Guillermo Jones

Biography

Guillermo Jones, known by his nicknames "El Felino" and "El Jefe," is a retired Panamanian professional boxer whose career spanned an impressive 24 years and four months. Born on May 5, 1972, in Colón, Panama, Jones began his professional journey on July 17, 1993, with a first-round TKO victory over Gabriel Camarena. This early success set the tone for a storied career that would see him compete across multiple weight classes, from welterweight to cruiserweight.

Jones' amateur career is not well-documented, but his professional career is replete with notable achievements. He quickly established himself as a formidable force, winning his first 21 bouts in Panama. However, his first major setback came in 1997 when he was stopped by David Noel in Venezuela. Undeterred, Jones avenged this loss two months later with a first-round knockout. His rise to prominence continued with two world title attempts at light middleweight against Laurent Boudouani in 1998, though he lost the rematch by split decision. Jones' perseverance and adaptability allowed him to transition successfully to the cruiserweight division, where he would eventually achieve his greatest success.

One of Jones' most memorable fights was against Johnny Nelson for the WBO World Cruiserweight title 2002. Although the bout ended in a draw, many observers felt Jones had done enough to win. He continued to face top-tier opponents, including Steve Cunningham, against whom he lost by split decision in 2005. However, Jones rebounded with impressive knockouts over Kelvin Davis and Wayne Braithwaite in the same year. His crowning achievement came on September 27, 2008, when he defeated Firat Arslan to claim the WBA Cruiserweight title via a tenth-round TKO. This victory made Jones the oldest and heaviest Panamanian to win a world championship at the time.

Jones successfully defended his title twice, first against Valery Brudov in October 2010 and then against Michael Marrone in November 2011. His bout against Denis Lebedev in May 2013 was particularly notable, as it marked the first time two defending champions of the same title faced each other. Jones won the fight with an eleventh-round knockout, but his victory was marred by controversy when he was later stripped of his title due to a failed drug test. Despite these challenges, Jones continued to fight, concluding his career with a split decision victory over Ytalo Perea on November 18, 2017. His final professional record stands at 41-3-2, with 30 wins by knockout.