Next for Floyd Mayweather: Mike Jones?
Welterweight contender Mike Jones poses. Credit: Chris Legentil, Showtime
Could Mike Jones be on a collision course with Floyd Mayweather Jr.? It’s not a crazy thought. With Manny Pacquiao set to take on Shane Mosley on May 7 and Mayweather experiencing seriously legal problems, it could happen.
This is all speculation, but Mayweather, who hasn’t fought since his one-sided win over Mosley last May, will almost certainly need a tune-up before a fight with Pacquiao. His last tune-up was against an overmatched Juan Manuel Marquez.
Jones improved his record to 24-0 with a unanimous-decision win over Jesus Soto Karass on HBO’s Championship boxing on Saturday night. The judges scored the bout, 116-112, 115-113, 117-111. Although Jones clearly won the fight, there are questions about how much he could bring to a big-money bout, particularly against one of boxing’s biggest names.
Mayweather could certainly carry a card by himself. As for Jones, a Philadelphia native, he has built a following of his own. He does well in Atlantic City and is becoming a local hero in Philadelphia. He did well on Saturday night as the main undercard. If he can convince Mayweather or any of the top promotion bodies – Top Rank, Golden Boy Promotions– that he has what it takes, who knows? You may see Jones in against one of the big names sooner than you think.