Mike Jones Talks Hopkins Relationship, Munoz, More

By Lem Satterfield

When unbeaten welterweight Mike Jones meets Raul Munoz of Topeka, Kan., at the South Philly Arena on June 25, it will be the 28-year-old's first time fighting in his native Philadelphia in more than two years.

Jones (24-0, 18 knockouts) last fought in the City of Brotherly Love in March of 2009, when he stopped Dairo Esalas in the second round at the Blue Horizon.

Jones is coming off of February's second straight victory over Mexican brawler Jesus Soto-Karass (25-6-3, 16 knockouts), whom Jones defeated by unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Hotel three months after having earned a disputed, majority decision over Soto-Karass at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in November.

Jones' consecutive wins over Soto-Karass were contested, respectively, on the undercards of a unanimous decision by eight-division and WBO welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao over Antonio Margarito for the since-vacated WBC junior middleweight belt, and, a second-round knockout by then-WBA interim super flyweight king, Nonito Donaire over then-WBO and WBC king, Fernando Montiel.

Jones has spent the past couple of months training for the 35-year-old Munoz (22-13-1, 16 KOs) in Philadelphia under the watchful eyes of Vauhn Jackson, which has afforded him the opportunity to spend more time with his two, young daughters and to soak up the atmosphere in the wake of a milestone victory by Philadelphia legend Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs).

Last month, the 46-year-old Hopkins dethroned WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs) by unanimous decision to surprassed George Foreman as the oldest man to win a significant world title.

Hopkins become a titlist 192 days beyoned when the 45-year-old Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer in the 10th round on November 5, 1994, to become the eldest man to win a heavyweight crown.

Hopkins-Pascal II was a rematch of December's majority draw during which Hopkins rose from two early knockdowns and appeared to have outboxed Pascal for the crown.

Jones spoke to BoxingScene.com regarding his relationship with Hopkins, some nuances in his training diet, his family and the meaning of the Munoz bout to his future.

BoxingScene.com: How old are your daughters, and I understand that you have been spending a lot of time with them?

Mike Jones: Oh yeah, I've always got them. They're Myana, who is 7, and Alyza, who is 5. I don't see myself as macho, I just see myself as doing my job. Everybody has a job to do, and this is my job.

BoxingScene.com: I understand that you are monitoring both your diet and that of your daughters' very carefully?

MJ: They've just had birthdays in April and May. I took them out and had some fun with them. But pretty much with the diet thing, I've just tried to stop the sugary drinks and the orange drinks.

You know, the stuff that you get from McDonald's and stuff like that? I'm trying to get them to drink more water than anything. Actually, it's very easy. It has become like a repetition with them. They want water now.

BoxingScene.com: How is your father and his issues with diabetes?

MJ: My father, Michael Jones Sr., he has had about two or three strokes because of diabetes and he's lost some feeling in his left side because of that.

My dad is 54 or 55 years old. He's pretty much in the bed most of the time and has nurses coming by to help him out. He doesn't move around too much.

He lives in Mount Airey, which is where I grew up, and I get to a lot of time with him. Because of what he's gone through, it means that I'm paying more attention to my health in the long run.

I'm not just eating right for boxing but for my health in general. I try to instill that in my kids today. I want them to transition into good eating habits when they get older.

Like a lot of kids, I ate poorly as a kid, you know? Drinking sodas all of the time and that's not good for you. I'm trying to change my eating habits and those of my children.

My dad was the only person who always believed in me, and who never thought that anybody was better than me when I was a young kid and from my very first amateur fight.

My father, he's worked 27 years as a security guard at a prison, and he's a veteran from being in the army. So he's got his pension aid and he's living off of that. So his medical bills are taken care of.

My father worked so hard to support me, and that's what I'm trying to do. You know, I always see my kids when I'm in the ring. I always want to win for them. I want to be that guy financially that supports them.

BoxingScene.com: Can you characterize your relationship with Bernard Hopkins?

MJ: Bernard Hopkins is my mentor. He's always giving me something that I can use inside of the ring and outside of the ring. He's very wise.

I've heard him even when he's not necessarily talking with me but talking about me, he's giving me compliments and says that he believes in me and has confidence in me to be a great fighter.

BoxingScene.com: What direct critiques or advice has Bernard Hopkins given you?

MJ: When I came back from that first fight with Jesus Soto Karass, I came into the dressing room at the Joe Hands Gym and he was getting ready for his first fight with Jean Pascal.

Bernard Hopkins told me, 'You've got to use your jab, and you've got to keep your distance, and dont' give these guys no chance of winning the fight when they don't have none.'

He told me that pretty sternly. He said, 'You want to have longevity in this game, so use your jab, stick it to them from behind that jab, and send that right hand straight down the pipe.'

He said, 'Don't give these guys any chance of winning.' That was in the Joe Hands Gym where we both train at.

BoxingScene.com: Did you have an opportunity to speak with Bernard Hopkins following your last fight with Jesus Soto Karass?

MJ: I haven't talked to him about my last fight, but I heard him talking about it on television. He gave me some pretty good compliments.

BoxingScene.com: What does it mean to be fighting Raul Monoz before your home town fans?

MJ: This fight means a whole lot to me, obviously, becase I'm back home for the first time in more than two years. I want to look my best when I'm at home, just like I do when I'm anywhere else.

It's kind of a different feeling when you're at home, because you really want to perform. I've been training really hard for this fight because I want to be in the best shape that I can.

I think that a really good showing is pretty much what the doctor order. I need that. Like Manny Pacquiao says all of the time, I want to do it for the fans.

Manny Pacquiao was so disappointed from his last fight with Shane Mosley because he was unable to look his best for the fans. That's what I want to do. I want to look my best for the fans. I want to look great in there.

BoxingScene.com: What is your timetable for winning a significant welterweight title?

MJ: I think that two, really tough name fights down the road after this one, and then, I'll be ready for a title shot and I'll be ready to take the title.

Until then, I'm lookingto take on anybody that is in the top 10, and who is a tough guy and a tough opponent. That's who I want.