HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Panama’s Guillermo Jones successfully defended his WBA cruiserweight title, stopping Mike Marrone in the sixth round Saturday night at Hard Rock Live Arena. Jones improved to 38-3-2 with his 30th knockout. Marrone dropped to 20-4. Jones overpowered the outmatched Marrone with an array of head and body punches. Late in the fifth round, Jones had the first of two knockdowns, dropped Marrone with a right to the head. Marrone, from Vero Beach, Fla., reached his feet at the count of eight.
The minute’s rest between rounds wasn’t enough to revive Marrone, a natural heavyweight, who had only one previous fight at the 200-pound cruiserweight limit. Jones carefully measured his shots and landed a series of combinations to the head, sending Marrone to the canvas a second time. Although Marrone again reached his feet before the 10-count, his cornermen felt he had absorbed enough punishment and instructed referee Tellis Assimenios to stop the fight at 1:55 of the round.
"Marrone tried to do some things, but when I saw he didn’t want to have much to do with me, I started boxing him. I wanted to use my jab and show that I still have great boxing skills. I thanked Marrone for making me fight him the way I did," Jones said.
“I would like to fight a Klitschko. They’re fighting blown-up cruiserweights, but I can fight at heavyweight. I’m a fighter. I have always come to fight and I always will. The tiger is hungry. He needs more meat.”