Brandon to tests the water in 12st division

Brandon Jones…politely declined chance to fight for light-heavy title

BRANDON Jones has been wrongly labelled, Wayne Elcock, now guiding the exciting fighter, insists.

Yes, the man known as “Bomber” can blitz opponents, but he’s an accomplished boxer with a fine jab.

And former British champ Elcock is confident the public will see more of the Chelmsley Wood prospect’s boxing brain at his new, lower weight of super-middle. To date, Brandon, unbeaten in 11, has carved out a reputation for exciting, free swinging contests.

That’s not what made him such a fine amateur, Wayne told me. “His footwork and movement are brilliant.”

Elcock wants to see more textbook and less TNT. He’s also gradually bringing the 26-year-old down to super-middle: that was one stipulation when Elcock took on training duties. “My plan was always super-middle,” Wayne told me. “I think he’ll be too big, too strong at that weight. He’s looking sharper at the weight.”

It’s a step-by-step process. Brandon scaled 12st 4lbs for his last contest and for the next one – on Scott Murray’s big March 27 show in Coventry – he’ll test the water by, hopefully, scaling bang-on the 12st limit. “I need to make sure he can make the weight, which I know he can,” Elcock said, “that he’s good and strong at the weight.”

For that reason, Elcock has politely declined the Midlands Board of Control’s call for Jones to meet Ben Andrews with the vacant area light-heavyweight title on the line. That flies in the face of Wayne’s long term plan. Yes, he wants a Midlands title fight, but at super-middle.

“It doesn’t makes sense for us,” he said. “I don’t want to a fighter to go back up a division, then come back down because it does them no good, messes them around.

“Brandon’s made 12st 4lbs, so he’s ticking the boxes. This year has to be about moving towards titles. I’m a proud Midlands lad – a Midlands title would be a great stepping to the English, then the British. We want to go down the traditional route.”

You have to applaud the Midlands Board for attempting to make mouthwatering title matches – and Jones v Andrews would’ve been explosive.

The latest bulletin proposes another cracker: Coventry’s big hitting Jamie Edwards (five wins, one draw) and Nottinghamshire’s Spencer Binks (five wins, one loss, one draw) for the vacant lightweight belt.

That’s a prospect that may prove very tempting for Edwards’ backers, BCB.