Career
Jones turned professional in 1923 with Stephen "Suey" Welch as manager and trained with Joe Stanley. He won the vacant National Boxing Association World Middleweight Title with a win over Oddone Piazza in 1925. He lost the belt later that year to Frenchman Marcel Thil through disqualification. But his greatest success came in 1932 when he twice won the NBA Middleweight Boxing Championship of the World (against Oddone Piazza and Young Terry). In 1933 he lost the IBU Middleweight World Championship against Marcel Thil and won the NBA Middleweight Championship of America against Sammy "Kid" Slaughter by KO.
In 1937 he took on Freddie Steele, the National Boxing Association World Middleweight and NYSAC World Middleweight Title holder, but lost to a decision.
His last win was two years later in 1939, and he lost his last fight in 1940, when he retired from boxing.
Although he was nicknamed "Gorilla" for his exceptional reach, Jones is to be distinguished from the original "Gorilla Jones", who campaigned from 1913 to 1924 and held the World Colored Welterweight title.
Read more about this topic: Gorilla Jones
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