That’s all for now. We’re off to the post-fight press conference. Thanks as always for following with us and be sure to check out the full fight report.
Updated
Golovkin landed 231 of 615 punches (37.6%), compared to 175 of 541 for Jacobs (32.3%) per CompuBox. The Kazakh landed an average of nine of 30 jabs per rounds, though Jacobs had a 114-126 advantage in power shots landed.
Here are the official scorecards from tonight’s fight. A very close one that could have gone either way!
Official scorecards from tonight's #GGGJacobs fight. (@guardian had it 115-112 to Golovkin.) pic.twitter.com/E38vSLruEN
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) March 19, 2017
Golovkin now speaking with Max Kellerman in the ring. He says he wants Canelo next but that he would be willing to give Jacobs a rematch.
Then Jacobs, who says: “I think I won the fight and I think these fans support me on that.”
He alludes that the judges may have been aligned against him because the powers that be want to see the Canelo v GGG fight.
Gennady Golovkin wins by unanimous decision!
Two judges handed down scores of 115-112 (as did the Guardian), while the third had it 114-113. What a fight!
Round 12 (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
GGG has been extended the distance for the first time since 2008! Both fighters give it their all in the final frame but Golovkin did a little more and closed with more conviction. I’ve scored it 115-112 to Gennady Golovkin but close rounds abound. Waiting on the official scores.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs (Golovkin 115-112 Jacobs)
Round 11 (Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs)
Golovkin lands a sharp right upstairs. Jacobs’ hands still moving but he’s showing signs of fatigue. Loud chants of “Tri-ple G! Tri-ple G!” A nice right uppercut by Golovkin. Jacobs catches GGG with a counter as he rushes in. A close round. Jacobs doing great work to the body. Another close round. Jacobs has backed up GGG with counters at least three times this round. He looks tired, but he’s doing great work. Now GGG catches him with a compact straight left. Then a massive left by GGG rocks Jacobs only seconds before the bell! A close round to Jacobs, who closed it stronger. What craftsmanship from Golovkin to stay in this fight and really make a go of it.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs (Golovkin 105-103 Jacobs)
Round 10 (Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs)
GGG up against an obstinate opponent but he’s remained dedicated to the body attack, landing a right here and then following it up with a right upstairs. Jacobs continues to use deft footwork and hand speed to neutralize the Golovkin pressure, but Golovkin is relentless. Halfway through the round and Jacobs may have a narrow edge on activity but it’s close. Golovkin warned for leading with his head. Jacobs is throwing a lot of punches and escaping from the ropes when GGG barrels in. Good combo by Jacobs lands! He’s moving so well. A big shot by Golovkin late in the round but Jacobs lands with two hard shots to the abdomen. An easy round for Jacobs.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs (Golovkin 96-93 Jacobs)
Round 9 (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
Jacobs is very much in the fight. He’s just landed a three-punch combo to Golovkin’s head, all of which landed. He’s using movement to disrupt GGG’s combos. He’s winning the round! But Golovkin lands a right uppercut directly on Jacobs chin ... that must have hurt him but somehow he fires back! Oh, now Golovkin is really coming on strong. Jacobs in trouble, careeing off the ropes! We’re seconds from the bell and lucky for Jacobs, he seemed on his way down!
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs (Golovkin 87-83 Jacobs)
Round 8 (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
A fraught finish to that last round. They were punching after the bell and GGG looked peeved. Golovkin catches Jacobs up against the ropes early in the frame and wails away upstairs, catching the hometown fighter with at least one or two shots. Jacobs’ hand speed still shining, doing just enough to score with counters and deft body work as Golovkin presses forward. He’s boxing beautifully in stretches. GGG is still landing big shots but movement and hand speed are keeping Jacobs in this fight. Another close round. Woo boy. GGG did enough to win it from where I’m sitting but scores could be all over the map if Jacobs manages to take it to the cards.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs (Golovkin 77-74 Jacobs)
Round 7 (Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs)
GGG stalking, cutting off the ring. He catches Jacobs in the red corner with a massive left-right combo upstairs. How did Jacobs take those punches! Jacobs fighting off the back foot but throwing back, fighting his way out of the corner time and again. What courage! Golovkin, though, is so methodical and relentless. Not giving Jacobs a minute to reset and catch his breath. Jacobs trying to fight from the outside but GGG closing the distance. In the final 10 seconds Jacobs catches Golovkin off the break – a bit of the dark arts! – drawing boos from the crowd. Another very close round but I reckon Jacobs nicked it!
