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Gorilla Jones ("The Fighting Gorilla") facts for kids

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Gorilla Jones
Statistics
Nickname(s) The Fighting Gorilla
Rated at Welterweight
Nationality American
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 37
Wins 18
Wins by KO 10
Losses 17
Draws 2

Gorilla Jones was an African American boxer known as "The Fighting Gorilla" who fought out of Alexandria, Louisiana as a welterweight from 1913 to 1924. He may have provided the nickname for William Landon Jones (1906–1982), also known as Gorilla Jones, who was the second black boxer to win the world middleweight title.

Boxing career

Jones won on a first round disqualification against Battling Ortega from a low blow in Colorado, Springs on September 1, 1921.

On January 6, 1922, Jones defeated well known black boxer Speedball Hayden in a ninth round knockout at Fort Bliss Arena in El Paso, Texas. Jones was favored in the early publicity for his powerful, aggressive infighting, and heavy hitting. Hayden had defeated Jones earlier on April 1, 1921 in Phoenix, Arizona in an eight round points decision. Jones was said to have put up a great effort but Hayden was clearly his master, deserving the decision. On November 25, 1920, Jones lost a fourth round disqualification in Columbus, Ohio, but was reported by the El Paso Times to have knocked Hayden to the mat four times prior to the foul.

Taking the world colored welterweight championship, February, 1915

Tiger Flowers portrait LOC
Tiger Flowers

Because of the color bar in pro boxing, Jones never competed for the world title which was not open to black boxers during his career. He won the World Colored Welterweight Championship from Eddie Palmer, the inaugural champion, in a twenty round points decision in New Orleans on February 15, 1915, though he apparently never defended it.

On February 21, 1922, he met future world middleweight champ Tiger Flowers, the first black boxer to win the world welterweight title, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for the Southwest Middleweight Championship. He lost in a fourth round knockout of a scheduled 15-round bout. A few sources report that Jones lost via a ninth round T.K.O.

Jones had a career record of 18 wins and 17 losses. He was knocked out ten times and had two draws.

Professional boxing record

Professional record summary
37 fights 18 wins 17 losses
By knockout 10 10
By decision 7 6
By disqualification 1 1
Draws 2
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
37 Win 18–17–2 Tim Kelly PTS 4 Dec 29, 1922 L Street Arena, Sacramento, California, U.S.
36 Loss 17–17–2 Tim Kelly PTS 4 Dec 15, 1922 L Street Arena, Sacramento, California, U.S.
35 Draw 17–16–2 Johnny Burns PTS 4 Oct 26, 1922 West Side Arena, San Jose, California, U.S.
34 Loss 17–16–1 Lee Anderson KO 3 (12) Aug 15, 1922 City Auditorium, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
33 Win 17–15–1 Sonny Goodrich TKO 7 (12) Jun 2, 1922 Beethoven Hall, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
32 Loss 16–15–1 Billy Britton TKO 12 (15) Apr 25, 1922 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
31 Win 16–14–1 Eddie McGovern PTS 4 Apr 20, 1922 East Side Arena, San Jose, California, U.S.
30 Win 15–14–1 Kid Reese KO 2 (4) Mar 17, 1922 L Street Arena, Sacramento, California, U.S.
29 Loss 14–14–1 Tiger Flowers KO 9 (15) Feb 21, 1922 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico For vacant Southwest middleweight championship
28 Win 14–13–1 Speedball Hayden KO 9 (15) Jan 6, 1922 Fort Bliss Arena, El Paso, Texas, U.S.
27 Win 13–13–1 Chihuahua Kid Brown KO 3 (?) Oct 9, 1921 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico Finish Fight
26 Win 12–13–1 Battling Ortega DQ 1 (?) Sep 5, 1921 Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
25 Win 11–13–1 Chihuahua Kid Brown TKO 5 (15) Aug 17, 1921 Armory, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
24 Win 10–13–1 Leo Matlock KO 6 (15) Jun 19, 1921 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
23 Draw 9–13–1 Andy Kid Palmer PTS 15 Apr 17, 1921 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
22 Loss 9–13 Speedball Hayden PTS 8 Apr 1, 1921 Arizona A.C., Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
21 Win 9–12 Sunny Jim Williams KO 5 (10) Jan 14, 1921 Fort Bliss Arena, El Paso, Texas, U.S.
20 Loss 8–12 Andy Kid Palmer PTS 10 Dec 11, 1920 Douglas, Arizona, U.S.
19 Loss 8–11 Speedball Hayden DQ 4 (?) Nov 25, 1920 Columbus, New Mexico, U.S.
18 Loss 8–10 Battling Gahee KO 15 (15) Sep 18, 1920 National Baseball Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
17 Win 8–9 Battling Norfolk PTS 15 Jul 16, 1920 National Baseball Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
16 Loss 7–9 Battling Norfolk KO 5 (20) Apr 21, 1920 Passtime Athletic Club, Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S.
15 Loss 7–8 Young Kid Norfolk TKO 9 (15) Jan 5, 1920 Dauphine Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
14 Win 7–7 Eddie Palmer PTS 15 Oct 31, 1919 Tulane Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
13 Loss 6–7 Sal Carlo KO 1 (4) Oct 2, 1919 Coliseum, San Francisco, California, U.S.
12 Win 6–6 Jack Mitchell KO 12 (20) Mar 14, 1917 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
11 Win 5–6 Hock Bones TKO 11 (20) Mar 2, 1917 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
10 Win 4–6 Jamaica Kid PTS 15 Apr 18, 1916 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
9 Loss 3–6 Eddie Palmer KO 8 (?) Apr 1, 1916 McElroy, Louisiana, U.S. Exact date unknown / Held in 1916
8 Loss 3–5 Kyle Whitney TKO 8 (20) Mar 18, 1915 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
7 Win 3–4 Eddie Palmer PTS 20 Feb 15, 1915 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Won world colored welterweight title
6 Win 2–4 Eddie Palmer PTS 20 Jan 23, 1915 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
5 Loss 1–4 Eddie Palmer PTS 10 Dec 20, 1914 McDonoghville Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
4 Loss 1–3 One Round Charley TKO 7 (10) Feb 11, 1914 Northside A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
3 Loss 1–2 Young Tommy Coleman PTS 10 Dec 12, 1913 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
2 Loss 1–1 Kyle Whitney PTS 8 Jul 14, 1913 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 Kid Sylvester KO 2 (8) Jun 02, 1913 Phoenix A.C., Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Eddie Palmer
World Colored Welterweight Champion
February 15, 1915 – Unknown
Succeeded by
Cocoa Kid
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