Mike Jones gets more experience in impressive win.

By Jared Shelly

He’s shown he can win with power. He’s shown he can box his way to a victory by decision. But May 9, undefeated welterweight Mike Jones showed can dominate an opponent even after suffering an injury.

Soaking his right hand gingerly in an ice bucket in the locker room of the New Alhambra in South Philadelphia, Jones said he wasn’t sure when he got hurt while fighting Gilbert Venegas but just knew that when he felt pain, it was time to jab.

And he used that stinging left jab to win all eight rounds on all three score cards and improve to 14-0, while Venegas fell to 10-6-3.

Jones called the jab the best he’s ever had.

“It just kept working,” said the 25-year-old from Philadelphia.

Although Jones easily won the fight, it was Venegas who continually walked forward and pressed the action. That was just fine with Jones.

“It was easy,” he said. “A guy coming forward is easy to hit.”

At every turn, Jones made his opponent pay. When Venegas moved forward, Jones snapped a jab to his eye — leaving it badly swollen by the fights end. When Venegas threw one of his hard but increasingly desperate left hooks, Jones swiftly dodged then fired back with stunning combinations.

Going the distance gave Jones some much needed pro rounds after starting his career with twelve straight knockouts and reaching the fifth round just once. He only other time he fought for a full eight rounds was in his previous fight, a March 28 victory over Germaine Sanders.

Jones said that boxing to a decision in his last two fights allowed him to show that he has “the whole package.”

“It builds my wind up,” he said. “Every single time I fight, I get that experience. I get more rounds and I become a better boxer.”

The only thing certain about Jones’ future is that he’s checking into his injured hand. After that, said promoter J. Russell Peltz, the future has yet to be decided.

“We have a Univision main event in August, but we’ll see what’s up with [his hand]” said Peltz.

Experience is the key, he’s getting it now but you can never get enough experience. I don’t want to rush him.”