PHILADELPHIA, PA—Unbeaten welterweight Mike Jones, of Philadelphia, PA, will box Gilbert Venegas, of Chicago, IL, in the scheduled eight-round main event Friday evening, May 9, at the New Alhambra, Swanson & Ritner Streets, next to Forman Mills, in South Philadelphia. First fight at 7.30 p.m..
CN8 will televise the Jones-Venegas fight on 24-hour delay as part of a two-hour boxing card.
Jones, 25, went the limit for the first time in 13 fights when he earned a unanimous eight-round decision over Germaine Sanders, of Chicago, on March 28 at the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca, NY. The Jones-Sanders fight was televised by ESPN 2. The result left Jones at 13-0, 12 K0s.
Ironically, Sanders was a replacement for Venegas, who withdrew for “personal reasons.”
Jones also has K0d former world-title challenger Israel “Pito” Cardona, of Hartford, CT, and Doel Carrasquillo, of Lancaster, PA.
Venegas, 31, has a 10-5-3 record with seven knockouts.
A pro since 1999, Venegas drew over 10 rounds with world-rated Jesus Soto-Karass, of Los Mochis, Mexico, last year. Prior to that, Venegas K0d Edward Paredes (currently 18-2), of Hollywood, FL, in three rounds.
Venegas also boxed a draw with unbeaten Henry Crawford (now 19-0-1), of Paterson, NJ. He has been stopped once—on cuts—by Francisco Rincon, of Dallas, TX, in four rounds in 2006.
Six preliminary fights complete the May 9 card. Featured prelims include: Victor Vasquez, Philadelphia, PA, vs. Ryan Belasco, Wilmington, DE, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Larry Robinson, Philadelphia, PA, vs. Julio Cesar Matthews, Allentown, PA, 6 rounds, cruiserweights; Dennis Hasson, Philadelphia, PA, vs. Charles Kirby, Philadelphia, PA, 4 rounds, middleweights; Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia, PA, vs. Ahmed Samir, New York, NY, 4 rounds, cruiserweights; Travis Thompson, Pottstown, PA, vs. Tommy Garcia, Hartford, CT. Philadelphians Gabriel Rosado, junior middleweight, and Anthony Flores, junior lightweight, also will box on the card.
Tickets priced at $40, $55 and $65 are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc. (215-765-0922) and at the offices of Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. (215-364-9000). They also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.