Junior Jones

Junior Jones
Jones in 2010
Born	(1970-12-19) December 19, 1970 (age 54) Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names	Poison
Statistics
Weight(s)	Bantamweight Super bantamweight Featherweight Super featherweight
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm) [1]
Reach	71 in (180 cm) [1]
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	56
Wins	50
Wins by KO	28
Losses	6

Junior Jones (born December 20, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2002. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight title from 1993 to 1994 and the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight title from 1996 to 1997. He also held the International Boxing Organization (IBO) featherweight title from 1999 to 2000.

Amateur career

As an amateur, Jones won the New York Golden Gloves tournament twice, winning the finals at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. ^{[2] [3]}

Professional career

Jones (third from right) in 2010

Jones made his professional debut on June 8, 1989, scoring a first-round technical knockout against George Young. He won his first 32 professional boxing matches. Jones defeated Jorge Eliécer Julio to win the WBA bantamweight title on October 23, 1993. Jones made one successful defense, but lost his title after being stopped in eleven rounds by John Michael Johnson on April 22, 1994; Jones had previously defeated Johnson by unanimous decision (UD) on August 10, 1989.

More than two years later, on November 22, 1996, Jones scored his most significant victory by handing then-undefeated Mexican boxer Marco Antonio Barrera his first loss to win the WBO super bantamweight title, thus becoming a two-weight world champion. ^[4] A minor controversy arose at the end of their fight when Barrera's cornermen entered the ring after he had been knocked down in the fifth round. This forced the referee to disqualify Barrera rather than award a stoppage to Jones. In their rematch, which took place on April 18, 1997, Jones won a close UD to defend his title.

On December 19, 1997, Jones lost the title after being stopped in four rounds by 1988 Olympic gold medalist Kennedy McKinney. ^[5] In his next fight, on September 12, 1998, Jones was again stopped in the fourth round, this time by WBC super bantamweight champion Érik Morales. On April 10, 1999, Jones won the vacant IBO featherweight title with a late stoppage of Richard Evatt in the eleventh round. ^[6] In his first defense, on April 29, 2000, he lost the title to IBF featherweight champion Paul Ingle in an eleventh-round stoppage. ^[7] Jones won three matches in a row, before losing his final boxing match to Ivan Alvarez in 2002. ^[2]

He was inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame in 2025. ^[8]

Professional boxing record

56 fights	50 wins	6 losses
By knockout	28	5
By decision	21	1
By disqualification	1	0

