# Percy Jones (boxer)

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.
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

| 56 fights | 50 wins | 3 losses |
| By knockout | 31 | 2 |
| By decision | 18 | 1 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 3 | 3 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
| 56 | Win | 50–3–3 | Private Cole | PTS | 6 | Feb 10, 1916 | Barracks HQ Gym, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, U.K. | |
| 55 | Win | 49–3–3 | Private Townsend | RTD | 6 (6) | Feb 10, 1916 | Barracks HQ Gym, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, U.K. | |
| 54 | Win | 48–3–3 | Bill Ladbury | KO | 5 (15) | Oct 11, 1915 | New Cross Baths, New Cross, London, England, U.K. | |
| 53 | Draw | 47–3–3 | Young Swift | PTS | 15 | Oct 1, 1915 | Cosmopolitan Gymnasium, Plymouth, Devon, England, U.K. | |
| 52 | Win | 47–3–2 | Private Rees | TKO | 3 (15) | Sep 29, 1915 | Riding School, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, U.K. | |
| 51 | Win | 46–3–2 | Gomer Perkins | KO | 3 (10) | Jul 29, 1915 | Pictorium Cinema, Porth, Wales, U.K. | |
| 50 | Loss | 45–3–2 | Tancy Lee | RTD | 14 (15) | Oct 19, 1914 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K. | |
| 49 | Win | 45–2–2 | Billy Fanner | RTD | 9 (15) | Sep 19, 1914 | Palladium, Abertillery, Wales, U.K. | |
| 48 | Win | 44–2–2 | Jim Young Kendall | RTD | 4 (15) | Jun 3, 1914 | Pavilion, Tonyrefail, Wales, U.K. | |
| 47 | Win | 43–2–2 | George Reeves | RTD | 7 (15) | Jun 2, 1914 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 46 | Loss | 42–2–2 | Joe Symonds | RTD | 18 (20) | May 15, 1914 | Cosmopolitan Gymnasium, Plymouth, Devon, England, U.K. | Lost IBU, Lonsdale, and world flyweight titles |
| 45 | Win | 42–1–2 | Eugène Criqui | PTS | 20 | Mar 26, 1914 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | Retained IBU, Lonsdale, and world flyweight titles |
| 44 | Loss | 41–1–2 | Eugène Criqui | PTS | 15 | Feb 12, 1914 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 43 | Win | 41–0–2 | Bill Ladbury | PTS | 20 | Jan 26, 1914 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K. | Won IBU, Lonsdale, and world flyweight titles |
| 42 | Win | 40–0–2 | Marcel Million | RTD | 3 (15) | Jan 8, 1914 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 41 | Win | 39–0–2 | Driver Knox | KO | 1 (15) | Dec 6, 1913 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 40 | Win | 38–0–2 | Alf Mansfield | RTD | 8 (15) | Nov 27, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 39 | Win | 37–0–2 | Sam Kellar | TKO | 15 (15) | Nov 24, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K. | Eliminator British flyweight title |
| 38 | Win | 36–0–2 | Joe Wilson | RTD | 12 (15) | Nov 8, 1913 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 37 | Win | 35–0–2 | Joe Wilson | KO | 13 (15) | Oct 18, 1913 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 36 | Win | 34–0–2 | Tom Cherry | PTS | 15 | Oct 11, 1913 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 35 | Win | 33–0–2 | Young Beynon | PTS | 15 | Sep 20, 1913 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 34 | Win | 32–0–2 | Joe Symonds | RTD | 8 (15) | Sep 18, 1913 | Olympia Skating Rink, Hanley, Staffordshire, England, U.K. | |
| 33 | Win | 31–0–2 | Bill Kyne | PTS | 10 | Jul 21, 1913 | Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 32 | Win | 30–0–2 | Tom Cherry | RTD | 6 (15) | Jul 10, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 31 | Win | 29–0–2 | Young Baker | RTD | 8 (12) | Jul 5, 1913 | Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 30 | Win | 28–0–2 | Bill Kyne | PTS | 10 | Jun 23, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K. | |
| 29 | Win | 27–0–2 | Alf Mansfield | RTD | 6 (12) | Jun 7, 1913 | Pavilion Skating Rink, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 28 | Win | 26–0–2 | Dido Gains | PTS | 15 | Jun 5, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 27 | Win | 25–0–2 | Joe Symonds | PTS | 10 | Jun 2, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K. | |
| 26 | Win | 24–0–2 | Young George Dando | RTD | 4 (15) | May 22, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 25 | Win | 23–0–2 | Tommy Harrison | RTD | 8 (15) | May 8, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K. | |
| 24 | Win | 22–0–2 | Gustaaf Govaerts | PTS | 6 | Apr 28, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England, U.K. | |
| 23 | Win | 21–0–2 | Tommy Lewis | PTS | 12 | Apr 5, 1913 | Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 22 | Win | 20–0–2 | Stoker Bill Hoskyne | KO | 3 (12) | Mar 29, 1913 | Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 21 | Win | 19–0–2 | Joe Symonds | DQ | 4 (12) | Mar 22, 1913 | Marquee, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 20 | Win | 18–0–2 | WB Jones | TKO | 2 (10) | Feb 8, 1913 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 19 | Win | 17–0–2 | Jim Young Kendall | RTD | 4 (15) | Feb 1, 1913 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 18 | Win | 16–0–2 | Young Rule | TKO | 9 (20) | Jan 25, 1913 | Hippodrome, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 17 | Win | 15–0–2 | George Williams | TKO | 11 (15) | Jan 11, 1913 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 16 | Win | 14–0–2 | Curly Pullman | RTD | 7 (10) | Dec 26, 1912 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 15 | Win | 13–0–2 | Dai Matthews | PTS | 6 | Dec 14, 1912 | American Skating Rink, Cardiff, Wales, U.K. | |
| 14 | Win | 12–0–2 | Young Jimmy England | TKO | 7 (10) | Dec 7, 1912 | Hippodrome, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 13 | Win | 11–0–2 | Sam Morgan | PTS | 6 | Nov 30, 1912 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 12 | Win | 10–0–2 | Harry Stuckey | PTS | 6 | Nov 23, 1912 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 11 | Win | 9–0–2 | Will Gould | TKO | 5 (10) | Nov 16, 1912 | Scarrott's Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | |
| 10 | Draw | 8–0–2 | Charlie Yeomans | PTS | 10 | Oct 5, 1912 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | |
| 9 | Win | 8–0–1 | Shon Price | PTS | 10 | Sep 20, 1912 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | |
| 8 | Win | 7–0–1 | Billy Farmer | TKO | 5 (?) | Jul 1, 1912 | Pentre, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |
| 7 | Win | 6–0–1 | Gordon Francis | TKO | 3 (?) | Jun 1, 1912 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |
| 6 | Win | 5–0–1 | Lewis Williams | PTS | 6 | Apr 1, 1912 | Pavilion, Tonypandy, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |
| 5 | Win | 4–0–1 | Con Rowlands | KO | 5 (?) | Feb 1, 1912 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |
| 4 | Win | 3–0–1 | Dai Davies | KO | 9 (?) | Jan 1, 1912 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |
| 3 | Win | 2–0–1 | Manny Chamberlain | PTS | 6 | Nov 11, 1911 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | |
| 2 | Win | 1–0–1 | Young Roberts | PTS | 6 | Nov 10, 1911 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |
| 1 | Draw | 0–0–1 | Young Roberts | PTS | 6 | Nov 9, 1911 | Drill Hall, Pentre, Wales, U.K. | Date unknown |