Login
Login

Percy Jones (boxer)

{{Short description|Welsh boxer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox boxer

| name = Percy Jones

| image = Percy Jones 1914.png

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| realname =

| nickname =

| weight = {{plainlist|

}}

| height =

| reach =

| nationality = British

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1892|12|26}}

| birth_place = Porth, Wales

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1922|12|25|1892|12|26}}

| death_place =

| style =

| total = 56per Boxrec.com

| wins = 50

| KO = 31

| losses = 3

| draws = 3

| no contests =

| website =

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals =

| embed =

}}

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.{{cite news

|author=

|title=Wales' pugilist princes

|date=7 March 2006

|work=BBC News

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/1899436.stm

|accessdate=8 August 2008

}}

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) "[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/boxing-percy-jones-real-knockout-2163061 Boxing: Percy Jones was a real knockout]", Wales Online, 10 July 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2017Prior, Neil (2014) "[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25888012 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.{{cite news |title=Boxing: Fly-Weight Championship: Percy Jones Defeats Bill Ladbury on Points |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=27 January 1914 |accessdate=24 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19140127/164/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

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.{{cite news |title=Fly-Weight Boxing: Percy Jones Defeats Criqui |work=Pall Mall Gazette |date=27 March 1914 |accessdate=24 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000098/19140327/207/0015| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} In his next non-title bout, he was knocked out Symonds in the eighteenth round of twenty.{{cite news |title=Percy Jones Surprised |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=18 May 1914 |accessdate=24 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19140518/094/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

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.{{cite news |title=N.S.C. Opening: Percy Jones and Tancy Lee for Fly-Weight Belt |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=17 October 1914 |accessdate=24 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19141017/110/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Percy Jones Joins: Another Famous Boxer Leads the Way |work=Western Mail |date=4 January 1915 |accessdate=24 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19150104/200/0007| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0003358%2F19140125&page=2 |title=Boxers and Boxing|newspaper=The Weekly Dispatch |date=January 25, 1914|page=2}} {{subscription required}} He relied upon mountain walking for his exercise.{{cite news|url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000729%2F19140125&page=10 |title=Can Jones Beat Ladbury?|newspaper=The People |date=January 25, 1914|page=10}} {{subscription required}}

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

{{BoxingRecordSummary

|ko-wins=31

|ko-losses=2

|dec-wins=18

|dec-losses=1

|dq-wins=1

|dq-losses=

|draws=3

|nc=

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
{{abbr|No.|Number}}

!Result

!Record

!Opponent

!Type

!Round

!Date

!Location

!Notes

56

|{{yes2}}Win

|50–3–3

|align=left|Private Cole

|PTS

|6

|Feb 10, 1916

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Barracks HQ Gym, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, U.K.}}

|

55

|{{yes2}}Win

|49–3–3

|align=left|Private Townsend

|RTD

|6 (6)

|Feb 10, 1916

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Barracks HQ Gym, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, U.K.}}

|

54

|{{yes2}}Win

|48–3–3

|align=left|Bill Ladbury

|KO

|5 (15)

|Oct 11, 1915

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|New Cross Baths, New Cross, London, England, U.K.}}

|

53

|{{draw}}Draw

|47–3–3

|align=left|Young Swift

|PTS

|15

|Oct 1, 1915

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Cosmopolitan Gymnasium, Plymouth, Devon, England, U.K.}}

|

52

|{{yes2}}Win

|47–3–2

|align=left|Private Rees

|TKO

|3 (15)

|Sep 29, 1915

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Riding School, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, U.K.}}

|

51

|{{yes2}}Win

|46–3–2

|align=left|Gomer Perkins

|KO

|3 (10)

|Jul 29, 1915

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pictorium Cinema, Porth, Wales, U.K.}}

|

50

|{{no2}}Loss

|45–3–2

|align=left|Tancy Lee

|RTD

|14 (15)

|Oct 19, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K.}}

|

49

|{{yes2}}Win

|45–2–2

|align=left|Billy Fanner

|RTD

|9 (15)

|Sep 19, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Palladium, Abertillery, Wales, U.K.}}

