By Jim Dower: Undefeated welterweight contender Mike Jones (18-0, 15 KO’s) defeated Lenin Arroyo (20-10-1, 4 KOs) by a 10-round unanimous decision last night at the Bally’s Atlantic City, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The final judges’ scores were 99-91, 99-91, 98-92, all for the 26-year-old Jones.
Ranked number #10 in the WBA, #12 IBF and #13 in the WBO, Jones is probably closer to being a prospect than a true contender in my eyes. He’s very raw and looked it last night against Arroyo with his wild punches and little defense. Occasionally, Jones would land a big shot, but he also missed with more than a few.
And like in Jones’ eight-round decision victories over Germaine Sanders and Gilbert Venegas, Jones tired out in the later rounds against Arroyo and lost much of the power on his shots. It didn’t matter because Arroyo, 29, a last minute replacement who had lost his last two fights going into the fight, didn’t have the offense to give Jones any kinds of trouble.
Jones needs more time to develop. He’s not ready for a title shot against any of the current champions at this time in my estimation and if he steps it up against one of them in the next year or two, I don’t like his chances to pick up a win. He needs to develop his boxing skills in a big way because he’s still more of a crude slugger at this point in his career.
Jones looks good at times against the C level competition that he’s been put in with, but has struggled against the B class opponents Sanders and Venegas when he was pushed up a level. If Jones were to be suddenly thrust into a fight against the likes of Andre Berto, Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley, I suspect that Jones would lose badly and probably get knocked out.
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In other action on the card, undefeated light welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz (6-0, 4 KOs) defeated Julia Edmonds (5-5) by a 3rd round stoppage in a scheduled six round bout. Edmonds injured his ear and couldn’t continue.
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Thirty-two-year-old super middleweight Jerson Ravelo (20-4, 12 KO’s) defeated Willis Lockett (12-9, 5 KO’s) by an eight round unanimous decision. The final judges’ scores were 80-72, 79-73, 77-75.
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Light middleweight Jamaal Davis (10-5, 6 KO’s) defeated Manuel Guzman (6-8-1, 2 KO’s) by a six round unanimous decision. The final judges’ scores were 58-56, 58-56, 60-54.