Jones - ‘I just love a scrap and that’s that’

Troy Jones…lost out in close, gruelling bout. Picture: Manjit Narotra/BCB

YOU can only step back and admire the fighting heart of Troy Jones. He’s a man you’d want by your side in the trenches.

As the light-heavyweight put it after close defeat to Liam Cameron on Saturday night: “What you can’t deny about me is I’ve got big spuds. When it gets hard I’m in there – trust me.”

I also applaud Jones’ honesty following the loss at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. Many fans felt he was hard done by, many fighters would’ve flown into an “I was robbed” rage for cameras.

Troy, one of Chelmsley Wood’s boxing brotherhood, said – quite rightly – he could not give an opinion until he watched the 10 rounder.

He also candidly admitted there were things he did wrong.

And that, for me, was the difference between clear victory and a desperately close encounter: the 27-year-old was, at times, over-taken by the desire to scrap when he didn’t need to.

It made for a rousing, gruelling battle – and Jones’ cut and badly bruised left eye was evidence of the bout’s intensity. Tactically, Troy could’ve made it easier for himself by boxing at range. But in the ring, Jones never looks for the easy option.

He had the better of early rounds, driving in hard body shots, then Sheffield’s Cameron snatched the initiative from the seventh.

The scores – 97-93 and 96-94 twice – sparked social media cries of robbery. It was way too close for that and, without being accused of fence-sitting, I felt a draw was justified.

Importantly, Jones, who suffered only the second loss in a 15 fight career, showed again he’s a threat to the top men on the big stage. He will undoubtedly get more opportunities.

“There was a lot of things I should’ve done differently,” Troy said in a post-fight interview with BoxNation.

“Everyone’s saying I should’ve got the decision, but when you’re in there, it’s hard (to know). I just enjoy having a fight so I enjoyed every minute I was in there. Cameron’s team weren’t confident, Cameron weren’t confident – he was asking me, ‘what do you think?’

“Do I think I should’ve got the decision? Until you watch the fight back you ain’t got a clue. My corner thought I got it, they ain’t going to bull**** me. The whole of social media ain’t going to bull**** me. I ain’t going to comment on the decision – what happened happened, I ain’t going to sit here and mope about it.”

I’ve seen Jones in some real tear-ups, yet he possesses underrated skills which need to be utilised at top level.

The simple fact is he loves a punch-up.

“I enjoyed the fight, I hope the fans enjoyed the fight and that’s all that matters to me,” he shrugged. “I could’ve done a lot of things differently, but I’m still learning, learning on the job. I’ve just got to right some wrongs again. We’ll get there.

“I love a fight, it gets me going, but I think that’s a bit of my downfall because I can box a lot better than I do.

“Would I have enjoyed getting my hand raised? Yes. Do people say I should’ve got it? Yes. Does that matter? No, so back to the gym and I’ll be back. It’s all good experience. I’ve just got to get back in the gym, learn from it and right some wrongs.”

Jones added: “My coach is better than what I’m showing, that’s the only person I feel I’m letting down. I fight with my heart on my sleeve a bit too much – the fans love it, but that’s not what wins you fights.

“I love having a scrap and that’s that.”