Jones (17-0, 15 KOs) is riding a massive wave of momentum since signing a promotional deal with Golden Boy last summer, scoring three straight stoppages inside a total of nine rounds. By knocking out Gualtieri in their IBF title eliminator, Jones also climbed up The Ring’s rankings, jumping from No. 10 to the No. 7 slot.

The 24-year-old Jones, who is trained by Virgil Hunter and mentored by Andre Ward, now waits to face the winner of the fight between Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha, who are supposed to square off for the vacant IBF title in August.

“For anyone who thought my previous performances were a fluke, I was happy to put on a statement performance by stopping a former world champion in front of my hometown fans,” Jones told The Ring. “I see myself as a world champion by this time next year. I don’t know which belt it will be, but I will have one of them. I’m focused and staying in the gym to handle my business.”

Jones, nicknamed “The Reaper,” dropped Gualtieri twice and stopped him sooner than Janibek Alimkhanuly did against the German with his sixth-round technical knockout in 2023. Alimkhanuly has since been stripped of his IBF title, however, after testing positive for a banned substance, Meldonium, in November, which has opened the door for Jones and others to get a crack at a crown he once held.

Jones’ fight against Gualtieri was just his second scheduled 12-rounder after two scheduled 10-rounders before that. He has fought past the sixth round only once in a pro career that kicked off in 2021 under Devin Haney’s promotional umbrella.

“I felt like my win against Gualtieri was a lot cleaner and a better stoppage win than Janibek’s,” Jones said. “I dropped Gualtieri twice and knocked him out definitively, while Janibek got it done with Gualtieri still standing on his feet.

“I feel like I’m more of a finisher than a knockout puncher. I do have power, but the skills and mentality I have in the ring make it look like I’m a knockout artist. I know how to place the right shots, and they always land. I just trust the skills.

“I know I can compete and beat top guys like Janibek, Carlos Adames and Yoenli Hernandez. They are great competitors, but I also have the skills to compete and I’ve been showing it. I know I can get the job done.”

The Oakland-born Jones is also confident he can be a boon in the Bay Area, a sports-rich region that has been stripped of major franchises in recent years ever since the Raiders (NFL) and Athletics (MLB) relocated.

With Hunter, Ward, Golden Boy and manager Rick Mirigian in his corner, Jones envisions becoming a commodity in the sport. He also expects to draw well in Oakland, much like Terence Crawford did in Omaha, Nebraska, before breaking through to even bigger markets.

“I can absolutely be the next big draw and star in the Bay Area, and in the middleweight division,” Jones said. “It’s home for me and I have a lot of support and a lot of fans. I hope I can be a staple for the community moving forward and bring it back together.

“Golden Boy has been treating me really well and doing their thing. It helps that I have been performing and getting these stoppages. And Andre is like a big brother and gives me pointers here and there. It’s great to pick up the phone and call a Hall of Famer. When he talks, I listen. Virgil is full of wisdom, too, so I get it from both of them.”

Jones is looking forward to headlining in the Bay Area again for his next fight, or serving as the co-main event to Ryan Garcia’s planned fight on September 12 in Las Vegas. Jones stopped Luis Arias after the fourth round on Garcia’s pay-per-view undercard February 21 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I’m ready to fight again right now,” Jones said. “I want to keep this momentum going.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.