Jacob Bank looks to stop Paulinus Ndjolonimu: 'I'm a level above'
World-rated super middleweight Jacob Bank looks to build on momentum gained by beating former world champion William Scull in January when facing Paulinus Ndjolonimu on Saturday.
Bank, The Ring's No. 9-rated super middleweight contender, welcomes the opportunity to step inside the ring in his hometown at Sydbank Arena, Kolding, Denmark, where he'll fight for the third time in seven months.
"I'm really looking forward to fighting in Kolding again," Bank (18-0, 10 KOs) told The Ring. "It's a feeling that's hard to describe. I have the support of the whole city and when I step into that arena, I feel unbeatable.
"It's my home court and the best place to box in Denmark. I'm excited to face Paulinus and hope I can stop him like I did with William Scull."
However, the 25-year-old believes his opponent is something of a dangerman and isn't taking victory as a formality.
"He's a good fighter with solid experience, but I believe I'm a level above him," he said. "He knows this could be his last chance for a big title fight, so he'll bring everything he's learned throughout his career. That's what makes him dangerous."
Back on January 31, Bank introduced himself to the upper echelons of the 168-pound division with a comprehensive beatdown of former IBF ruler Scull at his home away from home.
"The Scull fight was an incredible experience for me," he said. "I boxed in a packed Sydbank Arena in Kolding, and the atmosphere was amazing.
"I controlled the fight from the first round and gradually broke him down round-by-round. He got frustrated, tried every trick in the book to get into my head, but I stayed calm. I knocked him down twice before it was stopped."
The quick turnaround meant Bank stayed in optimum condition and he hopes to parlay that momentum into another impressive night's work.
"I was already in great shape, so it was easy to continue straight into this fight," he said. "That said, I'm really looking forward to taking a few weeks off afterwards to relax and spend time with my family.
"My career is only just taking off, and I'm confident that Primetime Boxing and Goldstar will line up a big fight for me later this year."
Provided he gets by his Namibian opponent, he hopes to return in the summer in a world title fight with one particular fighter in his crosshairs.
"Bring me [Hamzah] Sheeraz—that's the fight I want," he said. "They took my title opportunity away when the WBO chose him to fight [Alem] Begic, who was ranked below me.
"So, if Sheeraz is a real man, we'll make that fight happen in the fall. Whether it's in Denmark, England, or Saudi Arabia doesn't matter to me—I'll win in all three countries."
Ndjolonimu (20-1, 18 KOs) has been a professional since 2015. The Namibian fought exclusively at home, winning his first 19 fights.
The 38-year-old suffered a 10-round majority decision defeat away in Germany against unbeaten Simon Zachenhuber last July but rebounded with a 10th-round stoppage win over Snamiso Ntuli back home in Namibia, paving the way for this opportunity.
