Reports have been circulating that Bob Abrum and Top Rank Promotions are mulling the possibility of Mike Jones as an opponent for Manny Pacquiao for sometime in 2012. Both fighters are in the Top Rank stable, making the matchup easy to sign. The question swirling though is whether this would be a match worth making.
The 32 year Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) is riding a 14 fight winning streak going into his November 12th matchup with Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KO’s) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Pac-Man will be defending his WBO welterweight bout in what will be his third encounter with Marquez. In May of 2008, the two fought to a draw at featherweight, and in March of 2008, Pacquiao battled to a split decision victory at super featherweight.
Pacquiao vs. Marquez III made sense for Top Rank, as they were unable to come to terms with the fighter that everyone longs to see face Pac-Man, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Any bout with Mayweather (41-0, 25 KO’s) is on hold for the time being though, as he is set to face Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO’s) on September 17th for WBC welterweight title.
That’s where Jones comes into the picture. As Pacquiao rumbles through his opposition, it is becoming harder to find adequate candidates. His victory over Shane Mosley in May brought in approximately 1.3 million pay-per-view buys. That is a huge number, and I’m not sure a Pacquiao vs. Jones matchup would approach that.
But then again, it seems that Pacquiao draws well regardless of who he fights. The 28 year old Mike “M.J.” Jones has forged his record to 24-0 with 18 KO’s. He is currently ranked in the top 5 in the WBC/WBO/WBA and IBF. He has power and is a hefty and lanky foe at an intimidating 6’ 0” tall with a 72 inch reach, which matches up nicely with Pac-Man who stands at 5’5.5” and has a 67 inch reach. Regardless, he is not on the same skill level as the polished Pacquiao.
On June 25th, Jones faces Raul Munoz (22-13-1, 16 KO’s) in a tune-up match in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jones has been working his way up the ranks and will someday deserve a title shot, but is he really who the fans want to see face Pacquiao at this time?
So the world will wait and see, and ultimately Mike Jones will get in line for a Pacquiao matchup. In the meantime, everyone in boxing longs to see if Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Victor Ortiz will accept a fight. Perhaps after their September battle, the winner will finally step up to the plate. Top Rank, please make it happen.
Source: http://www.8countnews.com