|

48

|{{yes2}}Win

|44–2–2

|align=left|Jim Young Kendall

|RTD

|4 (15)

|Jun 3, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion, Tonyrefail, Wales, U.K.}}

|

47

|{{yes2}}Win

|43–2–2

|align=left|George Reeves

|RTD

|7 (15)

|Jun 2, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

46

|{{no2}}Loss

|42–2–2

|align=left|Joe Symonds

|RTD

|18 (20)

|May 15, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Cosmopolitan Gymnasium, Plymouth, Devon, England, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Lost IBU, Lonsdale, and world flyweight titles}}

45

|{{yes2}}Win

|42–1–2

|align=left|Eugène Criqui

|PTS

|20

|Mar 26, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained IBU, Lonsdale, and world flyweight titles}}

44

|{{no2}}Loss

|41–1–2

|align=left|Eugène Criqui

|PTS

|15

|Feb 12, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

43

|{{yes2}}Win

|41–0–2

|align=left|Bill Ladbury

|PTS

|20

|Jan 26, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K.}}

|align=left|{{small|Won IBU, Lonsdale, and world flyweight titles}}

42

|{{yes2}}Win

|40–0–2

|align=left|Marcel Million

|RTD

|3 (15)

|Jan 8, 1914

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

41

|{{yes2}}Win

|39–0–2

|align=left|Driver Knox

|KO

|1 (15)

|Dec 6, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

40

|{{yes2}}Win

|38–0–2

|align=left|Alf Mansfield

|RTD

|8 (15)

|Nov 27, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

39

|{{yes2}}Win

|37–0–2

|align=left|Sam Kellar

|TKO

|15 (15)

|Nov 24, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Eliminator British flyweight title}}

38

|{{yes2}}Win

|36–0–2

|align=left|Joe Wilson

|RTD

|12 (15)

|Nov 8, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

37

|{{yes2}}Win

|35–0–2

|align=left|Joe Wilson

|KO

|13 (15)

|Oct 18, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

36

|{{yes2}}Win

|34–0–2

|align=left|Tom Cherry

|PTS

|15

|Oct 11, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

35

|{{yes2}}Win

|33–0–2

|align=left|Young Beynon

|PTS

|15

|Sep 20, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

34

|{{yes2}}Win

|32–0–2

|align=left|Joe Symonds

|RTD

|8 (15)

|Sep 18, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Olympia Skating Rink, Hanley, Staffordshire, England, U.K.}}

|

33

|{{yes2}}Win

|31–0–2

|align=left|Bill Kyne

|PTS

|10

|Jul 21, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

32

|{{yes2}}Win

|30–0–2

|align=left|Tom Cherry

|RTD

|6 (15)

|Jul 10, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

31

|{{yes2}}Win

|29–0–2

|align=left|Young Baker

|RTD

|8 (12)

|Jul 5, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

30

|{{yes2}}Win

|28–0–2

|align=left|Bill Kyne

|PTS

|10

|Jun 23, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K.}}

|

29

|{{yes2}}Win

|27–0–2

|align=left|Alf Mansfield

|RTD

|6 (12)

|Jun 7, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

28

|{{yes2}}Win

|26–0–2

|align=left|Dido Gains

|PTS

|15

|Jun 5, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

27

|{{yes2}}Win

|25–0–2

|align=left|Joe Symonds

|PTS

|10

|Jun 2, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K.}}

|

26

|{{yes2}}Win

|24–0–2

|align=left|Young George Dando

|RTD

|4 (15)

|May 22, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

25

|{{yes2}}Win

|23–0–2

|align=left|Tommy Harrison

|RTD

|8 (15)

|May 8, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.}}

|

24

|{{yes2}}Win

|22–0–2

|align=left|Gustaaf Govaerts

|PTS

|6

|Apr 28, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K.}}

|

23

|{{yes2}}Win

|21–0–2

|align=left|Tommy Lewis

|PTS

|12

|Apr 5, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

22

|{{yes2}}Win

|20–0–2

|align=left|Stoker Bill Hoskyne

|KO

|3 (12)