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
56	Loss	50–6	Ivan Alvarez	UD	10	Dec 6, 2002	Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
55	Win	50–5	Johnny Walker	UD	10	Aug 29, 2002	Arena Boxing Gym, St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
54	Win	49–5	Mike Juárez	KO	7 (12), 1:05	Oct 20, 2001	Stratosphere, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.	Won vacant IBA Continental super featherweight title
53	Win	48–5	Manuel Sepeda	UD	10	Apr 19, 2001	Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
52	Loss	47–5	Paul Ingle	TKO	11 (12), 1:16	Apr 29, 2000	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Lost IBO featherweight title; For IBF featherweight title
51	Win	47–4	Tracy Harris Patterson	MD	10	Nov 12, 1999	The Orleans, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
50	Win	46–4	Richard Evatt	TKO	11 (12), 2:31	Apr 10, 1999	MEN Arena, Manchester, England	Won vacant IBO featherweight title
49	Win	45–4	Tom Johnson	UD	12	Feb 17, 1999	Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.	Won vacant IBA super featherweight title
48	Loss	44–4	Érik Morales	TKO	4 (12), 2:55	Sep 12, 1998	Bullring by the Sea, Tijuana, Mexico	For WBC super bantamweight title
47	Loss	44–3	Kennedy McKinney	TKO	4 (12), 2:41	Dec 19, 1997	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Lost WBO super bantamweight title
46	Win	44–2	Marco Antonio Barrera	UD	12	Apr 18, 1997	Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.	Retained WBO super bantamweight title
45	Win	43–2	Marco Antonio Barrera	DQ	5 (12), 2:59	Nov 22, 1996	Ice Palace, Tampa, Florida, U.S.	Won WBO super bantamweight title; Barrera disqualified after his cornermen entered the ring too early
44	Win	42–2	Tommy Parks	TKO	5 (10), 1:15	Sep 10, 1996	Beacon Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
43	Win	41–2	Wilson Santos	UD	10	Aug 20, 1996	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
42	Win	40–2	Orlando Canizales	SD	12	Mar 23, 1996	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Won IBC super bantamweight title
41	Win	39–2	Armando Navarro	TKO	1 (10), 1:30	Jan 12, 1996	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
40	Win	38–2	Alberto Rendon	UD	10	Dec 2, 1995	Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
39	Win	37–2	Tomas Valdez	TKO	2	Oct 6, 1995	Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
38	Win	36–2	Jesus Chavez	KO	3	Sep 9, 1995	Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
37	Win	35–2	Shawn Wilkins	PTS	10	May 19, 1995	New York City, New York, U.S.
36	Win	34–2	Nelson Ramon Medina	UD	10	Mar 11, 1995	Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
35	Loss	33–2	Darryl Pinckney	TKO	3 (10)	Oct 22, 1994	Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
34	Win	33–1	Orlando Fernandez	UD	10	Jun 12, 1994	Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
33	Loss	32–1	John Michael Johnson	TKO	11 (12), 1:21	Apr 22, 1994	Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Lost WBA bantamweight title
32	Win	32–0	Elvis Álvarez	UD	12	Jan 8, 1994	Friar Tuck Inn, Catskill, New York, U.S.	Retained WBA bantamweight title
31	Win	31–0	Jorge Eliécer Julio	UD	12	Oct 23, 1993	Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.	Won WBA bantamweight title
30	Win	30–0	Francisco Alvarez	TKO	12 (12), 2:40	Aug 10, 1993	Memorial Auditorium, Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.	Retained WBC Continental Americas bantamweight title
29	Win	29–0	Francisco Gomez	TKO	2 (10), 1:19	Jun 24, 1993	Paramount Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
28	Win	28–0	Juan Pablo Salazar	KO	4 (12), 1:17	Mar 6, 1993	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Won vacant WBC Continental Americas bantamweight title
27	Win	27–0	Felizardo Carrasco	TKO	2 (10), 2:00	Jan 15, 1993	Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
26	Win	26–0	Jose Quirino	KO	3 (12), 0:44	Nov 13, 1992	Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Retained USBA bantamweight title
25	Win	25–0	Eddie Rangel	TKO	7 (12), 0:14	Sep 17, 1992	Paramount Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.	Retained USBA bantamweight title
24	Win	24–0	Max Gomez	UD	10	Aug 20, 1992	Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
23	Win	23–0	Arturo Nava	TKO	1 (10), 2:36	Jun 23, 1992	Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, New York, U.S.
22	Win	22–0	Diego Avila	TKO	5 (10), 2:59	Mar 6, 1992	Villa Roma Resort, Callicoon, New York, U.S.
21	Win	21–0	Dadoy Andujar	TKO	9 (12), 2:23	Dec 12, 1991	Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.	Won vacant USBA bantamweight title
20	Win	20–0	Rolando Bohol	UD	10	Oct 24, 1991	Centrum, Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
19	Win	19–0	Ramon Solis	TKO	2 (10), 3:00	Aug 15, 1991	Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
18	Win	18–0	Alejandro Sanabria	TKO	7 (10), 1:16	Jun 13, 1991	The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
17	Win	17–0	Jose Luis Vegagil	UD	10	May 2, 1991	Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
16	Win	16–0	Juan Carazo	MD	10	Mar 1, 1991	Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
15	Win	15–0	Marcos Claudio	TKO	2 (8), 1:28	Jan 20, 1991	Trump's Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
14	Win	14–0	Claudemir Carvalho Dias	TKO	2 (8)	Dec 13, 1990	Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
13	Win	13–0	Felix Marti	TKO	6 (8), 2:16	Oct 18, 1990	Community War Memorial, Rochester, New York, U.S.
12	Win	12–0	Adan Aviles	KO	1, 1:57	Sep 27, 1990	Waterloo Village, Byram Township, New Jersey, U.S.
11	Win	11–0	Anthony Barela	UD	8	Aug 5, 1990	Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
10	Win	10–0	Angel Gonzalez	TKO	2, 2:47	Jun 24, 1990	Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
9	Win	9–0	Guadalupe Barajas	KO	1 (8)	May 18, 1990	Villa Roma Resort, Callicoon, New York, U.S.
8	Win	8–0	Fermin Rodriguez	KO	4	Mar 30, 1990	Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
7	Win	7–0	Angel Gonzalez	UD	6	Feb 20, 1990	Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
6	Win	6–0	Carlos Reyna	TKO	2 (6), 2:40	Jan 12, 1990	Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, U.S.
5	Win	5–0	Ruben Nevarez	TKO	5	Nov 16, 1989	Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S.
4	Win	4–0	Charlie Montana	KO	2	Sep 14, 1989	Beacon Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
3	Win	3–0	John Michael Johnson	UD	4	Aug 10, 1989	Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S.
2	Win	2–0	Quincy Pratt	PTS	4	Jun 23, 1989	Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	George Young	TKO	1	Jun 8, 1989	Trump's Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.

References

1. HBO Sports tale of the tape prior to the Paul Ingle fight.
2. Jones, Michael J (May 2013). "Junior Jones; "Barrera is a sore loser..Naz didn't want to fight me"". Live Fight. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
3. "Golden Gloves 80 Years". boxingcoachmike.com. August 7, 2007.
4. Smith, Timothy W. (September 3, 1998). "Boxing: Notebook; Junior Jones Likes His Chances". The New York Times . The New York Times Company. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
5. Fischer, Doug. "Best I Faced: Kennedy McKinney". The Ring . Retrieved December 24, 2016.
6. "Evatt Fails Against Junior Jones". Coventry & Warwickshire News. April 10, 1999. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
7. "Ingle survives scare to win". BBC Sport . BBC. April 30, 2000. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
8. "Julian Jackson, Steve Collins and Junior Jones lead the ACBHOF". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 3 February 2025.

External links

• Boxing record for Junior Jones from BoxRec (registration required)

Sporting positions
Regional boxing titles
Vacant Title last held by Eddie Cook	USBA bantamweight champion December 12, 1991 – March 1993 Vacated	Vacant Title next held by Mario Diaz
Vacant Title last held by Clarence Adams	WBC Continental Americas bantamweight champion March 6, 1993 – October 1993 Vacated	Vacant Title next held by Armando Salazar
Minor world boxing titles
Preceded by Orlando Canizales	IBC super bantamweight champion March 23, 1996 – November 1996 Vacated	Vacant Title next held by Max Gomez
Vacant Title last held by Gregorio Vargas	IBA super featherweight champion February 17, 1999 – October 1999 Vacated	Vacant Title next held by Jose Luis Castillo
Vacant Title last held by Radford Beasley	IBO featherweight champion April 10, 1999 – April 29, 2000	Succeeded by Paul Ingle
Major world boxing titles
Preceded by Jorge Eliécer Julio	WBA bantamweight champion October 23, 1993 – April 22, 1994	Succeeded by John Michael Johnson
Preceded by Marco Antonio Barrera	WBO super bantamweight champion November 22, 1996 – December 19, 1997	Succeeded by Kennedy McKinney