COLIN JONES has been awarded an MBE for services to boxing in Wales. When he went to the Montreal Games in 1976 he was the youngest Briton to qualify for an Olympics, until Amir Khan came along in 2004. As a professional Jones was a British, Commonwealth and European welterweight champion. His world title fights didn’t end in victory but he is viewed as one of the best Britons never to win a world championship. He has been the long-time coach of the Welsh national boxing team.
Over the last eight years in that role he has brought through great talents. Recently Lauren Price has become World and European gold medallist and reigns as the number one ranked middleweight in international boxing. Rosie Eccles is also one of the current boxers to come through the Welsh team, winning Commonwealth silver, and getting on to the GB squad. Eccles said, “Not keeping this one quiet, Colin Jones awarded MBE. Could not be more deserved, done so much for so many. I know I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”
The Welsh Amateur Boxing Association stated, “Congratulations to Colin Jones – awarded an MBE in the Queens birthday honours list for services to boxing. In true Colin style [on the day] he will be cornering Ioan Croft in the Boxam final.” Elite international boxers have been allowed to compete and on the day his MBE was announced, Jones was in Spain working with his team. They brought back a cluster of medals. Ioan Croft won gold after beating Monaco’s Olympic hopeful Hugo Micallef on a split decision in the welterweight final. Billy Unsworth and Taylor Bevan picked up bronze medals.