Guillermo Jones Explained

Guillermo Jones
Realname:Guillermo Agustin Jones
Nickname:
  • El Felino
  • El Jefe
Weight:
Height:6 ft 4 in
Reach:76 in
Birth Date:5 May 1972
Birth Place:Colón, Panama
Style:Orthodox
Total:47
Wins:41
Losses:3
Ko:31
Draws:2
No Contests:1

Guillermo Jones (born May 5, 1972) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2017. He held the WBA cruiserweight title from 2008 to 2012, and challenged twice for the WBA super welterweight title in 1998.

Professional career

Jones made his professional debut in 1993 as a welterweight, and was a world champion as a cruiserweight 20 years later in 2013[1] He won his first 21 bouts in Panama, but was then stopped in Venezuela in two rounds by David Noel of Trinidad and Tobago in September 1997. He avenged that loss two months later in Panama by first round Knockout. Now aligned with promoter Don King, Jones fought two light middleweight WBA world title bouts against Laurent Boudouani in 1998. He drew once and lost the rematch by split decision in 12 round contests.

Jones fought his way through four weight classes. Later fighting as a cruiserweight in 2002, he fought Johnny Nelson for the WBO World cruiserweight title, drawing in 12 rounds in his third world title attempt. Most in attendance thought Jones had done enough to win the title from Nelson.

After yet another split decision loss in 2005 to future cruiserweight world title holder Steve Cunningham, Jones rebounded the same year with knockouts of Kelvin Davis and Wayne Braithwaite.

Jones got a shot at WBA World Cruiserweight champion Firat Arslan on September 27, 2008 and won the WBA world title by tenth round stoppage. He was the heaviest, and the oldest professional fighter from Panama to have achieved a world championship when he became Panama's 28th world boxing champion.[2] After winning the WBA title, Jones created controversy when he went through a two year period of inactivity while remaining WBA world champion.

In August 2010, the WBA finally threatened to strip Jones of his belt unless he defended his world title. As a result, he made his first defense of his world title against Valery Brudov in October 2010, scoring an eleventh round stoppage in Panama City.

Jones second defense of his title was scheduled to take place on June 25, 2011, against then undefeated Ryan Coyne. A few days before the fight, Jones pulled out, citing a back injury sustained following a training session.[3] Jones later announced he would make a mandatory defense against Yoan Pablo Hernández.[4] The fight was scheduled to take place in Germany on August 27, 2011, but the bout was cancelled with no specific reason.

Jones the defended his WBA world title against Mike Marrone. The fight took place in Florida on November 5, 2011, with Jones retaining his title via a TKO in the sixth round. After over a year of inactivity, Jones was declared the champion in recess after he backed out of a title defense against boxer Andres Taylor of Pennsylvania. Denis Lebedev of Russia won the interim WBA World title and then won the vacant WBA World title after Jones refused to fight him. After 18 months of inactivity, Jones traveled to Russia to fight Lebedev and settle matters regarding who the legitimate WBA world champion was, himself or Lebedev.

On May 17, 2013, Jones, the WBA World Cruiserweight champion 'in recess', cut and closed the left eye of Denis Lebedev in the first round. He eventually knocked out the other WBA World Cruiserweight champion 'claimant', Denis Lebedev of Russia, at 1:54 of the eleventh round to settle the issue once and for all as to who the true WBA World Cruiserweight champion was. The bout is the first WBA World title bout in which two defending champions of the same world title belt faced each other. Jones inflicted horrific punishment on Lebedev, inflicting enough damage to Lebedev's right eye to perhaps end his career for medical reasons. Observers felt the bout should have been stopped early, but the Russian Boxing Federation would not stop the bout so it would go the distance, putting Jones in the position of having to knock Lebedev out in hostile territory to keep his title.

