Jones Meets Gualtieri with High Stakes on Friday

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – Fighting on the national stage close to home, Amari Jones aims to stamp himself as a top middleweight contender when he takes on former title holder Vincenzo Gualtieri in the DAZN-broadcasted main event from the SAP Center at San Jose on Friday night. Fighters for the nine-bout card took part in a ceremonial weigh-in on Thursday afternoon at the nearby Hayes Mansion, having officially tipped the scales in the morning. 

Jones (16-0, 14 KOs) of Oakland, California will fight in the Bay Area for just the second time in his pro career as he takes a step-up in competition against Gualtieri (25-1-1, 8 KOs) of Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in the twelve-round IBF elimination bout. 

Jones, the IBF #4/WBC #14 ranked middleweight, has looked impressive in two fights since signing with Golden Boy Promotions last summer. Jones took a modest step-up last time out, scoring a fourth-round stoppage of normally durable veteran Luis Arias on the Mario Barrios-Ryan Garcia card in Las Vegas, Nevada this past February. Jones, fighting in his first scheduled twelve-rounder, weighed-in at 159.2 pounds on Thursday. 

Gualtieri, the IBF #5/WBO #8 ranked middleweight, represents the most accomplished pro the unbeaten Jones has squared off with to date. Gualtieri capped a 22-bout unbeaten run to begin his career by capturing the vacant IBF middleweight crown via twelve-round unanimous decision over previously unblemished Esquiva Falcao in July of 2023. Gualtieri attempted to immediately capitalize on his title victory, but failed to hold up to the offense of WBO kingpin Janibek Alimkhanuly in a unification bout that ended via sixth-round stoppage just three months later. Gualtieri, who has since bounced back with four straight victories back in Germany, scaled 158.2 pounds on Thursday. 

With the IBF #1 ranking, and title, currently vacant, the winner of Friday’s main event could potentially be in line to challenge for the belt as soon as their next outing. 

“This is to put me in position,” said Jones after Thursday’s ceremonial weigh-in. “This is to really show and prove that I belong in those top discussions. Tomorrow night we are going to show. I’m young and hungry. This is his last hope and I’m here to handle anything he is going to do.” 

In the co-main event, Yamil Peralta (18-1-1, 10 KOs) of Del Viso, Buenos Aires, Argentina defends his lightly-regarded WBC Silver cruiserweight title and accompanying world ranking against rising contender Robin Safar (19-0, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Flemingsberg, Stockholm, Sweden in a scheduled twelve-rounder. 

Peralta, the WBC #2/WBA #11 ranked cruiserweight, ended a nearly thirteen-month layoff last time out with a second-round kayo of journeyman Juan Diaz in Argentina this past February. Peralta notably went up against Ryan Rozicki twice in Canada to controversial conclusions. In fact, Peralta’s lone career loss, a 2022 split decision to Rozicki, is recognized by the WBC as a no contest, though the official decision stands. Two years later they tried it again, with the bout being declared a majority draw. Peralta weighed-in at 199 pounds on Thursday. 

Safar, the WBO #4/WBC #12/WBA #12/IBF #14 ranked cruiserweight, has inched closer to a world title bout with two victories since his career-defining win over Sergey Kovalev in May of 2024 and eventual signing with Golden Boy early last year. Safar scaled 199.2 pounds on Thursday. 

The winner of the bout figures to be near the head of the line to challenge recently-crowned WBC champion Noel Mikaelian. Three of the top four WBC contenders (Rozicki, Jai Opetaia and Chris Billiam-Smith) have recently signed with promoter Zuffa Boxing, with whom the WBC has a contentious relationship. 

Darius Fulghum (14-1-1, 12 KOs) of Houston, Texas has his eyes set at the top of the super middleweight division but he first must get by Yoanki Urrutia (17-2, 7 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Las Tunas, Las Tunas, Cuba in a ten-round bout on Friday. 

Fulghum, the WBA #5 ranked super middleweight, needs to get back on track after a disappointing draw against David Stevens last November. The draw came on the heels of Fulghum’s spirited effort in defeat by decision to Bektemir Melikuziev in a WBA eliminator last May. Urrutia, who has spent the last several years fighting exclusively in Florida, was bested by .500 fighter Ryan Adams via split decision in his last appearance in October. Fulghum scaled 168.8, while Urrutia came in at 169.8 pounds on Thursday. 

Cruiserweight prospect Tristan Kalkreuth (16-1, 11 KOs) of North Las Vegas, Nevada will take on Marco Antonio Canedo (8-3-1, 5 KOs) of Tacámbaro, Michoacán, Mexico in an eight-round  bout on Friday. Kalkreuth, making his 2026 debut, weighed-in at 198.2 pounds on Thursday. Canedo, unbeaten in five fights since dropping down from heavyweight, made 199.6 pounds on Thursday. 

Much-talked about prospect Jordan Fuentes (6-0, 2 KOs) of Fresno, California will open up the main card on DAZN in a six-round bantamweight bout against Dante Ibarra Hernandez (3-1, 3 KOs) of Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. The southpaw Fuentes, a reported seven-time national amateur champion, scaled 117.2 pounds, while Ibarra Hernandez made the bantamweight limit of 118 on Thursday. 

In the final preliminary bout to be streamed on the Golden Boy Promotions YouTube channel, Jose Medrano Jr. (2-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California will take on Anel Dudo (4-8-1, 1 KO) of Aurora, Colorado by way of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in a four-round super featherweight bout. The 18-year-old Medrano weighed-in at 127.4 pounds, while the veteran Dudo scaled 126.8. 

Jordan Panthen (11-2, 9 KOs) of Honolulu, Hawaii will take on Jean Rivera-Pacheco (10-2, 1 KO) of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a ten-round bout for the vacant regional WBA Intercontinental title. Panthen was last seen rescuing a show in January by stepping in on very short notice to take on well-regarded Raul Curiel this past January on DAZN. Panthen, who lost a wide unanimous decision on that night, weighed-in at 159.8 pounds on Thursday. Rivera-Pacheco, who has spent much of his career at welterweight, came in at 159.2 pounds on Thursday.  

John “Scrappy” Ramirez (16-1, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, California looks to extend a three-fight win streak against well-traveled veteran Lucas Fernandez (14-4-2, 9 KOs) of Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina in a ten-round super flyweight bout. Ramirez and Fernandez both scaled 114.8 pounds on Thursday.

Enkhmandakh Kharkhuu (7-0, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia will take on Adrian Ibarra Herrera (10-4, 8 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in an eight-round flyweight bout to open the card. Kharkhuu, back down in weight after having to fight at bantamweight in his last two outings, made 112.6 pounds, while the veteran Herrera scaled 112.8. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

IBF Middleweight Championship Elimination Bout, 12 Rounds 

Jones 159.2

Gualtieri 158.2

WBC Silver Cruiserweight Championship, 12 Rounds

Peralta 199

Safar 199.2

Super middleweights, 10 Rounds 

Fulghum 168.8

Urrutia 169.8

Cruiserweights, 8 Rounds

Kalkreuth 198.2

Canedo 199.6

Bantamweights, 6 Rounds

Fuentes 117.2 

Ibarra Hernandez 118

Featherweights, 4 Rounds

Medrano Jr. 127.4

Dudo 126.8

WBA Intercontinental Middleweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Panthen 159.8

Rivera-Pacheco 159.2

Super flyweights, 10 Rounds 

Ramirez 114.8

Fernandez 114.8

Flyweights, 8 Rounds

Kharkhuu 112.6

Ibarra Herrera 112.8

Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com 

Photos by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy Promotions

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmaill.com