Amari Jones will make his third defense of his Golden Boy Promotions contract by fighting for the IBF middleweight title eliminator bout against Vincenzo Gualtieri on Friday at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Jones has been training with Oscar De La Hoya-led Golden Boy Promotions, and James Pressley has worked with him on his training regimen.
Amari Jones , of Oakland, left, and Vincenzo Gualtieri , of Germany, face off during a weigh-in at Hayes Mansion in San Jose, Calif. , Thursday, May 21, 2026.
Jones, an undefeated middleweight contender, and Gualtieri, a former IBF middleweight world champion, will fight in a 12-round IBF title eliminator bout on Friday at the SAP Center in San Jose. wasn’t interested in any of the promotional fanfare Wednesday at Hayes Mansion ahead of his big-stage fight tonight in front of a hometown crowd. It was the kind of attitude that everyone in the room could feel, even if he wasn’t saying much.
An edgy mood that felt as if something bad could pop off in a matter of seconds. will bring that intensity tonight to SAP Center, where he will be fighting former world champion Vincenzo Gualtieri of Germany in a 12-round middleweight IBF title eliminator. A win will put Jones one step closer to a world title shot, a climb he has made look surgical since turning pro in 2021.
Jones made it clear: This fight against Gualtieri is just another step to getting where he wants to be.
“I’m going to punish this man,” Jones said during the press conference. “I’m going to show why Golden Boy Promotions is so high on me. I’m going to prove to him that he can’t compare to me. He doesn’t have nothing.
He reached his climax already. Amari Jones is declared the winner after knocking out Daniel Echeverria in a boxing match, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Oakland Marriott Center in Oakland, Calif. But even in the midst of getting his mind ready for the biggest fight of his career up to this point, Jones said he is thankful to be able to bring boxing back to the Bay Area.
“The home is where the heart is, and to get recognized by big staples in the community in the Bay Area is unmatched,” Jones told the Bay Area News Group after the press conference. “And to eventually put boxing in the Bay on a national level is where it’s at. I’m going to continue to try and build here. ” The fight will be Jones’ third time competing in his home region since turning pro.
In December 2023, Jones knocked out Quilisto Madera at Chase Center on the Devin Haney vs. Regis Prograis fight card. A few months later, Jones headlined aShortly after his fight in Oakland, Jones signed with Oscar De La Hoya-led Golden Boy Promotions, where he has quickly elevated to become one of the sport’s brightest young stars.
“I’ve been with Oscar a year now and business-wise, he’s been helping me get my mind sharper,” Jones said. In February, Jones finished veteran Luis Arias after a flurry of body and head shots made the 35-year-old quit on the stool after the fourth round. Amari Jones, of Oakland, left, flexes his muscles on the scale during an official weigh-in ahead of his fight against Vincenzo Gualtieri, of Germany, at the Hayes Mansion in San Jose, Calif.
, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Jones, an undefeated middleweight contender, and Gualtieri, a former IBF middleweight world champion, will fight in a 12-round IBF title eliminator bout on Friday at the SAP Center in San Jose. The 33-year-old Gualtieri, nicknamed “II Capo” has won multiple world titles in Europe. He is currently on a four-fight winning streak and was the IBF Middleweight champion as recently as 2023.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to move forward and become a world champion again,” Gualtieri said. “I’ve fought a lot of champions and been in big fights before. Friday night, Amari is fighting someone who has already been there. ”In the co-main event, undefeated cruiserweight Robin Safar will be fighting for the WBC Silver cruiserweight title against Argentine fighter Yamil Peralta in a 12-round bout.
Darius Fulghum will fight Yoanki Urrutia in a 10-round matchup. Rounding out the main card will be Tristan Kalkreuth fighting Mexico’s Marco Canedo . Undercard fights will begin at 2:15 p.m. and the broadcast featuring the main event will begin at 5 p.m. on DAZN.
Amari Jones, of Oakland, center, steps down the stage after the official weigh-in against Vincenzo Gualtieri, of Germany, at Hayes Mansion in San Jose, Calif. , Thursday, May 21, 2026. Jones, an undefeated middleweight contender, and Gualtieri, a former IBF middleweight world champion, will fight in a 12-round IBF title eliminator bout on Friday at the SAP Center in San Jose.
Amari Jones, left, boxes Daniel Echeverria, Saturday night, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Oakland Marriott Center in Oakland, Calif.
Boxing Amari Jones Vincenzo Gualtieri IBF Title Eliminator Golden Boy Promotions SAP Center San Jose California Professional Boxing Match
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