Dan rafael of espn.com confirmed a video interview with Bob Arum on www.15rounds.com that undefeated Mike Jones will take on rough and rugged Sebastian Lujan plus Guillermo Rogondeaux will take on Rico Ramos as part of the Miguel Cotto – Antonio Margarito undercard set for December 3rd in New York.
Russell Peltz, who co-promotes Jones (25-0, 19 KOs) with Arum, said everyone on their team realizes it is a dangerous fight. Known for having a strong chin, Lujan (38-5-2, 24 KOs) is riding a 12-fight winning streak, including a dominant ninth-round knockout of promising Mark Melligen on ESPN2 on July 1.
“I think it’s a lot tougher fight than Mike had with (Jesus) Soto Karass,” Peltz said of the most difficult fights so far in Jones’ career, back-to-back competitive decision wins against Soto Karass in November 20010 and in the February rematch. “(Jones) says if fighting this kind of fight is what he has to do to get a title shot, it is what he has to do. He has to be in better shape than he was for the second Soto Karass fight.”
Said Jones: “Lujan puts on pressure, but not constant pressure like Karass. He moves his head a lot more than Karass but throws wide punches, which I will take advantage of. This will put me in line for a money fight.”
Arum said the third televised undercard fight has not been set yet but that Top Rank president Todd duBoef “was working on it and I can’t say what it is yet because it’s not done.”
Also back in action on the undercard will be junior middleweight Pawel Wolak, although his bout is not scheduled to be part of the HBO PPV broadcast. Wolak’s opponent is not set, but manager Cameron Dunkin said they are OK with the fight not being on the telecast.
I’m trying to do certain things with him but it’s been tough. We wanted (titlist Cornelius) Bundrage, but there wasn’t the money to deliver it and Bundrage is with (promoter) Don King, which is never easy,” Dunkin said. “So I’m trying to get him back out there and keep him active. We wanted him on TV but there wasn’t a spot for him. This fight is the start and we’ll keep him going from here.”
“Excited,” Wolak said. “Unfortunately, (Bundrage) was scared. Canelo (Alvarez) and (Julio Cesar) Chavez (Jr.) aren’t available and worried and there was no (premium) network interest in a rematch with Delvin, so we are going to Plan B. That is why I signed with a competent manager as he knows how to get me where I want to go.”
Said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum: “Wolak wants a title fight. Rather than argue with him we said, ‘We’ll put you in with a second-level guy, but it won’t be on television’ and that way he stays active and I don’t embarrass myself with the televised undercard.”
