An extraordinary energy base has encircled Amari Jones because the switch-hitter seeks to advance from a red-hot prospect to a bona fide champion in a wide-open division.
On Friday, Jones will try to rise additional within the middleweight division when he faces Vincenzo Gualtieri atop a Golden Boy Promotions card that DAZN will stream reside from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
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Gualtieri has misplaced simply as soon as in 27 bouts — a sixth-round knockout to Janibek Alimkhanuly — however has rebounded with 4 wins since.
But contemplating Jones has supervisor Rick Mirigian overseeing his offers, Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez selling his profession, and Virgil Hunter in his nook, the stress will likely be on to copy the harm Janibek did to Gualtieri.
Hunter heightened the expectations when he in contrast Jones’ athleticism to that of his most well-known pupil, Andre Ward — a Hall of Fame fighter and one of the game’s legends who hails from Northern California.
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If Jones performs it proper, he might be the subsequent massive factor to come back from that area.
“The sky is the limit,” Jones (16-0, 14 KOs) instructed Uncrowned days earlier than the battle.
The sport is famend for taking, however it may well additionally give a lot. And, for Jones, it supplied a route away from an upbringing the place he saved “getting into trouble at school” for combating as a result of of an advanced dwelling life.
“I had stuff going on,” Jones stated. “My father was in prison. I was rebelling against my mom. I was mad at the world and had a lot of anger built up.”
It’s wonderful what a health club full of leather-based baggage and previous gear can do.
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For Jones, it offered focus — a manner for him to harness the unfavorable power he felt he had in his life and channel it as a substitute into well being, health and a goal-oriented sport.
“My godfather put me into boxing at age 9 or 10 because my godbrother was boxing before me,” Jones stated.
Jones performed soccer and even went to a particular college for that sport, dreaming of one day reaching the NFL. But the extra he boxed, the extra he wished to battle professionally.
That didn’t all the time sit effectively with mom Debra.
“At first, she didn’t want me to fight. She wanted me to go to college and get a scholarship,” Jones stated. “I had to really show her and tell her, ‘Mom, this is what I want to do. I’m winning fights. I’m really good at it.’”
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Now she wears shirts together with her son’s face on them in any respect his occasions.
If Debra is Amari’s greatest fan, others, like Devin Haney, should get in line.
But Haney, Uncrowned’s No.7 pound-for-pound boxer, received in line early.
Jones and Haney are longtime buddies. Embedded within the Haney operation, Jones fought on Haney’s playing cards and sparred some of the highest fighters in camps Haney organized. Haney’s father, Bill, even coached Jones earlier in his profession, and the household was instrumental in bringing Jones to the Las Vegas space to reside and work.
“I was still an amateur while Devin was pro, fighting on ShoBox,” Jones stated. “We know guys being from the same city, we got mutual people in common, and it was only a matter of time before we got connected.
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“A lot of people feel like he might be arrogant, but I feel he’s earned it because of what he’s professionally accomplished,” Jones stated, referencing Haney’s three-weight world championship standing, with wins over Jorge Linares, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Brian Norman, amongst others.
Since signing with Golden Boy in 2025, Jones’ profession has solely accelerated.
“Being with a big company, you know it’s locked in with a network and getting eyes on you,” he stated. “I’m getting television time that I felt I’ve been needing my whole career.
“There were times I wasn’t even shown on TV, even though I felt I had the skills to be on it. Now I feel I’m right here, with the promotion, and Golden Boy, pushing me well.
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“With Virgil every day, I’m more mature in the ring and my skills are sharpening. He’s teaching me all of boxing, inside and outside the ropes, different moves, how to mature, and how to use it and when to use it.”
In Jones’ earlier two fights at Golden Boy, he boxed on a Vergil Ortiz undercard, after which the Ryan Garcia vs Mario Barrios pay-per-view.
Now, he’s headlining his personal present in his hometown. And so it’s clear Golden Boy is placing him on an outlined trajectory.
“We’re confident no one will be able to avoid him as he climbs toward the top of the middleweight division,” De La Hoya stated upon signing Jones.
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With his final two fights ending in knockouts on distinguished DAZN playing cards, the query of what comes subsequent — after Friday’s hometown headliner — is already being requested.
“Carlos Adames is a champion. Ammo Williams has been a contender over the last few years,” Jones stated. “And there’s others, too, like Jesus Ramos. He’s a good fighter who I’d love to get in the ring with as well. These are the kinds of guys who I want.
“But [on Friday], I got to get past Gualtieri to even think about those guys.”