In October 2013, Jones was stripped of his title for failing a drug test for his WBA unification fight with Lebedev, with Lebedev being reinstated as full champion. A rematch between Lebedev and Jones has concordantly been ordered by the WBA. Jones again tested positive, and was stripped of the title, however recent allegations of Russian tampering with drug testing has put this finding in doubt.[5] In December 2013, Jones was reinstated by the WBA as Champion in Recess.[6]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
47Win41–3–2 Ytalo PereaSD11Nov 18, 2017
46Win40–3–2 Garrett Wilson6Jul 2, 2016
45Win39–3–2 Daniel CotaUD10Nov 20, 2015
4438–3–2 Denis LebedevKO11 (12), May 17, 2013
43Win38–3–2Michael MarroneTKO6 (12), Nov 5, 2011
42Win37–3–2Valery BrudovTKO11 (12), Oct 2, 2010
41Win36–3–2Firat ArslanTKO10 (12), Sep 27, 2008
40Win35–3–2Zack PageUD8Jul 7, 2007
39Win34–3–2Jeremy BatesTKO1 (8), Jan 6, 2007
38Win33–3–2Wayne BraithwaiteTKO4 (12), Sep 3, 2005
37Win32–3–2Kelvin DavisTKO4 (10), May 21, 2005
36Loss31–3–2Steve CunninghamSD10Apr 2, 2005
35Win31–2–2Antonio BerroaKO1 (12), Dec 3, 2004
34Win30–2–2Luciano TorresTKO1 (12), Mar 16, 2004
33Draw29–2–2Johnny Nelson12Nov 23, 2002
32Win29–2–1Sione AsipeliUD10Jul 13, 2002
31Win28–2–1Tim WilliamsonSD10Apr 13, 2002
30Win27–2–1Victor MacielTKO1 (10), May 19, 2001
29Win26–2–1Allen WattsUD10May 20, 2000
28Win25–2–1Jaffa BallogouUD6Dec 18, 1999
27Win24–2–1Jose Maquina RojasTKO2 (10), Oct 9, 1999
26Win23–2–1Santos DanielsTKO6 (10), Sep 4, 1999
25Loss22–2–1Laurent BoudouaniSD12May 30, 1998
24Draw22–1–1Laurent Boudouani12Feb 13, 1998
23Win22–1David NoelTKO1 (12), Nov 29, 1997
22Loss21–1David NoelKO2 (12)Sep 27, 1997
21Win21–0Alejandro UguetoTKO5 (12), May 3, 1997
20Win20–0Jorge Luis VadoKO1 (10)Feb 28, 1997
19Win19–0Alejandro Ugueto12Oct 7, 1996
18Win18–0Gilberto BarretoKO1 (12), Jun 15, 1996
17Win17–0Eduardo RodriguezKO2 (10), Apr 20, 1996
16Win16–0Manuel FlorianTKO2 (10)Mar 29, 1996
15Win15–0Carlos Alberto ArrietaKO1 (12), Mar 15, 1996
14Win14–0José GarcíaKO1 (12)Feb 2, 1996
13Win13–0Manuel AlvarezKO1 (12)Sep 18, 1995
12Win12–0Ricardo SimarraTKO4 (12), Aug 5, 1995
11Win11–0Antonio OcasioKO3 (12), Jul 15, 1995
10Win10–0Marcelino QuirozKO2 (8), Apr 1, 1995
9Win9–0Rafael Ortiz1 (10)Feb 4, 1995
8Win8–0Felix Jose HernandezTKO2 (10)Oct 15, 1994
7Win7–0Jaime MayorgaTKO1 (12), Sep 3, 1994
6Win6–0Edison MartinezTKO1 (8), Jun 4, 1994
5Win5–0Manuel Alvarez8Feb 5, 1994
4Win4–0Ramon BarreraTKO1 (6)Dec 28, 1993
3Win3–0Jorge Eliecer OrtizTKO1 (4), Dec 4, 1993
2Win2–0Manuel Florian4Oct 16, 1993
1Win1–0Gabriel Camarena1 (4), Jul 17, 1993

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boxing News. The Sweet Science.
  2. Web site: Firat Arslan Faces Guillermo Jones on September 27 - Boxing News. boxingscene.com. 3 August 2008 .
  3. Web site: Guillermo Jones withdraws from cruiserweight defense vs. Ryan Coyne. ESPN.com. 19 June 2011 .
  4. Web site: Guillermo Jones: I'll Face Yoan Pablo Hernandez on 8/27 - Boxing News. boxingscene.com. 21 June 2011 .
  5. Web site: WBA strips Jones, Lebedev again cruiser champ. Boxing News. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131022032308/http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/wba-strips-jones-lebedev-again-cruiser-champ-229048. 2013-10-22.
  6. Web site: WBA reinstalls Guillermo Jones as champion in recess. Boxing News. 2013-12-17. 2013-12-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20131214192157/http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/wba-reinstalls-guillermo-jones-as-champion-in-recess-233377. dead.