Jacobs, Gary

Jacobs was a successful welterweight in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the European title and fighting Pernell Whitaker for the WBC world championship.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. December 10, 1965

Career Highlights:
The Scottish Jacobs compiled an amateur record of 12 wins and two losses before turning professional in 1985. Jacobs won 18 of his first 19 pro fights, and got his first title shot in April 1988. He defeated Australian Wilf Gentzen in a 12-round decision to win the British Commonwealth welterweight title. Jacobs successfully defended his title three times before losing it to Donovan Boucher in a 12-round decision in November 1989. Despite this defeat, Jacobs bounced back to become the British welterweight champ in February 1992, when he defeated Delroy Bryan in 12-rounds. That October, he got a shot at the European championship when he faced Ludovic Proto; Jacobs lost the 12-round decision. He got a rematch and another title shot in February 1993 and he took advantage, winning on a ninth-round technical knockout. Jacobs successfully defended his title three times before relinquishing his crown in October 1994.

After vacating the European title, Jacobs won two fights before receiving a title shot against Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker for the WBC world welterweight title. On August 26, 1995, Jacobs stood tall in the spotlight and gave Whitaker (considered by many at that time to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world) a tough fight. Jacobs was the aggressor for much of the bout, which was surprisingly even after four rounds. As the fight progressed, however, the champion outboxed Jacobs and began hammering away. Jacobs lasted the entire fight, but lost the 12-round decision. Following the fight, Whitaker praised Jacobs by saying, "This was a great performance by Gary. He put in a hell of a fight and should remain as the number one contender. He deserves it...He didn't come to lie down...I was up for this fight. For four or five rounds, I didn't know what in the world he was doing, and it took me a while to figure him out." Jacobs said, "My cornermen were happy after six rounds. That's boxing. I came into someone else's backyard to fight against one of the best fighters in the world. Now they know who I am in America."

After winning his next few fights, Jacobs fought France's Patrick Charpentier for the European welterweight title in June 1996. Jacobs was ahead in points after six-rounds and Charpentier had a cut over his eye, but in the seventh, the Frenchman scored a technical knockout over Jacobs after landing a big right. Jacobs, who had struggled to make the weight for the fight, moved up to the junior-middleweight division in 1997 and fought three times before retiring.

Origin:
Glasgow, Scotland

Physical description:
5'7"

Career Statistics:
Professional record:
Wins: 45 (26 by knockout)
Losses: 8

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