Daniel Jacobs brings in Virgil Hunter as advisor for Golovkin fight

Virgil Hunter will join Daniel Jacobs training camp as he prepares to take on Gennady Golovkin on March 18, reports RingTV. Jacobs will retain longtime trainer Andre Rozier as his lead trainer, but will utilize Hunter in an advisory role for the big fight. To that end Jacobs and Rozier will set up shop at Hunter’s gym in Oakland, CA.

Hunter notably serves as the head trainer for light heavyweight champion Andre Ward — recently guiding him to a narrow points win over Sergey Kovalev — as well as welterweights Amir Khan and Andre Berto. He’s also generally regarded as one of finest minds in boxing. Jacobs is understandably thrilled to have Hunter on board, especially considering the monumental task ahead of him.

“I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can. This is the ultimate opponent and I’m going to be a super-sponge and capitalize and learn whatever I can to defeat this guy,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs is also keen on Hunter’s role as a motivator, having a reputation for really connecting with fighters he works with:

“Boxing is more than just hitting the pads and having good pad-game. It’s about actually getting inside a fighter’s head and being able to motivate him to do what he needs to do. I know if we’re sparring or in the gym one day and he says certain things with Andre (Rozier) — then I’m pretty sure I’m going to implement it.”

With Andre Ward and Amir Khan expected to be around while he’s in training, Jacobs could potentially have everything he needs to have an amazing camp. Jacobs mentions that he was inspired by Ward’s performance against Kovalev as he watched ringside — and maybe, just maybe, he tries to take a page out of Ward’s book for this fight.