The boxing-rich city of Philadelphia has produced yet another up-and-coming welterweight with a world of potential, Mike Jones. At 27, Jones is unbeaten with plenty going for him in his pursuit of the world title including speed, height, power, and his self-proclaimed “fire of the heart.” His career continues with a Friday night 12-round fight against Irving Garcia in Atlantic City at Boardwalk Hall, where he hopes to continue his winning spree.
But before Jones can be able to completely blow off his day job, he must develop a frightful jab and successfully take down a highly ranked opponent.
Jones claims to be “working on throwing combinations off the jabs and being defensive with the jabs,” continuing, “It hasn’t all come together yet, but I believe it’s going to real soon.” As for securing a big name opponent, Jones and his promoter, Russell Peltz, believe that a uncontested win against Garcia Friday will lead to more opportunities.
“There’s been talk of a (Andre) Berto fight,” Peltz says. “I don’t know how realistic that is. …Lou DiBella (Berto’s promoter) could’ve just been testing the waters. If everything falls in place and Berto has nobody else to fight, would (Mike) fight him? In a heartbeat.”
Philly legend, Joe Frazier and his son, Marvis, were there from the beginning of Jones’ career when his father first brought him to Frazier’s gym at 15 to work out some teenage aggression, despite the fact that he was never really a fan of the sport.
“I wasn’t getting in fights, but I was a teenager, and teenagers are all screwed up in the head one way or another,” Jones says. “I was a frustrated youth, growing up in a single-parent home, and I just wanted to fight. I turned all my aggression into boxing.”
But soon after turning pro, Jones left the Fraziers to pursue a boxing style that would make use of all of his attributes, not merely his strength and heart. The fight with Garcia on Friday will be the toughest yet on the young and promising boxer, but when asked where he sees himself in five years, Jones said, “A world champion and very rich,” with just the slightest hesitation, and a little chuckle.