Arkansas boxer dies after pro debut

Tragic news from Arkansas: 28-year old Anthony Jones died at a Little Rock hospital just hours after being knocked out in the second round of his professional debut. From Arkansas Online:

“It was just an untimely and unfortunate accident for him,” said Larry Harris, whose-Sheridan based Thunderstruck Fight Promotions had put together the seven bout event that drew close to 500 spectators. “The hospital doesn’t believe it had anything to do with the fight.”

Harris said Jones’ heavyweight bout with Quincy Palmer, of Little Rock, was stopped by fight official Martin Tunstall, of Sheridan, in the second round.

Harris said Palmer caught Jones with a hard punch and, after falling to the mat, the fight was called and emergency medical personnel attended to him in the ring.

“He was talkative, alert, having a few problems,” said Harris, who said he was informed afterward of a possible kidney ailment.

According to Harris neither Jones’ manager David Caldwell nor trainer Wade Gilbert, of Dirty South Boxing in El Dorado, turned in any record of an amateur career or previous fights. His opponent Palmer was in only his second professional fight.

A former high school football star, Jones reportedly took up boxing after sorting through some personal troubles. He could become the second Arkansas boxer to die from injuries sustained in the ring after Jacob Greenwalt died during a Silver Gloves regional championship bout in 1997. His body is being sent for an autopsy on Monday.