Gorilla Jones

Gorilla Jones
Statistics
Real name	William Landon Jones
Nickname(s)	Gorilla
Rated at	Middleweight
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Reach	75 in (191 cm)
Nationality	American
Born	(1906-05-12)May 12, 1906 Memphis, Tennessee
Died	January 4, 1982(1982-01-04) (aged 75) Los Angeles, California
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	144
Wins	104
Wins by KO	55
Losses	25
Draws	13
No contests	3

William Landon Jones (1906–1982) known as "Gorilla" Jones, was an American boxer who held the NBA Middleweight Boxing Championship of the World. 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. Jones was never knocked out although he himself won by 52 knockouts out of 101 wins over 141 total fights.^[1] He was posthumously inducted into World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009.

Biography

Jones was an African American man born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 12, 1906. He dropped out of school and eventually started boxing at age 18.

World middleweight champion

Jones turned professional in 1923 with Stephen "Suey" Welch as manager and trained with Joe Stanley.^[1] 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.^[1]

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.^[2]

Later life

Jones was a trainer on the Pacific Coast from the mid-to-late 1940s until the 1970s, working with Milo Savage, Johnny Wells, Irish Bob Murphy, and later with Suey Welch's boxer Gil King during the early 1970s. He also worked for Mae West whom he had known since he was 22, becoming her chauffeur and bodyguard. West was his employer, friend and supporter until her death in 1980.^[3]

Death

Jones died from arteriosclerosis on January 4, 1982 in Los Angeles, California, aged 75.^[1]

Notable bouts

Result	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes[4]
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	Babe Risko	PTS	10	1938-05-10	Armory, Akron, Ohio
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	Freddie Steele	UD	10	1937-01-01	Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin	For NBA & NYSAC World Middleweight Titles.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	Freddie Steele	UD	10	1935-09-17	Civic Ice Arena, Seattle, Washington
Draw	Freddie Steele	UD	10	1935-09-17	Civic Ice Arena, Seattle, Washington
NC	Ben Jeby	NC	6 (12)	1933-04-19	Public Hall, Cleveland, Ohio
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	Marcel Thil	DQ	11 (15)	1932-06-11	Parc des Princes, Paris	Lost NBA World Middleweight Title.
NC	Jackie Fields	NC	7 (12)	1929-12-13	Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	Jackie Fields	PTS	10	1929-10-21	State Armory, San Francisco, California
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	Al Mello	TKO	6 (10)	1929-06-03	Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	Al Mello	PTS	10	1929-05-03	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

References

External links

• Professional boxing record for Gorilla Jones from BoxRec