Unbeaten welterweight contender Mike Jones makes his first start in his hometown of Philadelphia in more than two years when he takes on Raul Munoz, of Leon, Mexico in the scheduled 10-round main event Saturday evening, June 25, at the South Philly Arena, 7 West Ritner Street. The Jones-Munoz fight is part of the Top Rank Live! series which will be promoted by Top Rank, Inc. and Peltz Boxing Promotions and will be televised live by Fox Sports Net beginning at 10 pm EST. First of six additional fights begins at 7:30 p.m.
“We have known Russell Peltz for years and he is a true boxing promoter,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who recently celebrated his 45th year as a boxing promoter. “Look at the job he has done with the career of Mike Jones who is now co-promoted by Top Rank and ready to break out as a big star in the welterweight division. Mike is an exciting fighter with size and a lot of power.”
“Mike Jones needs to stay busy,” said co-promoter J Russell Peltz, a fellow Hall of Fame member along with Arum. “He cannot fall into the habit of waiting for HBO or Showtime or pay-per-view fights. That’s the problem with many of today’s fighters; they won’t fight unless they can make a score. The old-timers fought to pay their bills and to learn their craft. Experience is the key here and Mike needs it.”
“I’m looking forward to fighting in Philadelphia again,” said Jones, who will be making his 13th hometown appearance. “I didn’t realize it’s been more than two years. Fighting in Atlantic City is close, but it’s not Philadelphia. Texas and Nevada were good trips, too, but it will be nice to be back home.”
Jones, 28, scored the biggest win of his career Feb. 19 when he scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Jesus Soto-Karass, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, at the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino in Las Vegas.
The win over Soto-Karass was the second for Jones, who narrowly out-pointed him on the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito pay-per-view blockbuster on Nov. 13, 2010, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX., and retained his NABA, NABO and WBC Continental Americas titles.
A pro since 2005, Jones is 24-0, 18 K0s, and is ranked the No. 1 welterweight in the world by the WBO behind champion Manny Pacquiao, as well as No. 2 by the WBA, 3 by the IBF and 4 by the WBC. The June 25 fight with Munoz will be Jones’ first in Philadelphia since March 6, 2009, when he knocked out Dairo Esalas, of Miami, FL, in two rounds at the Blue Horizon.
Munoz, 31, now living in Topeka, KS turned pro in 1995 at the age of 18. His 21-13-1 record includes 16 knockouts and he has been in with some of the best, including Alfonso Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Hector Camacho, Yory Boy Campas and Joel Casamayor.
In his last fight April 23, Munoz knocked out John Hoffman, of St. Paul, MN, in two rounds in Topeka, KS.
Tickets priced at $75 and $50 are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions (215-765-0922). They also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.