Jones ready for Moore rubbermatch by Ben Carey May 2nd 2005

To say Michael Jones and Jamie Moore have unfinished business is an understatement. In November, Jones gained revenge over the only man to beat him as a professional with a highly controversial third round victory after Moore was disqualified for hitting the Scouser after referee Dave Parris shouted “stop boxing” following an initial low blow by Moore. Confusion reigned as a groggy Jones slumped to the canvas, unwilling or simply incapable of re-entering the fray. It initially appeared that Moore had retained his British light-middleweight title thus securing the Lonsdale belt outright. However, the Salford man's hopes were suddenly dashed when referee Parris held the stricken Jones' arm aloft. Though the newly crowned champion had the consolation of leaving the arena with the British title strapped around his waist, Jones' character and reputation, never mind his bollocks, have been subjected to scrutiny ever since. Labelled a “quitter” and accused of feigning injury, Jones and Moore have engaged in a bitter verbal crossfire making a third meeting between the pair inevitable. Thankfully, the British Boxing Board of Control agrees, insisting that the North West rivals settle their differences by the end of July with purse bids called for next Wednesday. Contrary to popular belief, Jones is relishing being back in the ring having not fought since that dark November night. Jones has been subjected to some fierce criticism owing to the manner in which he won the British title but the champion continues to spit defiance towards his detractors. “Anyone can say what they want to say but I would urge them to watch the tape of the fight again. A lot of people aren't taking into account that Jamie hit me low at least six or seven times. When he hit me low in the third round, the referee shouted “Stop boxing!”, my brain automatically switched its attention to my balls,” insisted Jones. “After that he hit me with a shot that I didn't see. When you watch the replay you'll see how much my head shaked after he landed it. I don't care what anyone says, I believe Moore knew what he was doing. People say I bottled it but I wasn't the one who broke the rules and it was the referee who stopped the fight. He hit me after the referee shouted for us to stop boxing. When I went down and I tried to look forward but there were black waves coming out of my left eye and I couldn't see properly. I just didn't see the shot coming and I've never been hurt like that before, amateur or pro,” he continued. Before the abrupt ending, Moore seemed to have established the upper hand and looked booked to record another convincing win over Jones after previously thrashing him on points when coming in as a late substitute to seize the vacant British crown in 2003. This remains the only blemish on Jones' 22-fight ledger. Naturally, the Jack Trickett managed star begs to differ. “The only reason he was on top was because of the low blows. If you look at Jamie's face after the fight he had a cut underneath his left eye and on his right eye he had a swelling. So what does that tell you? It tells you I was having success” argued Jones. “In the first fight I only managed to land about ten jabs in the whole of the contest. The second fight showed that I was having more success because I'd prepared properly by sparring with southpaws. After five or six rounds Moore would have blown up. He does struggle to make the weight and you can't fight at that pace and sustain it. The first time I boxed Moore I was originally down to face Paul Samuels but Samuels pulled out with three days to go. I had no southpaw preparation. I'd prepared for what I believed was going to be the hardest fight of my career and the emotional letdown of the fight being called off was enormous. When they brought Jamie in I thought it was going to be a one-horse race and consequently I struggled to motivate myself,” he admitted. They say time's a healer, but so comprehensive was Moore's triumph in their first meeting that Jones' confidence could be mistaken for blind optimism. But the Scouser's unwavering self-belief forces one to take note. “This time I'll have had more preparation for a southpaw. Jamie said he was going to stop me in the second fight but he hit me with everything in the first fight and couldn't stop me at my worse. Against Jamie you've got to make him fight at pace, that was highlighted in his loss to Scott Dixon. Moore would have swallowed it against me last time as well,” boldly claimed Jones. Though a great believer in his own abilities, Jones' faith would appear to have gained momentum following Moore's recent career hiccups. “Against Ossie Duran for the Commonwealth title, though he blamed his defeat because of his hip, Moore still lost the opening two rounds clearly before he was stopped in the third (but few would dispute that Moore's loss came as a direct result of his injury - BC). If you look at Moore's camp they've not been enjoying the best of times under Oliver Harrison. Farnell got beat, Steve Foster Jnr is a really nice kid but he hasn't really been on the boil although he won the WBU. I don't think it's a coincidence that a group of fighters are fighting bad,” suggested Jones. “I'm so confident and there's no way that Jamie Moore can beat me again. He's going to be in for the toughest fight of his life. Deep down I know I'm a better fighter than Jamie Moore and I'm going to prove it.”

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