Jones wins in a small hall, see-saw thriller

Troy Jones…climbed off the canvas to claim fourth round victory

CHELSMLEY Wood banger Troy Jones hauled himself off the canvas to halt Michael Ludwiczak in four rounds of pure mayhem.

Those at Eastside Rooms, Birmingham, last night (Saturday) witnessed a terrific tear-up, a bloody brawl that saw fortunes ebb and flow.

What 6ft 4in Jones can achieve out of the game is a matter of debate, but it’s going to be an exciting journey. He appears to possess that big puncher’s blend of wrecking ball power and vulnerability.

Chasing his fifth straight stoppage, unbeaten Troy was dragged into deeper waters than he’d experienced in his eight previous pro outings. He took heavy shots and dished them out.

The majority of Jones previous seven contest have been a case of Jones simply dishing it out.

The menacing Pole dropped him with a right in the first, shook him to his bootlaces in the third before being halted by body shots at two minutes three seconds of the fourth.

Ludwiczak (12st 10lbs 4oz) protested the stoppage, but I felt referee Ryan Churchill acted correctly. The visitor’s stamina had seeped from him, the tank was empty.

He had played his part in a scheduled six rounder that was short on science, but crammed with thrills and spills.

Jones (12st 11lbs2oz) appeared engulfed by the raw violence. When he did target the body, Ludwiczak buckled, but he elected to swap power-laden headshots. They both swung until one could swing no more.

In the dressing room, 25-year-old Jones said: “From the amateur days I always wanted to have a fight and the old Tyler came out tonight – he will from time to time.”

“I loved it, but I bet my coach didn’t,” he grinned.

“I was caught cold, it was a flash knockdown. I wanted to hurt him and went head-hunting. I learned more tonight than I would in 10 fights against binmen who curl up in a ball. He came to win. I fought non-stop and showed I can get up and win.”

Ludwiczak, who has won 17 of 30 (one draw), represented Jones’ stiffest test and issued a statement of intent in the opening minutes when a right hook dropped the local favourite.

Jones rose immediately to take a standing count and, from there, pure mayhem was unleashed.

Ludwiczak appeared spent by the second. He threw precious little back, looked distressed and twice slipped to the canvas, though neither were judged knockdowns.

Yet, astonishingly, he roared back in the third and one short right sent shockwaves through Jones’ long body. That session represented Ludwiczak’s last hurrah.

Jones drove hooks to the body, each one registering. In the fourth, Ludwiczak turned away after a left sunk into his belly, retreated to the ropes and dropped to his knees. He rose at four, only for Mr Churchill to signal the end.

Afterwards, Roslaw Butowicz, in the Polish boxer’s corner, fumed: “The stoppage was not correct. He did not take head shots, he went down and got up. We want a rematch.”

Powerfully Ludwiczak simply smiled and, in broken English, informed me: “I have lived a crazy life.”

He was certainly involved in a crazy night. And I’d  back calls for a re-match: that’s one shoot-out I’d love to watch again.