Barry Jones

Barry Jones (born 3 May 1974) is a Welsh former boxing world champion. He won the WBO super featherweight championship in 1997, but was stripped of the title when his license was revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control after an anomaly was discovered during a brain scan. Boxing career Jones began boxing at the age of ten, during which he trained at Ray Thorogood's Highfields gym. He was a junior fighter of note, claiming a silver medal at European level as well as competing in the World Amateur Boxing Championships. He turned professional in 1992 at the age of eighteen, and was trained by former British welterweight champion Pat Thomas. Jones' first four professional fights were all held in his home city of Cardiff and all set for six rounds. Jones beat emerging fighter Con McMullen, before a victory over journeyman Miguel Matthews followed by wins over Mike Deveney and Greg Upton. He followed these fights with his first professional bouts outside Wales, beating first Colin MacAuley in Solihull in April 1993, then a points victory over John White in an undercard fight in the build up to the Chris Eubank vs. Nigel Benn encounter at the Old Trafford Stadium in October. In November 1993 he fought twice, beating Neil Swain at Ystrad Mynach and then Peter Buckley in Cardiff. He finished the year with another points victory, against Midlands fighter Elvis Parsley. In January 1994, Jones beat Peter Buckley in Cardiff, his tenth straight professional win. His following bout against Kelton McKenzie was again on the undercard to another world title bout, Eubank's WBO super middleweight win over Sam Storey. Jones had three fights in 1995; the first on 25 May was his first ten round bout, a points win over Justin Murphy in an eliminator for the British featherweight title. He completed the year with victories over Chris Jickells and Peter Buckley.