Coventry boxer Richard Evatt narrowly failed in his IBO featherweight title bout against Junior Jones.

Evatt put up a brave fight forcing the American to take a count in the first round and getting ahead on the cards of two of the three judges.

But towards the close of the eleventh round Jones superior height and reach took its toll when he floored Evatt with a strong left hook. Referee Paul Thomas stopped the fight deciding that the 25-year-old Coventry lad had taken enough.

Evatt was always the underdog against an opponent of Jones' quality. It was only a year ago that he had been banned from fighting after failing a brain scan - he got the all-clear to box again last November.