Video by Victor Salazar

Danny Jacobs won the IBF middleweight title Saturday night, pulling out a thrilling split decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

Jacobs scored a first-round knockdown and that helped him build just enough of a lead to hold on in a tight finish in which both fighters were swinging wildly across the late rounds.

He won 115-112 on two judges’ cards, while Derevyanchenko won 114-113 on the other card.

 

Jacobs (35-2, 29 KOs) took the belt that was vacated when Gennady Golovkin chose not to fight Derevyanchenko, his mandatory challenger, this spring while awaiting his rematch with Canelo Alvarez.

Alvarez won that bout and now Jacobs said that’s the fight he wants next. Derevyanchenko (12-1) fell just short in his long-awaited first shot at a title.