• 27 years old (April 26, 1983)
• Born in Philadelphia (Mt. Airy section; now lives in Frankford section of Phila.)
•23-0, 18 KOs (78% KO %)
•Turned pro in 2005
• WBC Continental Americas, NABO & NABA welterweight champion
•#2- ranked welterweight by WBO, behind champion Manny Pacquiao; also rated #3 by WBA & IBF and #4 by the WBC
• Upcoming fight: Feb. 19 rematch vs. Jesus Soto-Karass (24-5-3, 1 NC, 16 KOs) at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas: “This is my first fight (2nd overall) in Las Vegas since my 1st-round knockout (vs. Gilbert Guevara) in my 8th pro fight (May 4, 2007) the night before the Mayweather-De La Hoya fight. He only had one loss at the time. Vegas may be my lucky charm.”
• On his fight vs. Soto Karass on Feb 19: “I’m gonna be boxing for 12 rounds. He’s (Soto-Karass) a tough fighter. I’m not looking ahead to any other fights. I know what I can do and I’ll prove it on Feb. 19th.”
• Trainer: Vaughn Jackson, of Phila. (Jones’ only trainer since turning pro; Jones was trained by Joe & Marvis Frazier as an amateur); strength & conditioning coach: Danny Davis (Bernard Hopkins’ strength coach for the last 8 years)
•Training site for this fight: Joe Hand’s Boxing Gym, 243 N. 3rd St., Phila, PA; 215-271-4263
•Main sparring partner: Gabriel Rosado, jr. middleweight
•Managed by: Doc Nowicki & Jim Williams (also his cutman); Nowicki on Mike Jones: “ He’s growing everyday. We want to showcase his talents to the world. He still has a lot to prove to himself and others. He’s one of the hardest punchers at 147 pounds. He’ll always have a puncher’s chance. It’s Mike Jones time.”
•Promoted by: Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz, Peltz Boxing Promotions. Peltz on Jones: “ He has the potential to be the next big superstar out of Philadelphia and a great world champion.”
• His favorite fighters: Muhammad Ali (“He always kept popping that jab”); Mike Tyson (“I like his ferociousness & quickness); Roy Jones; Pernell “Sweat Pea” Whitaker; Evander Holyfield (“Great combinations”); Oscar De La Hoya (“He’d snap that good jab of his.”)
•His feelings about fighting for a world title (probably within the next 2-3 fights): “It would be a dream come true. You just want to get a piece of the pie.”
• On his goals: “My No. 1 goal is to be No. 1 and nothing less than that. I’m getting closer but not there yet; not where I want to be. My ultimate goal: World Champion.”
• On staying at welterweight: “ I can make that weight (147 pounds) easily. I want the advantages on my side: my height (6’1”) and speed. I’m still learning to use the height as a big advantage over other welterweights.”
• On how he got started in boxing: “ I liked basketball and could dunk. I was above average, but not above above average to make it to the NBA so I wanted to try something else. My dad took me to Joe Frazier’s gym. I picked it up pretty good. I was determined and had a good work ethic. They threw me into my first amateur fight one month after I started and I lost. It made me work harder and I stopped my next 11-12 foes. I eventually sparred with the guy who first beat me and I beat him up pretty good. I had 50-60 amateur fights.”
• On his style: “I have power like Tyson (“taught to me by Smoke [Joe Frazier] and Marvis Frazier as an amateur; I was taught how to bang early on: just plant my feet on the floor and bang”); a jab like Ali (“Snap that jab and then throw combinations off that”) and ring tricks like Roy Jones. I have long, long arms, am tall for a welterweight and fast. I’m pretty good at blocking a guy’s shot. I really haven’t been boxing too long and I’m still learning every day.”
# # #
Mike Jones vs. Jesus Soto-Karass rematch, co-promoted by Top Rank and Peltz Boxing Promotions, takes place on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The 12-round title fight will be televised live on HBO beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET along with Fernando Montiel defending his bantamweight title against two-division champion Nonito Donaire.