By Peter Silkov
After a stop and start career, which saw him sidelined by injuries in 2012 and 2014, Jamie Cox (20-0, 12koes) is a man in a hurry, and proved it again last night when he successfully defended his WBO European super-middleweight title with a clinical 68 second knockout at Dublin’s National Stadium. Hungarian challenger, Ferenc Albert (20-8, 9koes), barely got the chance to throw a punch before Cox’s punches had him on the floor. The first knockdown came from a right hook to the head, which seemed to just clip Ferenc. Ferenc bravely beat the count, but was then flattened by another right hook that caught him squarely on the jaw, and sent him down with a thud, with his head bouncing on the canvas. It was a nasty knockout, and unsurprisingly, referee Mickey Vann abandoned the count at two. This was Cox’s 3rd straight 1st round knockout since his return from his period of inactivity, which has seen him have just 4 fights in the past four years.
Originally a light-middleweight and ex-Commonwealth champion at that weight, Cox has come back from his spells of enforced absence a more muscular and stronger fighter, whose mixture of speed and power at super-middleweight is fast making him one of the most talked 168-pound fighters in the country. It’s not so much who he has beaten, but the way he has been beating them. Albert was a respectable opponent who had won his last 10 fights, and in contrast to Cox, was having his 13th fight this year. Unfortunately for Albert, it turned out to be unlucky 13 for him, as he never had a chance against Cox’s sizzling power.
At the age of 29, Cox is in a hurry to make up for lost time, and says that he is ready for anyone now at 168 pounds. In Liverpool on the same night, Callum Smith produced a spectacular performance of his own, to stop his Liverpool rival, Rocky Fielding, in the 1st round, and claim the vacant British super-middleweight title. There may well be a clamour now for a showdown between Smith and Cox, in what could be a huge domestic match. After his performance against Ferenc, Cox was in no doubt about his credentials, telling Box Nation, in his post fight interview:
“If that was Smith or Fielding in there tonight they’d have been knocked out as well. The winner out of those two is not the best in the country and the public know it. I have too much power for them. I’m the best and when I get my chance I’ll prove it.
After being out of the ring for a while, I’ve returned this year with three first round knockouts, I mean serious business at super-middleweight, and I’m going to win a world title. I’ll fight anyone at 168 pounds in the world right now, give me the opportunity and I’ll prove it! That’s a promise!”
Ironically, Cox’s biggest problem at the moment is his recent devastating success. He has gone less than 3 competitive rounds in the past 2 years, and could do with more rounds under his belt before he challenges for a world title, but perhaps unsurprisingly, 168-pound fighters are not exactly lining up asking to fight Cox.
The answer could well be a showdown with Callum Smith, if boxing politics allow it. Yet, that too looks like a fight which could end early.
Certainly Cox is an exciting addition to the 168-pound scene, which at the moment seems to be exploding domestically with possible world class talent. There is James Degale, who already holds a world title at 168-pounds (the IBF title) then a little way behind Degale is George Groves, who was very unlucky not to win the WBC title recently against Badou Jack, and Martin Murray, who challenges veteran WBO champion Arthur Abraham, on November 21st. Now, both Callum Smith and Jamie Cox are vying to break through into world class in the very near future.
The chances are that Britain will end up with at least one or two more world champions at 168-pounds in the next few months.
Hopefully, Cox won’t have to wait long to prove his worth on a bigger stage, against a world class opponent. It may be too early to say just how good Jamie Cox is, but his speed and punching power alone, looks to give him a chance at just about anyone at the weight. What he needs now though is more demanding opposition. The next year looks set to be an explosive one at 168-pounds.
Watch Full Fight:
Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com
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