NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – Ezra Taylor picked up the biggest win of his professional career with a victory over the previously unbeaten light heavyweight Troy Jones.

Taylor, who has been working with trainer Malik Scott, looked impressive and showed his full repertoire of power punches. Jones made the contest competitive using his high work rate and bodywork, but the more eye-catching shots from Taylor earned him the victory by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 97-94.

Taylor, who improved to 12-0 (8 KOs), came out behind his long stiff jab but was met by Jones, who was eager to seize his opportunity on the big stage. Jones had recently impressed when given an opportunity on a Matchroom Boxing card back in November in his home city of Birmingham. This time he brought a large crowd with him to Nottingham – the home of Taylor. Jones, 26, looked to land his left to the body while Taylor attempted to catch him with an uppercut as he came in.

Taylor, 30, sought to land hard, single shots but was being outworked by Jones, who patted away at the arms of Taylor before sinking his left hand to the midsection. In the third, Jones again pressed forward and elected to fight on Taylor’s chest. Taylor responded by whipping an overhand right that seemed to momentarily stun Jones. Taylor then fired in a hard left hook that Jones only partially blocked. It did not hurt Jones, but he understood that Taylor carried concussive power. 

Jones’ work rate started to dip in the fourth, and Taylor started to land his power shots more regularly. Jones certainly felt the power of Taylor but was not deterred away, and Jones continued to press forward, landing his best work to the body. Taylor started to get more comfortable in the fifth, landing with more menace and more often. The pick of the shots was a counter left hook; Jones was lucky it only clipped his chin. 

The power shots were starting to have an effect on Jones. His face was reddened, his nose bleeding and his body bruised. Taylor was punishing Jones as he came in to land his work. Jones was continuously forced to eat right hands in an attempt to pin Taylor on the ropes. Jones had success in the seventh, though, as Taylor had started to slow. Jones took his opportunity to push Taylor to the ropes and unloaded a barrage of shots to the midsection. 

Taylor landed his best shot of the fight in the eighth, a left hand that seemed to stun Jones, and he followed it up with a right hand that sent Jones falling back into the ropes. Jones took the shots well and retaliated by landing a nice uppercut, although Taylor again had the last say by landing an uppercut of his own as the bell sounded. The ninth round was an entertaining affair: Jones pinned Taylor against the ropes and whipped in his shots to the body, but Taylor responded by landing a left that seemed to wobble Jones. As Taylor came in for the kill, thankfully for Jones, the bell sounded. 

Taylor made an attempt to finish off Jones in the 10th round. He launched an overhand right over the guard of Jones that again hurt him. Jones stumbled slightly but recovered well and finished the fight standing. 

Jones, bloodied and bruised, seemingly knew that he had been beaten at the sound of the bell. He falls to 12-1 (6 KOs) but will certainly be given another opportunity on the big stage after another entertaining contest.