Philly welterweight Jones faces Munoz

If Mike Jones doesn't realize his dream of wrapping a world championship belt around his slender waist, it won't be for lack of proper guidance along with a strong dose of inspiration.

Jones, 28, the undefeated welterweight contender who grew up in Mount Airy, takes what he hopes will be another step toward a title fight when he encounters Raul Munoz of Mexico on Saturday night at the South Philly Arena. It will be his first bout in his hometown in more than two years, and he wants to show the city's fight fans he's still on track to eventually succeed ageless Bernard Hopkins as the next great Philly boxer.

"I want to put on a great performance for the Philadelphia fans," Jones said before a recent training session at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym.

By all accounts, Jones listens to instructions and takes care of himself.

He takes to heart advice he receives from Hopkins. Case in point: After Jones won a controversial decision over tough Jesus Soto-Karass on Nov. 13 in San Antonio, Texas, Hopkins told him he did Soto-Karass a favor by spending himself going for an early knockout. In a rematch with Soto-Karass on Feb. 19, Jones scored a lopsided decision.

"He just went out there and showed everybody what he could do," said Vaughn Jackson, Jones' trainer since the fighter turned pro on Dec. 16, 2005. "The people who doubted him, they could see he can box, and he can punch."

Jones, who is 24-0 with 18 knockouts, had the importance of proper nutrition driven home while watching his father, Mike, suffer from diabetes. It was Jones' father who took him to Joe Frazier's Gym after the son told him at the age of 15 he wanted to be a boxer.

"My father's had a couple of strokes and has lost his ability to walk, all from diabetes," he said. "It's made me take boxing a lot more seriously. It taught me life isn't promised to you. You can be out of here at any second. It's made me eat right and try to do things right so I can have good health in the long run."

Although Munoz (22-13-1) is not expected to offer Jones much resistance, J. Russell Peltz, whose Peltz Boxing Promotions is co-promoting Saturday's fight with Top Rank and Joe Hand Promotions, wants Jones to stay active so he can continue to build toward a title fight in 2012 against welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao, regarded as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.

Earlier this week, Top Rank's Bob Arum said in a news release that Jones will be on a list of potential 2012 opponents for Pacquiao. Even if Arum's comment is self-serving because Top Rank is co-promoting Jones' fight against Munoz, Jones can force the issue by continuing to fight and win.

"Experience is the key here and Mike needs it, and the best part is that Mike understands this," Peltz said. "He can't fall into the habit of waiting for HBO or Showtime or pay-per-view fights. That's the problem with many of today's fighters - they won't fight unless they can make a score. The old-timers fought to pay their bills and learn their craft."

Jones' pro career began with 12 consecutive knockouts, none of which went beyond five rounds. As his career has evolved, he has become a more complete boxer.

"I think the more the competition steps up the more defensive guys are," he explained. "They protect their bodies a lot more. They have better defensive skills. And it's me just trying to become a better pro and pick my shots more and not waste a lot of punches."

At 6-feet and with a 72-inch reach, Jones is difficult to handle because most fighters in the 147-pound welterweight division are much shorter. Still, he said he takes no opponent lightly.

"He's a professional, you know, he's had a lot of fights, and I know he's going to come to win," Jones said of the 35-year-old Munoz, who has been in the ring with Julio Chavez Jr. and Hector Camacho. "He's not a guy you can overlook, not at all. Anybody who fights Mike Jones gets up for it because he'll feel he has something to prove. That's why I prepare myself to be the best I can be."