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs (Golovkin 67-65 Jacobs)
Round 6 (Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs)
Jacobs hasn’t given in yet. He lands a big right, maybe his biggest of the fight, but Golovkin walks right through it. GGG snaps Jacobs’ head back with a jab then follows with a short right. It feels like Jacobs is just trying to make it through, but he’s scored enough here (a big overhand right!) to take the round on our card. He comes alive in the last 10 seconds with a flurry of punches; nothing catches GGG, but good activity.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs (Golovkin 58-55 Jacobs)
Round 5 (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
Jacobs has recovered nicely from the knockdown but GGG moving forward now, emboldened and throwing with the nastiest of intentions. I don’t envy the Brooklynite. He’s back in the southpaw stance but I don’t know why: he was fighting left-handed when he was put down and he appears to be a sitting duck in the stance. GGG lands a cracking right early in the frame that draws a big reaction from the crowd. He’s found success with the right hand behind the jab. Oh, another cracking right by Golovkin late in the round sends Jacobs reeling backwards. An easy round for GGG and it appears this fight is only headed in one direction.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs (Golovkin 49-45 Jacobs)
Round 4 (Golovkin 10-8 Jacobs)
Jacobs is down early in the fourth! A right hand followed by a left about 30 seconds in. He doesn’t appear too badly hurt but Golovkin is now closing in for the finish as the crowd has been whipped into a frenzy. Golovkin lands an uppercut and left hook. Jacobs looks like he’s got his legs back but GGG is controlling the action with his ramrod jab.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-8 Jacobs (Golovkin 39-36 Jacobs)
Round 3 (Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs)
Jacobs southpaw again to open the third. I’ve given GGG both rounds by narrow margins, but it should be noted Jacobs is doing an excellent job of using the jab to prevent Golovkin from getting his punches off. More good body work by Golovkin. Jacobs doing a nice job but has yet to land anything to earn Golovkin’s respect. Another sharp right to the body by Golovkin but Jacobs answers with a counter left – a big one! Just enough for the hometown fighter to take the round.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 9-10 Jacobs (Golovkin 29-28 Jacobs)
Round 2 (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
Golovkin a notch more aggressive in the early moments, looking to trap Jacobs against the ropes. Jacobs lands a left hand and now the chants of “Let’s go, Ja-cobs!” fill the room. Another low-action round so far as both men patiently fight behind the jab. Jacobs shows GGG a different look by switching to a southpaw stance, but moves back to orthodox almost immediately. A good body shot by GGG. Another close round, this one slightly more convincing for Golovkin, who is moving forward and pressing the fight.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs (Golovkin 20-18 Jacobs)
Round 1 (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
The fighters circle each other cautiously from the bell. Huge chants of “Tri-ple G! Tri-ple G! from the jam-packed crowd here. Golovkin patiently moving forward using the jab but Jacobs scores on a quick combination upstairs. Jacobs continuing to score with the jab. Both men scoring with the jab in the first, GGG moving forward while the taller, longer Jacobs fights off the back foot. A very close round, hard to call. I’ll nick it to Golovkin but certainly a swing round if this one winds up going to the cards.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs (Golovkin 10-9 Jacobs)
What atmosphere! About a 60-40 crowd for GGG but you might say the opposite from the other side of the arena. We’ll pick it up with round-by-round coverage from here!
Jacobs and Golovkin have made their ringwalks and Michael Buffer is making the announcements. Not much longer now!
A chorus of boos cascades down from the stands at Madison Square Garden over the decision. We had Chocolatito winning the fight, but it’s hard to call this one a robbery. That said: what drama! The generally-agreed-upon best pound-for-pound fighter in the world has just been beaten, derailing his bid for 50-0!
Official scores for that #ChocolatitoRungvisai fight. pic.twitter.com/qiD6dqi37h
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) March 19, 2017
Updated
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai upsets Román 'Chocolatito' González by majority decision!
One judge had it 113-113. The other two scored it 114-112 in favor of the winner by majority decision ... and new WBC junior bantamweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai!
Updated
There’s the final bell in the Chocolatito v Srisaket Sor Rungvisai co-main. The Guardian has scored it 114-112 to González but now waiting on the official cards. Golovkin and Jacobs to make their ringwalks shortly after.
Chocolatito has battled back from the first-round knockdown and is ahead on the Guardian’s card after eight rounds. He was cut on a head butt in the third but he’s fought through it valiantly and leads 76-74 on our unofficial card.
Updated
Some quick news on tonight’s main event as Román González and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai wage a highly entertaining scrap in the co-main. Both Golovkin (the WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight champion) and Jacobs (the WBA’s “regular” titleholder) made weight at Friday’s morning’s official weigh-in, but Jacobs skipped the IBF’s required same-day weigh-in today (where Golovkin weighed 169.6lbs, coming in under the 10lb allowance) and therefore cannot win Golovkin’s IBF belt even if he wins tonight. Jacobs’ manager told the New York Times that his fighter overslept. It might seem a ploy by the 6ft Jacobs, who enjoys a two-inch height and three-inch reach advantage over Golovkin, to maximize his physical edges. But it doesn’t seem to have moved the odds too much: Jacobs is holding an approximate 6-1 underdog.
Golovkin weighed 170lbs on HBO’s unofficial scale tonight, while Jacobs declined to step on.
Chocolatito has only been knocked down once previously according to BoxRec, way back in 2006 against Roberto Meza. He rallied nicely in the second to win the round (per the Guardian’s unofficial assessment), but he’s been cut badly by his right eyebrow on a clash of heads in the third round. The plot thickens.
Updated
Hello and welcome to tonight’s middleweight showdown between Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs. Now would normally be the time for requisite throat-clearing, but protocol must be interrupted to say that Román González, the presumptive No1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, has just been knocked down in the first round by Srisaket Sor Rungvisai with a right hand to the body in the co-main event!
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Kevin Mitchell’s assessment of tonight’s middleweight showdown.
The people who resist the coronation of Gennady Golovkin as the king of boxing range from informed experts, curmudgeons and professional cynics through to those few who are in a position to test the proposition for themselves. Daniel Jacobs is a proud member of the latter category.
On Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, a suitably grand and historic setting for what promises to be the most strenuous examination of Golovkin’s credentials, Jacobs will have the advantage of home support, atomic power in both hands and a back story that will no doubt tempt otherwise measured opinion-makers to lean dewy-eyed in his favour.
His has been a journey of extraordinary heroism, much of it outside the ring. In the course of compiling 29 stoppages in 32 contests, Jacobs has been interrupted in his reach for the crown by a rare bone cancer that conventional medical evidence decreed was not only career-ending but life-threatening. It is to his immense credit that he defied their prognosis; whether he can upset the odds against Golovkin is an altogether different test of his resolve, skill and self-belief.
