MJ is Back! Mike Jones Rises Again at Bally’s, Peltz Boxing Fight Card Preview
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Atlantic City, NJ (August 21, 2014)– Former NABA Welterweight champion Mike ‘M.J.’ Jones will return to the ring on Saturday evening, August 23, 2014, after a 26 month absence, to battle Jaime Herrera on an eight bout card in Grand Ballroom at Bally’s Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions. The event will be broadcast online on GoFightLive.
The return bout of Mike Jones takes place among a backdrop of changing scenery in Atlantic City. The Atlantic Club and The Claridge have been sold to TJM Properties, which has reopened Claridge as a nongaming facility with an entertainment venue. The former Madison House, which later became part of the now demolished Sands Hotel and Casino, is now Baymont Inn & Suites Madison Hotel. The Revel, The Showboat, and Trump Plaza hotel casinos-three big Boardwalk names-will be closing at the end of the summer. Ascot Motel, closed since Hurricane Sandy, has reopened as TYRP Wyndham.
Jones, now 26-2, 19 knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will face Jaime Herrera, 11-2, six knockouts, Franklin Park, Illinois, in the 10 round main event. The NABA regional welterweight title previously held by Jones might be vacant. Romanian Canadian welterweight Ionut Dan Ion had the NABA and IBF Inter-Continental belts in 2013, two vacated belts which could be of great interest to the Jones camp after he wins this bout.
Jones is rusty due to his self-imposed layoff. However, after a few rounds to warm out and get the cobwebs out, Jones should still stop Herrera any time after the fifth round.
Jones had beat Randall Bailey on points, appearing to win the first nine rounds before getting dropped in the tenth and stopped by bailey in the eleventh on single punch power shots in their vacant IBF World Welterweight title bout in June 2012. The IBF title has proven to be difficult to keep, with Bailey losing it to Devon Alexander, Alexander losing it to Shawn Porter, and Porter losing it last week to Kell Brook, who may yet lose it to Amir Khan. Promoter Russell Peltz can get Jones a shot at a welterweight world title belt again, if Bailey can just pick up a few comeback wins. The IBF belt has bounced back and forth 10 times in seven years, which speaking for a most competitive division at 147 pounds.
In the preliminary bout to the main event, unbeaten middleweight prospect Thomas ‘Cornflake’ LaManna, 14-0, seven knockouts, Millville, New Jersey, is favored to win by eight round decision over Philly fighter Jamal Davis, 14-11-1, six knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. LaManna is a greatly improved fighter who should be ready for a 10 round regional belt fight at 160 pounds in one year’s time if he fights regularly.
6-0 light middleweight prospect Ishmael Sanchez of Vineland, New Jersey, is favored by six round decision over 4-4 Gilberto Sanchez of Camden, New Jersey. In four round bouts: super bantamweight prospect Anthony Caramanno of Staten Island is favored over Marquise Pierce of Phillipsburg, New Jersey; ; light middleweight prospect Nick Valliere of Forked River, New Jersey, is favored over Greg Thomas of Philadelphia; heavyweight prospect Joe Cusmomano is favored over Randy Easton; Liberian super featherweight Grashino Yancy faces Carlos Rosario of Camden, and lightweight Omar Curry of Atlantic City faces Marvin Johnson of Bridgeton, New Jersey, in two bouts featuring four professional debuts.
Doors for the Peltz Boxing Promotions event at Bally’s Event Center open at 7 P.M., first bout 7:30 P.M. Tickets $75 and $50 at www.Tickletmaster.com or www.Peltzboxing.com by contacting Peltz Boxing or at the door. Internet broadcast via www.gofightlive.tv For more information, please contact Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922.
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