By Jake Donovan

With just three shows remaining until Telefutura pulls the plug on its Solo Boxeo series, you’d hope that the show would want to go out with a bang.

What we instead get this weekend is a pair of showcase bouts, as undefeated prospects Mike Jones and Rock Allen stay busy with one last appearance this year before (hopefully) stepping it up in 2009. Jones squares off against one-time spoiler Luciano Perez in the main event, while Allen faces Humberto Tapia in the televised co-feature.

Through the years, the Solo Boxeo circuit has been dominated by Latino fighters, only fitting since the show is broadcasted on Spanish-speaking Telefutura. Jones and Allen have both become recent exceptions to the rule. Tonight’s fight marks Jones’ third appearance on the series, including his second straight headliner. It’s la segunda pelea for Allen, who made his Telefutura and 2008 debut less than three months ago.

Jones made a huge splash in his August main bill, offering a brilliant exhibition of boxing and banging before taking out Juliano Ramos at the New Alhambra, which has played host to 11 of his15 pro fights to date. Tonight’s fight takes place at the Sovereign Arts Center in Reading, PA (Friday, Telefutura 8PM ET), an hour or so away from his Philly hometown

Nicknamed “The Machine Gun,” Jones (15-0, 13KO) launched an all-out assault on anyone in his way as he made the transition from newcomer to budding welterweight prospect. Most of the early wins came against the usual suspects, but his win this past August showed the entire arsenal. Ramos was made to order, an opponent brought in to help Jones rediscover his knockout ways after having been extended the distance in his prior two bouts.

As it turned out, going rounds taught Jones how to transition from knockout artist to well-rounded boxer-puncher. Ramos was there to get got, but Jones took his time with things, boxing smartly in the first few rounds before stepping on the gas and eventually taking out the Brazilian in six very one-sided rounds.

The 22 rounds he’s gone in his past three bouts nearly matches the 24 he barely accumulated his first dozen fights as a pro. That his resume bore the look of a man who fights like he’s double-parked was hardly due to a lack of soft matchmaking. Hall of Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz has expertly guided his career, gradually upgrading the competition, never to the point where Jones would grow stale awaiting a real challenge.

Such was proven in his ESPN2 Friday Night Fights debut this past March in what served as his first fight of 2008. It was also the first time he would be extended the distance and was forced to overcome adversity, rallying late to eventually squeak past Germaine Sanders in their eight-round televised co-feature in Salamanca, New York.

Sanders was coming off of a surprisingly strong showing in a losing bid against Jesus Soto Karass and fought Jones as if his prior performance provided an extra pep in his step. Jones was hurt and fell behind early, to where it took for his winning the final two rounds to pull out a 78-74 verdict on all three scorecards.  

His second distance fight came with far less drama. Jones dominated every step of the way in pitching a shutout against Gilbert Venegas this past May. The bout took place at the New Alhambra, where he’d return three months later for the high profile win over Ramos.

While tonight is somewhat of a step backwards – or at the very most, sideways, Jones’ fighting heart should be further tested. While Ramos could pitch, catching was a completely different story.

Not so much for Luciano Perez (16-8-1, 14KO), who’s perhaps the point of serving as a legitimate spoiler, but can still prove to be a pain in the ass on his best night.

Former lineal welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir thought he had easy pickings when he selected Perez as his comeback opponent a year ago after having lost consecutive fights to Floyd Mayweather and Vernon Forrest. He and his handlers were very wrong, as the Argentinean was given all that he could handle before escaping with an unpopular decision.

Unfortunately for Perez, moral victories ultimately still count as losses, to which the Mexican has become far too accustomed in recent years. Seven of his eight career losses have come over the course of his past 11 fights. After having sprinted out to a 12-1 start, Perez hasn’t won more than two fights in any of the past four calendar years.

He enters this bout riding a rare one-fight win streak, but hasn’t won a fight he was supposed to since upsetting Carson Jones in early 2006. It’s hard to envision the scenario where that changes against the far superiorly talented Jones, who can either box or bang his way to victory, depending on how the night goes.

How the night goes may ultimately determine where Jones heads in 2009. It’s obviously not back to Telefutura, unless he plans on joining a soccer team or participating in a variety show.

Perhaps a stop or two on the ShoBox circuit, maybe eventually punching his way to an HBO Boxing After Dark undercard. Whatever the capacity, look for Mike Jones to enjoy great success in any language.

Jake Donovan is a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Comments/questions can be submitted to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com .