Welterweight aims for KO in rematch

Jesus Soto-Karass is convinced the judges robbed him against Mike Jones in November and not surprisingly is looking for a knockout in their rematch Saturday at Mandalay Bay.

"Everyone who saw the fight thought I won," Soto-Karass said Wednesday. "That's why we're fighting again. But this time, I don't want it in the judges' hands."

They scored it a 10-round majority decision for Jones in the Nov. 13 bout for the NABA, NABO and WBC Continental Americas welterweight titles at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The rematch is a 12-round fight and heads the undercard for the WBC-WBO bantamweight title fight between Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire.

Soto-Karass, who was wrapping up training camp in Los Angeles before heading to Las Vegas today, said he's so motivated for the bout that he doesn't think an extra two rounds will matter.

"I know I'm going to knock him out and anyone else who is in front of me," said Soto-Karass (24-5-3, 16 knockouts). "I know I can go 12 hard rounds. I'm going to pressure him from the beginning to the end."

That was the case from the third round on during the first fight, after Jones wore himself out trying to stop Soto-Karass in the second round. Soto-Karass was staggering around the ring but managed to stay upright.

"That was my biggest mistake," said the 27-year-old Jones (23-0, 18 KOs). "I saw something, and I shouldn't have gone for broke. All my fundamentals went out the window, and I felt my legs go after throwing all those punches in the second round. It felt like doing 10 miles inside a sauna. I couldn't move."

At age 28, Soto-Karass said there's still time for him to become a world champion. Winning on Saturday would be a big step in that direction.

"I never thought I would be a world-ranked fighter when I started boxing," Soto-Karass said. "I was just having a good time. I didn't take it as seriously as I should have when I was younger, and it may have factored into why I'm still not a world champion. I wasn't mature enough then to understand how hard you have to work to be a great fighter.

"But now I believe I have the maturity. I trained real hard for this fight because I know I can beat this guy. I don't think he respected me the first time, and I think he underestimated me. He's probably going to be more cautious this time, and I'm going to go right after him from the first bell. It's important I start fast, and I'm not going to wait.

"The time is right. I think I have five, six years left, and I think I can win a world championship."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.