Omari Jones-Darrelle Valsaint could happen ‘down the line’
Apr 14, 2025 • 2:00 AM ET
ATLANTIC CITY – Omari Jones is open to a future fight with his fellow Floridian Darrelle Valsaint.
On Saturday at Boardwalk Hall, the 22-year-old Jones recorded his second victory from his second fight when he stopped William Jackson inside a round.
As an Olympic bronze medalist he is widely recognized as one of the US’ finest prospects. He and the also-22-year-old Valsaint, who has most recently been fighting at middleweight, are not only both from Orlando, but once trained in the same gym. Even more recently Valsaint has been critical of his one-time friend.
“Down the line, if the opportunity presents itself…” Jones told BoxingScene. “For sure [he’s a good fighter].
“Me and him came up in the same gym. I’m sure that was a shot at me, but we’ll see whoever when we see whoever. We both fight out of Orlando, so maybe we’ll make the fight happen one day.
“I looked at him like a brother and it was all love, and to see that – it caught me off guard. But we had a conversation afterwards.”
Valsaint next fights Mexico’s Rodolfo Orozco in Kissimmee, Florida on May 10 on the undercard of Erickson Lubin-Ardreal Holmes. Jones is expected to fight on the undercard of Richardson Hitchins-George Kambosos in New York, should it be confirmed for June 14.
Declan Warrington has been writing about boxing for the British and Irish national newspapers since 2010. He is also a long-term contributor to Boxing News, Boxing News Presents and Talksport, and formerly the boxing correspondent for the Press Association, a pundit for BoxNation and a regular contributor to Boxing Monthly, Sport and The Ring, among other publications. In 2023, he conducted the interviews and wrote the script for the audio documentary “Froch-Groves: The Definitive Story”; he is also a member of the BWAA.
