Boxing News Boxing News
On the same day as football’s January transfer window closed Potteries boxing promoters and managers Impact Boxing released details of the latest professional to join their burgeoning stable. 24 year-old, Burslem based, Justin “Ritchie’ Jones is scheduled to make his debut on Impact’s 24th February show at Stoke’s Kings Hall in the light-heavyweight division. Jones has been granted his pro licence in principle pending satisfactory medicals.
Justin, the son of former pro Daryl Ritchie and grandson of Johnny Ritchie, served his amateur career with the Clwyd club in Rhyl and was trained by his father. Winning 39 of his 52 amateur contests Jones picked up five Welsh schoolboys titles and one Welsh youth title before collecting a senior Welsh ABA title in 2003 having also reached the final in the previous year. Jones also represented Wales at international level 15 times but missed out on the 2004 Olympics due to an accident at work which kept him out of boxing for 8 months.
Justin also spent 4 years in the Welsh Guards and during this time won the Army boxing championships at light-heavyweight and represented the Army’s boxing team for two years.
“Having had a such successful amateur career the logical step was for me to turn professional,” said Jones. “I eventually want to pit myself against the best fighters out there and turning pro is the only way to do it.”
“I know that the transition from amateur boxing to the pro game can be a tricky one but I believe that I am joining the right set-up at Impact Boxing. Scott Lawton is a great role model and the success that Impact has achieved in the last twelve months suggests to me that they are doing things the right way. Also, I’ve been training in their gym for a while now and the atmosphere is fantastic and I can see how all their boxers must be feeding of it.”
“They say that “success breeds success’ and I hope to be challenging for titles in a couple of years, I am confident that Impact Boxing are the best team to get me what I want out of the sport.”
Tickets for Justin’s debut bout which will make up part of a seven fight card can be obtained by contacting Impact Boxing on: 0845 156 7168
