Interview Dated 2006

Promoter Bobby Jones

It's not hard to find Promoter Bobby Jones at one if his local boxing matches in Houston. He's the guy standing about 6'6" dressed in black, with the distinctively Texan cowboy hat. Jones recently entered the boxing business, and has been behind some of the most exciting recent local cards.


HBS - You're originally from Houston?

BJ - Always from Houston.

HBS - How'd you get involved in boxing?

BJ - Actually an accident. I play golf with Kenny Weldon. Used to play every morning and he just slowly drug me in (laughs).

HBS - You had your first card a couple of years back.

BJ - Two years ago over in Pasadena we did a card and then Kenny got really involved with Sergei (Liakhovich), the Champ, so we laid off it for awhile and then we brought it back up, resurrected it here about four or five months ago and we've got three shows. They've all been great shows.

HBS - How's it working for you financially?

BJ - Are you asking me if we make money on the fights?

HBS - That's what I'm asking.

BJ - Actually it hasn't been a winning proposition to be honest with you. Telefutura, you have to pay them quite a bit of money for the venue. So even to break even, it's not an easy deal. We haven't made anything yet but we've been slowly building. We'll get a following. We've got a reputation for having good fights so we're going to be fine.

HBS - So how does that work? One would thing that the network would be paying you since for providing the content, but it works the other way around.

BJ - Yeah, actually I'm co-promoting with Top Rank and they have the deal with Telefutura and then they go out and find local venues and local promoters to co-promote with them so I'm co-proimoting with Top Rank. But we have to pay what's called a site fee you know. It's the tens of thousands to have them bring all this stuff out and set it up. They probably do make money from the network but they pay the fighters too so I don't have that charge. Then on the quality of fights it's how much you've got to pay for the fighters. So I don't know on their end if they're making money or not. I know on my end I'm working my way up.

HBS - What is your incentive then to go ahead and bring Telefutura in if it costs you a lot of money. Is it to obtain recognition for your fighters?

BJ - That's the reason. I have two fighters, John "The Lion" rarden and Jesus "El Martillo" The Hammer Gonzales and this is a good way to get them noticed and to get them on T.V. So I do this only if my fighters fight on the card of course. We think Ernie (Jesus) will be the next middleweight champion of the world in the next year or so.

HBS - The guy he's fighting tonight is a pretty tough guy. Apparently Gonzales was going to fight another guy tonight out of Chicago, Walker, and now he's fighting this guy out of Youngstown. Any idea how this matchup came about?

BJ - I think Walker decided to stay in Chicago and not make the trip. Darnell I hear is really tough and I believe he's going to surprise us with how tough he is. This is no cakewalk. I'm very worried about it to be honest with you. Ernie's got all the confidence in the world though. I call him Ernie, Jesus Gonzales, but I think it's going to be a tough fight.

HBS - You're almost like a pro sports franchise owner, like a football team owner, so it's got to be a real rush to watch your guy get in there, and whether he wins or loses it really means something to you.

BJ - It's scary as heck. When Sergei (Liakhovich) went down, the heavyweight championship fight, you know I'm partners with Kenny, and ergie lost the title here a couple of weeks ago it hurts (laughts). Actually you cry for at least a week. I think Sergei cried for two weeks.

HBS - How did you meet Kenny?

BJ - I've known Kenny for between five and ten years. I met him at the golf course. We began playing golf together. Play golf every morning, so there you go. He was Holyfield's trainer for awhile and he just kind of got me interested in it. We took a young guy that needed some sponsoring, John Rarden, who needed help through high school and everything and I do a lot of charity work. I have 20 charities that play bingo at my bingo halls so we sponsored John and then he turned pro and here we are.

HBS - So that's your primary background is you've run bingo halls?

BJ - I'm in the bingo business. I've done this since 1984. State-regulated bingo. Honest, legitimate business.

HBS - How do you compare and contrast bingo and boxing?

BJ - Usually in bingo you can't lose. Boxing's a different story. Boxing, you only get your money back when you've got a champ, I think. But I've learned. It's an expensive road and hopefully your fighter will get their chance. Otherwise, it's for the sport of it. It's all fun. I tell you I have a ball watching these guys. It's a lot of fun to come out an watch John and Ernie fight, and I'm getting to know some of these other guys I didn't know before, too. I never thought I'd like boxing but I do.

HBS - What is it that you enjoy about the sport?

BJ - Well like you said, the ups and downs. Your guy knocking somebody out is a great feeling and when he gets tagged in the head you get a sinking feeling. It's just a rush, both ways.