|Mar 29, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

21

|{{yes2}}Win

|19–0–2

|align=left|Joe Symonds

|DQ

|4 (12)

|Mar 22, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

20

|{{yes2}}Win

|18–0–2

|align=left|WB Jones

|TKO

|2 (10)

|Feb 8, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

19

|{{yes2}}Win

|17–0–2

|align=left|Jim Young Kendall

|RTD

|4 (15)

|Feb 1, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

18

|{{yes2}}Win

|16–0–2

|align=left|Young Rule

|TKO

|9 (20)

|Jan 25, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Hippodrome, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

17

|{{yes2}}Win

|15–0–2

|align=left|George Williams

|TKO

|11 (15)

|Jan 11, 1913

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

16

|{{yes2}}Win

|14–0–2

|align=left|Curly Pullman

|RTD

|7 (10)

|Dec 26, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

15

|{{yes2}}Win

|13–0–2

|align=left|Dai Matthews

|PTS

|6

|Dec 14, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|American Skating Rink, Cardiff, Wales, U.K.}}

|

14

|{{yes2}}Win

|12–0–2

|align=left|Young Jimmy England

|TKO

|7 (10)

|Dec 7, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Hippodrome, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

13

|{{yes2}}Win

|11–0–2

|align=left|Sam Morgan

|PTS

|6

|Nov 30, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

12

|{{yes2}}Win

|10–0–2

|align=left|Harry Stuckey

|PTS

|6

|Nov 23, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

11

|{{yes2}}Win

|9–0–2

|align=left|Will Gould

|TKO

|5 (10)

|Nov 16, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|

10

|{{draw}}Draw

|8–0–2

|align=left|Charlie Yeomans

|PTS

|10

|Oct 5, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|

9

|{{yes2}}Win

|8–0–1

|align=left|Shon Price

|PTS

|10

|Sep 20, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|

8

|{{yes2}}Win

|7–0–1

|align=left|Billy Farmer

|TKO

|5 (?)

|Jul 1, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

7

|{{yes2}}Win

|6–0–1

|align=left|Gordon Francis

|TKO

|3 (?)

|Jun 1, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

6

|{{yes2}}Win

|5–0–1

|align=left|Lewis Williams

|PTS

|6

|Apr 1, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

5

|{{yes2}}Win

|4–0–1

|align=left|Con Rowlands

|KO

|5 (?)

|Feb 1, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

4

|{{yes2}}Win

|3–0–1

|align=left|Dai Davies

|KO

|9 (?)

|Jan 1, 1912

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

3

|{{yes2}}Win

|2–0–1

|align=left|Manny Chamberlain

|PTS

|6

|Nov 11, 1911

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|

2

|{{yes2}}Win

|1–0–1

|align=left|Young Roberts

|PTS

|6

|Nov 10, 1911

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

1

|{{draw}}Draw

|0–0–1

|align=left|Young Roberts

|PTS

|6

|Nov 9, 1911

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Date unknown}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Sources

  • {{cite news

|author=

|title=6. Percy Jones

|date=11 April 2002

|work=BBC News

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/1901382.stm

|accessdate=8 August 2008

}}

  • [http://www.johnnyowen.com/percy_jones.html johnnyowen.com]

External links

  • [http://www.johnnyowen.com/Recs/Fl/percy.html Fight Record]
  • {{boxrec|id=59574|name=Percy Jones}} Retrieved on 13 January 2010

{{s-start}}

{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=Minor world boxing titles}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Sid Smith}}

{{s-ttl|title=IBU flyweight champion | years= January 26 – May 15, 1914
Stripped}}

{{s-vac|next=Tancy Lee}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Percy}}

Category:1892 births

Category:1922 deaths

Category:British Army personnel of World War I

Category:European Boxing Union champions

Category:Flyweight boxers

Category:Military personnel from Rhondda Cynon Taf

Category:Royal Welch Fusiliers soldiers

Category:Sportspeople from Porth

Category:Welsh amputees

Category:Welsh male boxers

Category:World boxing champions