Gorilla Jones ("The Fighting Gorilla")

Gorilla Jones was an African American boxer known as "The Fighting Gorilla" who fought out of Alexandria, Louisiana as a welterweight from 1913 to 1924. He may have provided the nickname for William Landon Jones (1906–1982), also known as Gorilla Jones, who was the second black boxer to win the world middleweight title.[1]

Gorilla Jones
Statistics
Nickname(s)The Fighting Gorilla
Weight(s)Welterweight
Nationality American
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights37
Wins18
Wins by KO10
Losses17
Draws2

Boxing career

Jones won on a first round disqualification against Battling Ortega from a low blow in Colorado, Springs on September 1, 1921.[2]

On January 6, 1922, Jones defeated well known black boxer Speedball Hayden in a ninth round knockout at Fort Bliss Arena in El Paso, Texas. Jones was favored in the early publicity for his powerful, aggressive infighting, and heavy hitting. Hayden had defeated Jones earlier on April 1, 1921 in Phoenix, Arizona in an eight round points decision. Jones was said to have put up a great effort but Hayden was clearly his master, deserving the decision. On November 25, 1920, Jones lost a fourth round disqualification in Columbus, Ohio, but was reported by the El Paso Times to have knocked Hayden to the mat four times prior to the foul.[3][1]

Taking the world colored welterweight championship, February, 1915
Tiger Flowers

Because of the color bar in pro boxing, Jones never competed for the world title which was not open to black boxers during his career. He won the World Colored Welterweight Championship from Eddie Palmer, the inaugural champion, in a twenty round points decision in New Orleans on February 15, 1915, though he apparently never defended it.[4]

On February 21, 1922, he met future world middleweight champ Tiger Flowers, the first black boxer to win the world welterweight title, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for the Southwest Middleweight Championship. He lost in a fourth round knockout of a scheduled 15-round bout. A few sources report that Jones lost via a ninth round T.K.O.[5]

Jones had a career record of 18 wins and 17 losses. He was knocked out ten times and had two draws.

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Eddie Palmer		 World Colored Welterweight Champion
February 15, 1915 – Unknown		 Succeeded by
Cocoa Kid

References
  1. "Gorilla Jones Boxing Record". BoxRec. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  2. "Jones Gets Decision Over Battling Ortega",The Billings Gazette, Billings, Montana, pg. 3, 6 September 1921.
  3. Bran, Sargent Jim, El Passo Times, El Paso, Texas, pg. 10, 1 January 1922
  4. "Eddie Palmer". Cyber Boxing Zone.
  5. "Tiger Flowers – Record". BoxRec. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
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