Randall Bailey stops Mike Jones in 11th round, captures vacant IBF welterweight title

By Boxing News - 06/09/2012 - Comments

Image: Randall Bailey stops Mike Jones in 11th round, captures vacant IBF welterweight titleBy Jim Dower: Randall Bailey (43-7, 37 KO’s) ruined Top Rank promoter Bob Arum’s big plans of matching the previously unbeaten welterweight contender Mike Jones (26-1, 19 KO’s) against WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a Top Rank in house fight by halting the 29-year-old Jones in the 11th round to capture the vacant IBF welterweight title on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bailey, 37, flattened Jones with a perfect right uppercut through Jones’ guard in the 11th to score a come from behind knockout victory. Jones fell flat on his back with the back of his head slamming into the canvas. Jones attempted to get back to his feet, but fell back down while he was still on his hands and knees.

A round earlier, Bailey knocked Jones down with a hard right hand late in the 10th round. Jones perhaps was still not quite together when he came out for the 11th round. Jones made the mistake of throwing a lazy jab while leaning forward in the power alley of Bailey. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Bailey connected with a perfect textbook right uppercut that connected to the head of Jones sending him crashing to the floor for the knockout.

Before the knockdown occurred in the 10th round, the fight had been painfully boring with both fighters not letting their hands go. Jones was doing an awful lot of running, making it difficult for the knockout artist Bailey to land his shots. It wasn’t until the 10th round that Jones suddenly become emboldened and starting throwing shots. This eventually led to Jones getting knocked down when he strayed too close to Bailey.

If Arum still wants to match Jones against Pacquiao, he’ll face a lot of ridicule from fans, who probably won’t want to watch another Jones fight for quite some time.



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