Merthyr's Jones provides knockout blow

MORGAN Jones came out on top in the fight of the night at the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association senior finals in Cardiff.

The Gareth Donovan-trained Merthyr Ex ABC fighter claimed the light-heavyweight crown with a third-round knockout of Cardiff’s Nathan Thorley to take his amateur record to 22 victories from 27 contests.

Jones, 21, was leading on points as the fight entered the closing stages and, as Thorley looked for a way through, his opponent caught him with a clean left hook which floored the St Joseph’s man.

Another convincing winner on the night was heavyweight Lloyd Davies who defended his 91kg title with a final-round stoppage of Carmarthen ABC’s Rhys Williams.

The contest halted after Williams was given his third standing eight count by the referee with Mountain Ash’s Davies way in front on points.

The highest-scoring final was at 52kg where Cwmbran’s Ryan Llewellyn picked up 33 points but still lost to Swansea’s Jay Harris, a champion at 56kg in 2011. The bout finished 45-33 to the Gwent ABC boxer.

Unfortunately for Dowlais’s Jamie Evans, 2012 wasn’t to be his year. The 21-year-old lost to Fred Evans at 69kg 12 months ago and this time it was Kristian Nagle who had the better of him, 23-15 on points.

Two of the closest contests came at light-welterweight (64kg), where Thomas Hoar beat Nico Morrison 19-10, and at bantamweight (56kg), where Joe Hall outpointed Kazim Ghani 24-22. Daniel Richards was crowned 75kg champion with a 14-7 victory over Newport’s Leon Goodman.

In the key ladies fight, Cwmcarn’s Becky Price kept alive her hopes of making the London Olympics by retaining her 60kg title against Charlene Jones.

The win gives Price a place at the forthcoming World Championships in China where if she performs well enough a place at the Olympics could come her way.

In the other women’s finals, Newport’s Rachel Pritchard beat Becky Price 24-21 and Rachel Tobin scraped past Tamlyn Williams 18-17.