By Chris Williams: Number 1 ranked WBO welterweight contender Mike Jones (25-0, 19 KO’s) wants to be ready for when he gets put in with World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a mega fight in the near future. Under normal circumstances a little known fighter like Jones would likely never even be considered for a fight against a huge star like Pacquiao, especially with Jones standing 6-feet tall and looking more like a junior middleweight than a welterweight.

However, Jones is promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank, who also promotes Pacquiao. Arum has already mentioned wanting to pair Jones and Pacquiao in a fight that could take place next year. It would be Arum’s way of having another in house fight but at the same time a move to increase the value of Jones. It could without saying that Jones will be destroyed by Pacquiao, but Arum likely is hoping that Jones at least fights well enough to wet the interest of boxing fans to want to see more from him in the future.

It’s a gamble because the other Top Rank fighters from Arum’s stable that he has matched against Pacquiao in the last couple of years have ended up looking horrible in losing, and you can make a good argument that their stock went way, way down after they lost to him. Pacquiao has wiped out Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey from the same Top Rank stable. I don’t of too many people who are high on those fighters after seeing them beaten by Pacquiao.

Jones looks badly flawed without having him fight Pacquiao, but if you put him in with Pacquiao right now it’s going to be embarrassing. Jones is too rigid, too mechanical and too wide open on defense to be much of a threat. Jones went life and death with fringe contender Jesus Soto Karass last year in November, although he did beat him convincingly in a rematch in February. Jones still looked incredibly vulnerable, and not like a future star.

Jones may pick up a title in the future, but I see him being an Andre Berto type fighter that will win for a while until a quality fighter comes up from light welterweight or moves down from junior middleweight and wipes him out. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao would embarrass him. However, Mayweather would never waste his time fighting Jones. If there’s no money in the fight, Mayweather isn’t going to take it. Jones doesn’t have a big fan base and it’s unclear whether he ever will. He’s there in age at 28, and that’s old for someone that still has never fought for a title.