss. Age was catching up to the 37-year-old fighter as his last two fights ended in defeat. But throughout his illustrious career, he had the opportunity to trade punches with some of the biggest names in boxing. As he bid goodbye to the sport, he penned a heartful note on Instagram about his wonderful journey as a pugilist.

From a mere statistic to an inspiration: Daniel Jacobs

Very few have a story as inspirational as Jacobs. As a young boy living in Brownsville, he was dealt a bad hand. “I was a poor kid growing up in Brownsville Brooklyn with not much to look forward to. As a young black kid I was being forced fed an identity that I wasn’t important or wouldn’t succumb to anything substantial in life I was told the ghetto that I grew up in was full of criminals with no future and I will be a statistic just like my peers,” his caption on X read.

Much to the dismay of his naysayers, with immense dedication and hard work, “a dead or in jail” kid turned out to be a highly successful boxer in the professional circuit. “I am now proud to say I’m the Rose that grew from concrete in Brooklyn I’ve prove so many people wrong,” he wrote on X.

What’s more, opponents in the ring weren’t the only people he was battling against. In 2011, Jacobs got to know that he was suffering from a rare form of life-threatening bone cancer called osteosarcoma that paralyzed him from the waist down. Taking more than a year away from boxing, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor in his spine and was able to make a full recovery. Despite all the adversity he faced, he managed to become a two-time middleweight champion of the world. A life story deserving of the moniker of ‘Miracle Man’ indeed!

“Through the ups and downs inside & out of the ring, I have manage to become 2x world champion and I’m able to say I’m the first cancer Survivor to be a boxing world champion the biggest accomplishment I’ve ever could achieve,” Jacobs proclaimed. He was able to beat the likes of world champions like Jarrod Fletcher and Sergiy Derevyanchenko to become a middleweight champion twice and make four title defenses.

Even in defeat, he was able to hang with elite fighters like Gennadiy Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez, and John Ryder till the final bell. Although he was immensely proud of himself, Jacobs made sure he gave flowers to all those who supported him in his boxing journey.

A spectacular support system!

From the teachers in his school to the ‘neighborhood OG’, and everything in between, Jacobs thanked the people in his life who championed him and advised him to stay focused and committed to his craft.

“My teachers from school for giving me knowledge Thank my neighborhood OG’s Who always told me to stay focused and cherish the opportunities God have blessed me with, thank my friends from childhood to adulthood for pushing me and motivating, me on my path. I want to thank my starrett city boxing community for grooming me as well as my trainers throughout my career (RIP victor roundtree) thanks to my blood family for giving me unconditional love and support continuously throughout my life,” he wrote on X.

Last but not least, he thanked his son Nathaniel who acted as his “biggest motivator” to keep on boxing. Nevertheless, which is your favorite Daniel Jacobs fight? Let us know in the comment section below.