Paul Jones (boxer)

Paul Jones
Paul Jones
Born	Paul Jones; 19 November 1966 (age 58); Sheffield, England
Nationality	British
Other names	Silky
	Statistics
Weight(s)	Light Middleweight, Middleweight, Super Middleweight
Stance	Orthodox
	Boxing record
Total fights	44
Wins	31
Wins by KO	11
Losses	12
Draws	1
No contests	0

Paul "Silky" Jones (born 19 November 1966 in Sheffield, England) is a former World Boxing Champion, who has a nickname “Silky” for his quickness and defensive prowess.^[1] He has a combined professional record of 31-12-1 (11 KOs) in the welterweight, light-middleweight, middleweight, and super middleweight divisions.^[2] He defeated rugged American Verno Phillips for the Light Middleweight World Championship on 22 November 1995. Phillips would go on to achieve World Championship status three more times.^[3]

Early years

Jones turned pro in 1986, winning his first professional bout against Paul Gillings. Jones then participated in 4 more fights before moving to Toronto in order to gain experience, where he achieved 3 winning bouts including a 3rd-round KO against Tony Collier. Paul then returned to the UK and participated in 8 more fights before winning his first title against Jason Rowe. After the fight, Jones was quoted as being happy for winning the title but said he would never defend it as he was going on to bigger and better things. On 14 April 1995, Jones won the World Boxing Organization (WBO)'s Intercontinental title against Damien Denny, earning him the "KO of the year award".^[4] This then placed Jones as number 2 in the WBO rankings. Jones defended the title twice, remaining undefeated for more than 3 years.

Capturing the Light Middleweight title^[5]

In 1995, Jones had a chance to compete for the championship. He entered the fight as the heavy underdog but surprised the boxing world by dominating the match. He won the WBO Light Middleweight title with a majority decision win over Verno Phillips, who later became the IBF Light Middleweight Champion and a future IBHOF Champion. With the win, Jones became the first British-born Light Middleweight World Champion. After the fight Freddie King, Paul's trainer, said: “ Paul showed glimpses of absolute greatness and produced a great fight". Jones joined close friend and boxer Naseem Hamed as Sheffield's second world champion at the time. Hamed, who was also ringside for the fight, said, "Silkys's done the business tonight what a fight I knew he would win but not so easily".

Jones had become one of four world champions, from no one wanting to fight him to being world champion in the space of 6 months. Many great fighters wanted to fight him, especially Winky Wright (who later picked up Jones' title on the way to becoming Undisputed Light Middleweight World Champion). The plan was for Jones to defend his WBO title against Bronco Banyon McKart of Bob Arum's Top Rank promotions. Both parties had a verbal agreement for the bout to be staged either in the UK or America. Many did say Jones's style would have been perfect for this big fight but unfortunately this did not materialize. However, Jones did go on to win the WBC Super Middle Weight International World Title. Jones' last fight was a points decision over the future EBU–EE Super Middleweight champion Kreshnik Qato. Jones retired in 2002 with a record of 31-12-1.

WBO controversy

In late 2014, it came to light via social media that Paul Silky Jones had never received his actual title belt from the World Boxing Organization. Boxing fans began a trending campaign on Twitter with the hashtag #GetSilkyHisBelt. A very surprised Paul 'Silky' Jones was finally awarded his belt in Doncaster at a non-existent event staged by former trainer Ian Allcock and John Sheppard on 10 July 2015. After 20 years of fighting against the WBO and British Boxing Board of Control who denied his existence, retracted statements, and tried to charge him for the belt on more than one occasion, the belt arrived in England while Paul was on social media, Tweeting support for world-famous Floyd Mayweather after his recent rift with the WBO.^[6]

Preceded by Verno Phillips	WBO light Middleweight Champion 22 November 1995– February 1996 Stripped	Succeeded by Bronco McKart

Junior middleweight

Name:	Date:	Location:	Defenses:
John David Jackson defeated Lupe Aquino	8 December 1988	Detroit, Michigan	6
Title vacated	1993	Jackson vacated the title to move up to Middleweight. His last defense was against Michele Mastrodonato on 19 December 1992 in San Severo, Italy
Verno Phillips def. Lupe Aquino	30 October 1993	Phoenix, Arizona	4
Paul Jones	22 November 1995	Sheffield, England	0
Title vacated	February 1996	Jones was stripped of the title.
Ronald "Winky" Wright	17 May 1996	Monroe, Michigan	3
Harry Simon	22 August 1998	Temba, South Africa	4
Title vacated	July 2001	Simon vacated the title to move up to Middleweight. His last defense was against Wayne Alexander on 10 February 2001 in Widnes, England
Daniel Santos defeated Luis "Yori Boy" Campas	16 March 2002	Las Vegas, Nevada	4
Sergiy Dzindziruk	3 December 2005	Magdeburg, Germany	4