“I’m Finally Smiling Again” – Jerry Jones Reflects After Prolonged Challenges

The name Jerry Jones might not ring out like some of his former opponents, but his story reflects a painful, all-too-familiar reality for many ex-boxers who gave everything to the sport — and received little in return.

Now 65 and blind in one eye, Jones only recently escaped nearly seven years of homelessness on the streets of Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Today, after finally securing stable housing about a year ago, he says he’s “smiling again.” But the road back was anything but easy.

A Fighter’s Fighter

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jones faced a string of legitimate top-tier heavyweights: Ray Mercer, Carl “The Truth” Williams, Michael Bentt, Bruce Seldon, Zeljko Mavrovic, and Alexander Zolkin, among others. Despite a modest professional record of 9-11 (5 KOs), the tall, long-limbed southpaw with an 85-inch reach was known as a tricky, durable test — often thrown in on short notice as the “opponent.”

“My trainer wasn’t too concerned if I trained or not,” Jones admits. “He was making way more dollars than I was.”

That trainer was Vardell McCann, an old-school figure in D.C.’s boxing scene. “He was a good man, but looking back, I didn’t realize I was being sold out. I had bad habits and didn’t train like I should have. I found out later that he didn’t have much of a record himself.”

Bright Moments in a Tough Career

Despite the setbacks, Jones pulled off major upsets. In February 1989, he stopped Michael Bentt, a former amateur standout making his pro debut. “It was a case of me catching him before he caught me,” Jones recalls. “We’re kind of friends today. But when I was homeless and asked him for help… well, he didn’t.”

A few years later, in March 1992, Jones scored a unanimous decision over former world title challenger Carl Williams, a win that briefly elevated him in the IBF rankings.

“I looked up to Carl, but at the weigh-in he said he was going to knock me out,” Jones says. “That lit a fire under me. Beating him was one of my best nights. But again, my money came up short.”

Sparring with the Elite

Jones sparred many of the heavyweight era’s biggest names. “Evander Holyfield was sheer class. He paid me every week for six weeks,” Jones says. He also worked with Riddick Bowe, Axel Schulz, Shannon Briggs, Oliver McCall, and Kirk Johnson.

Asked who hit him the hardest, Jones names Bowe, though he credits an amateur opponent — Sammy Johnson — as possibly the hardest puncher he ever faced. “But I beat him, too,” he adds proudly.

Life After Boxing: Crime, Regret, and Survival

Like many fighters whose careers end abruptly, Jones struggled to find purpose once he could no longer compete — especially after losing vision in one eye, forcing his retirement. What followed was a descent into crime and incarceration.

“I robbed banks. I went to jail,” Jones says candidly. “I served four years the first time. Then I came out and did it again. I must’ve tried robbing 20 banks. But I never used a weapon, and for that, I’m blessed. In total, I did about seven years in prison.”

The depression of losing boxing — his identity and escape — pushed him to the brink. After prison, he lived on the streets.

“I don’t like to think about those days,” he says. “But it was very rough.”

To get by, Jones trained young people at local parks and used the money to rent motel rooms when he could. “My ex-wife helped me, too. If it was too cold, she’d let me stay at her place. Other times, I’d sleep in abandoned houses.”

Redemption and Hope

Now, with a roof over his head and the worst behind him, Jones is focused on staying grounded.

“Besides being blind in one eye, my memory’s not great. I keep notes stuck to my door to remind me to turn off the stove, grab my keys, bring my ID.”

He’s even considering writing a book. “But I don’t know where to start,” he says.

He should — because his story is one of grit, heartbreak, and survival. Known in the ring as both “The Slice Man” and “T-Bone”, Jerry Jones is a man who’s seen boxing at its best and life at its harshest.