Percy Jones (26 December 1892 – 25 December 1922) was a Welsh professional boxing world champion who competed from 1911 to 1916. He became the first Welshman to win a World championship when he took the IBU flyweight title from Bill Ladbury in 1914. The IBU later became the EBU and that is why the achievement was taken into context when comparing fighters of the same era. Jones also took the British and European flyweight titles from Ladbury in the same match. He has been voted number 6 in a BBC poll of Welsh boxing greats.

History Born in Porth and raised in a coal mining family, Jones made his name at a local level, fighting in boxing booths.Haines, Chris (2008) "Boxing: Percy Jones was a real knockout", Wales Online, 10 July 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2017Prior, Neil (2014) "Percy Jones' 1914 title began century of Wales' boxing wins", BBC, 25 January 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2017

His first significant professional fight was a win (via disqualification) over Joe Symonds in March 1913. He beat Symonds twice more later that year, and in November stopped Sam Kellar in the fifteenth round in a final eliminator for the vacant British flyweight title. This led to a challenge in January 1914 for Bill Ladbury's title, Jones winning on points to be recognised as champion of Britain, Europe, and the World.

He lost to Eugene Criqui in his next (non-title) fight, but beat the Frenchman on points in April in a defence of his European title. In his next non-title bout, he was knocked out Symonds in the eighteenth round of twenty.

He was forced to relinquish the British and World titles after failing to make the weight in two title fights. He lost to Tancy Lee in October 1914 in what should have been a British title fight, prompting a move up to bantamweight. His last professional contest was a fifth-round KO of Ladbury in October 1915, although he competed in an army contest the following year.

Jones was a vegetarian. He relied upon mountain walking for his exercise.

Army service

World War I interrupted his boxing career with Jones enlisting in the Glamorgan Bantam Battalion of the Welsh Army Service Corps on 2 January 1915. He was serving as a sergeant at the Somme in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers when he was badly wounded in the leg in 1916. After almost 30 operations to save the leg it was eventually amputated in 1918. Jones was also badly affected by poison gas.

His weight dropped to a little over 4 stone, and he died of trench fever in 1922 on Christmas Day, one day short of his 30th birthday.

Fight record

Jones is recorded on Boxrec.com as having 56 professional fights, with 50 wins, 3 losses and 3 draws.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes56Win50–3–3Private ColePTS6Feb 10, 191655Win49–3–3Private TownsendRTD6 (6)Feb 10, 191654Win48–3–3Bill LadburyKO5 (15)Oct 11, 191553Draw47–3–3Young SwiftPTS15Oct 1, 191552Win47–3–2Private ReesTKO3 (15)Sep 29, 191551Win46–3–2Gomer PerkinsKO3 (10)Jul 29, 191550Loss45–3–2Tancy LeeRTD14 (15)Oct 19, 191449Win45–2–2Billy FannerRTD9 (15)Sep 19, 191448Win44–2–2Jim Young KendallRTD4 (15)Jun 3, 191447Win43–2–2George ReevesRTD7 (15)Jun 2, 191446Loss42–2–2Joe SymondsRTD18 (20)May 15, 191445Win42–1–2Eugène CriquiPTS20Mar 26, 191444Loss41–1–2Eugène CriquiPTS15Feb 12, 191443Win41–0–2Bill LadburyPTS20Jan 26, 191442Win40–0–2Marcel MillionRTD3 (15)Jan 8, 191441Win39–0–2Driver KnoxKO1 (15)Dec 6, 191340Win38–0–2Alf MansfieldRTD8 (15)Nov 27, 191339Win37–0–2Sam KellarTKO15 (15)Nov 24, 191338Win36–0–2Joe WilsonRTD12 (15)Nov 8, 191337Win35–0–2Joe WilsonKO13 (15)Oct 18, 191336Win34–0–2Tom CherryPTS15Oct 11, 191335Win33–0–2Young BeynonPTS15Sep 20, 191334Win32–0–2Joe SymondsRTD8 (15)Sep 18, 191333Win31–0–2Bill KynePTS10Jul 21, 191332Win30–0–2Tom CherryRTD6 (15)Jul 10, 191331Win29–0–2Young BakerRTD8 (12)Jul 5, 191330Win28–0–2Bill KynePTS10Jun 23, 191329Win27–0–2Alf MansfieldRTD6 (12)Jun 7, 191328Win26–0–2Dido GainsPTS15Jun 5, 191327Win25–0–2Joe SymondsPTS10Jun 2, 191326Win24–0–2Young George DandoRTD4 (15)May 22, 191325Win23–0–2Tommy HarrisonRTD8 (15)May 8, 191324Win22–0–2Gustaaf GovaertsPTS6Apr 28, 191323Win21–0–2Tommy LewisPTS12Apr 5, 191322Win20–0–2Stoker Bill HoskyneKO3 (12)Mar 29, 191321Win19–0–2Joe SymondsDQ4 (12)Mar 22, 191320Win18–0–2WB JonesTKO2 (10)Feb 8, 191319Win17–0–2Jim Young KendallRTD4 (15)Feb 1, 191318Win16–0–2Young RuleTKO9 (20)Jan 25, 191317Win15–0–2George WilliamsTKO11 (15)Jan 11, 191316Win14–0–2Curly PullmanRTD7 (10)Dec 26, 191215Win13–0–2Dai MatthewsPTS6Dec 14, 191214Win12–0–2Young Jimmy EnglandTKO7 (10)Dec 7, 191213Win11–0–2Sam MorganPTS6Nov 30, 191212Win10–0–2Harry StuckeyPTS6Nov 23, 191211Win9–0–2Will GouldTKO5 (10)Nov 16, 191210Draw8–0–2Charlie YeomansPTS10Oct 5, 19129Win8–0–1Shon PricePTS10Sep 20, 19128Win7–0–1Billy FarmerTKO5 (?)Jul 1, 19127Win6–0–1Gordon FrancisTKO3 (?)Jun 1, 19126Win5–0–1Lewis WilliamsPTS6Apr 1, 19125Win4–0–1Con RowlandsKO5 (?)Feb 1, 19124Win3–0–1Dai DaviesKO9 (?)Jan 1, 19123Win2–0–1Manny ChamberlainPTS6Nov 11, 19112Win1–0–1Young RobertsPTS6Nov 10, 19111Draw0–0–1Young RobertsPTS6Nov 9, 1911

See also List of Welsh boxing world champions List of British flyweight boxing champions

References

Sources

johnnyowen.com

External links Fight Record Retrieved on 13 January 2010