From By Jake Donovan
There was never a doubt in Carson Jones’ mind that victory would prevail against former amateur standout Ricardo Williams Jr. earlier this month. He just needed the win to validate his newfound glory as a welterweight contender after a career spent being viewed as everyone else’s steppingstone.
The moment of truth came on December 15, when Jones overcame a rough early going to settle down and eventually stop Williams Jr in four rounds in his hometown of Oklahoma City. He became the first person to stop the 2000 Olympic Silver medalist, and most likely permanently sending the troubled welterweight’s career into a tailspin in the process.
With the win, Jones is now in prime position to take his career to the next level.
“My next fight will be a title eliminator. That right there says it all,” states Jones, who at just 25 years of age and with a mere seven years in the pro ranks has already amassed 45 fights.
The past 13 months in particular have been life-changing, scoring seven straight wins – all by knockout. The transformation from journeyman to divisional sleeper began long before that, when he hooked up with local Renaissance man Bobby Dobbs early in 2008.
Jones was an abysmal 13-6-1-1NC at the time as his mismanaged career was largely spent being thrown to the wolves on short notice. He has since gone 20-2-1-1NC (16KO), never fighting fewer than five times per year but the difference being that he’s always kept in shape.
“Hard work and dedication – it’s all that it is,” Jones insists of his career turnaround. “Nobody works harder than me today. You show me a man who says he works harder, and I’ll show you a liar.”
The latest streak, however, has come by way of addition through subtraction – as in subtracting weight from his frame in order to become more effective in the ring.
While Jones was fighting often and staying ready in the gym, he was campaigning at a higher weight. Standing at a firm 5’10”, it stood to reason that the 154 lb. division was a perfect fit. His best moments came there, including televised upset wins over Jose Gonzalez and then-unbeaten Tyrone Brunson, while his lone loss over that stretch came at 147 in a slugfest with Jesus Soto-Karass.
Jones went unbeaten in 10 straight following the Soto-Karass bout, but a surprise loss to Rogelio Pereira caused him to sit down with his team and reexamine things.
“I don’t know why I was fighting at 154,” Jones wonders now as he looks back. “I was dedicated to the sport, but content with making 154, not pushing myself to get lower. The fight with Pereira told me that maybe these guys are too big for me. I made the move to 147 and the rest is history. Now I’m the bigger guy and able to push my opponents.”
The move to welterweight has resulted in his recent knockout streak, with none of his past seven opponents seeing the end of the seventh round. Hard work and a corner change has paved the way for what his team believes is the feel good story of the year.
“Carson is a great story for boxing. It really is like a Rocky story,” says Dobbs. “He has worked so hard to better himself and now he has become a destroyer at welterweight which is where he should have been all along. I give a lot of credit to his (new) trainer Abel Sanchez for that.”
The past year in particular has been extra rewarding, including back-to-back attention grabbing knockout wins over Williams Jr. and Sais Ouali before that. By his own admission, the fight with Williams wasn’t the cakewalk that most made it out to be. It also reminded Jones of who he is – a slow starter who will pick up steam and eventually catch you.
“It was a good win. It was a little tougher at first than expected. I was waiting too much in the beginning before I opened up. I usually lose the first round in all of my fights. Ricardo knows how to fight and was tough at first but I stopped him in the fourth. It was a good win and hopefully gets me an eliminator next year.”
Manager Bobby Dobbs was ready to put in the necessary work if it came to that, but for once in his career Jones can afford to sit back and wait rather than have to scratch and claw his way to the top.
With Andre Berto vacating his alphabet title in order to pursue and secure a rematch with Victor Ortiz, a shakeup has occurred within those very rankings. Top rated contenders Mike Jones and Randally Bailey will now contend for the vacant crown, with the next two highest available contenders in line to challenge for the mandatory position.
Carson Jones is just one rung behind “the other” Jones in the rankings, which means that as long as he’s ready to fight an eliminator, he has first dibs.
“The moment that everything is in place for Randall Bailey and Mike Jones to fight for the vacant IBF world welterweight championship, the next contender in line will be notified to begin negotiations for an elimination bout,” states IBF Ratings Chairman Daryl Peoples on the subject, confirming that the fight is there for Jones once all other matters are settled.
There have been occasions where lower rated fighters get to jump the line when those above them are either committed to other fights or choose to take their career in a different direction.
Jones has every intention of fighting for a title in 2012, beginning with the first available eliminator.
“I’ve had a hard career. I’ve never had anything given to me. I work for it and deserve to be where I’m at. I knew if I worked hard, I’d get to this point and no way I’m not turning down any fight that puts me in position to go after a world title.
“I know it won’t be Floyd (Mayweather) or (Manny) Pacquiao right away, but if I can get my hands on someone like the Berto-Ortiz winner (to their rematch in February) or Bailey-Jones, that puts me one step closer to getting those types of fights. I don’t want to stand in line waiting for a super fight; I want to keep winning and moving towards one.”
Of course, the bigger the fight means the longer the wait. That also means Jones will have to practice the one trait he has yet to exude - patience.
Having grown accustomed to fighting every blink of an eye or so, Jones now knows that he needs to be available and ready once that opportunity comes along.
Truth be told, he’s actually alright with taking a slight step back.
“I would like to fight in February or March. That’s a good break for me,” Jones quips, though realizing there stands the chance the wait will be a little longer for a big fight. “I’ve been in camp all year, training with Abel Sanchez in Big Bear. I’m ready for a break, to be honest. I feel stronger at 147 lb. I’m maturing as a fighter and as a man. I kind of went from a kid to a man.”
Through hard work and dedication, he also went from a trialhorse to a thoroughbred, and at a time when the welterweight division is at its most lucrative and competitive point in years.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter at twitter.com/JakeNDaBox or submit questions/comments to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com