RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Ringside Report Looks Back at Dallas Cowboy & Boxer Ed “Too Tall” Jones

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

With the nickname, “Too Tall”, it would be too easy to just suggest that Ed Jones, 6-0, 5 KOs was head and shoulders above his peers. He was certainly a master of two sporting codes.

It is interesting to muse now as we see many people wanting to move from one sport and into another – often related. In rugby it is now normal to hear of people move between the two codes – Union to League and back. An Australian Rules footballer can also make the move whilst there have been a few who have gone from the rugby codes into boxing, even from soccer to boxing or cricket to boxing.

These are all relevant, if a bit European centric when we consider that midway within 15 seasons in football (The American variety and not the European soccer variety), including as a Dallas Cowboys defensive players, Ed Jones made the switch to boxing.

Part of the Cowboy’s Super Bowl 1978 team who beat the Denver Broncos 27-10 to win the title, he departed the football scene in the following year. Rather than being some fanciful nonsense that needed indulging, Jones had held a long fascination for the skilled art of boxing. Later he revealed he had planned to leave football in 1977 but had a contract to fulfill with the Cowboys so stayed until that ran out – a super bowl win in between he made the switch and debuted with a knockdown and majority decision win against Abraham Meneses on the 3rd of November 1979. He managed a majority decision against a guy who had lost more than he had won – should he have taken that as a sign?

From the Pan American Centre in Las Cruces, he went on to Phoenix and 10 days later beat Lee Holloman by stopping him in the final and 6th round. Holloman had won 1 of his 18 fights. Was this a sign?  Avid OlyBet website users might have predicted so.

Jones then took 11 days before getting back in the ring in Washington to take on a man who had 18 wins on his record, Fernando Montes and knocked him out in the very 1st round. Montes though had also lost 12 times so was hardly a stiff test.

In December Jones then fought Jim Wallace in Dallas, recording a 2nd round stoppage – and again here was a guy who had lost 3 – more than he had won – 2. 1980 saw this tour of the States continue with a January fight in Indianapolis where Billy Joe Thomas was knocked out in the 4th and then in Jackson 4 days later where he knocked Rocky Gonzales out in the 1st round. Both his final fights were against fighters who had never won, but you can only beat what is put in front of you – right?

And so, his enthusiasm had got him in the ring. His enthusiasm had got him fights. His enthusiasm had got him to where he could tour the states in seeking such fights and getting wins. Surely someone who is likely to climb rankings and get a belt or two? The problem, Jones had was that for all his enthusiasm, he just wasn’t that good at it!

In a report of the time, Red Smith of the New York Times was scathing when he wrote, “He cannot box, he cannot punch, and his chin gives off a musical tinkle when tapped.” Apart from all that he was enthusiastic…

So, what did he do?

He went back to the Dallas Cowboys in 1980.

But let’s not condemn a man who gave it a real go. Jones’ own manager, Dave Wolf pulled no punches, admitting his client was embarrassed by his performance, but rejecting the idea that he gave up out of embarrassment. Like many professional sports people, he reflected, cogitated and had to digest that fact, that he wasn’t that good at it!

Now remember that this was an age long before social media and the internet. What Jones faced next was quite brutal as people piled in on him as he had left football. What he also found was those around him in boxing were not as impressive as he expected, calling them “crummy”. His mother was also not a fan of his change of sports and having had a slight heart attack after his 3rd fight, he decided not to put too much more strain on her. Mind you he did manage another 3 fights thereafter…

Perhaps as has been suggested he just thought boxing would be a lot easier than it was! I wonder if he has any advice for Youtubers yet to lace a glove…

After a distinguished career in football, Jones was to retire with his reputation restored. What he did next was take his experience and turn it into a great benefit to others. A successful businessman, he owns a real estate company, an events company and is a well sought after motivational speaker. It’s some journey and one that may have included an ill-fated attempt to follow the sport he loved, but ye gotta love a trier – especially an enthusiastic one!

[si-contact-form form=’2′]