Morgan Jones out on another spilt decision
Rugeley Police Boxing Club are chasing a rematch for Morgan Jones after screaming robbery in the England Development junior championships.
Jones scored a knockdown in the first round, a standing count in the second and yet lost on a split decision in the national quarter-finals,
Saturday's 70kg contest came in Class A, for boxers born in 1999 who have had two to 10 bouts, at the Walkden Sixth Form Centre in Greater Manchester.
The 15-year-old, a Hagley Park Academy, heeded the lessons of starting slow after a performance that nearly cost him dear in the last phase.
He had come from two rounds down to force a late salvo which included Patrick Harris taking a last session standing count, before squeezing through on a split decision.
This time he was on the wrong end of the division between the judges, which seemed unlikely after the early stages against James Button, from Sileby in Leicestershire.
His hammer right hand dumped Button on the canvas in round one, before the same shot forced the referee to step in and make him answer the count on his feet in the second.
Button went in to a hyperbole of a survival mode and forced Jones onto the backfoot, winning the last session and clearly currying a lot of favour.
A shock result saw Jones' luck run out, but trainer Ian Lear is keen to get the two in the ring together again of either of their respective club shows.
He said: "The result can't be changed now, but I think it's only fair that we see these two lads in the ring again to prove who is the better fighter.
"It's a fight we would all like to see but, for now, we extend our congratulations to James and wish him well for the rest of the tournament.
"It's unbelievable, Morgan scores two knockdowns in the first two rounds and still doesn't do enough to win. I can't understand the decision.
"He started fast and sharp, which is what we demanded of him after last weekend, and he couldn't have done much more, in that respect.
"It's pretty baffling, but we have to respect the referee's decision. The competition has done wonders for Morgan's confidence, though."
