'I needed a fresh start' - Jones to make boxing debut after taekwondo switch

Jones' 'humbling' journey from the pinnacle to boxing By Ian Mitchelmore BBC Sport Wales Published 27 minutes ago Comments After bidding an emotional farewell to a sport that was her whole life, Jade Jones was in the perfect position to retire having reached the pinnacle in taekwondo. But taking the easy option quite simply isn't in the DNA of the Flint native - who is pursuing a boxing career less than a year after losing in the first round at the 2024 Olympics. "It was difficult because I am taekwondo, that's made my life and I'll forever be grateful to the sport," she said. "I still absolutely love taekwondo, I still train and throw a few kicks. "The way the Olympics went... I needed a fresh start. "Most people would have retired whereas I've still got the fire in my belly and I'm craving the challenge." Boxing schedule and results 2026 Published 24 February Ex-Olympic champion Jones quits taekwondo for boxing Published 7 March 2025 Jones, 32, won Olympic gold at the 2012 Olympics in London and again in Rio de Janeiro four years later. But having reached the ultimate high in one sport, Jones is now bidding to go from bottom to top in a whole new discipline. She takes on Egypt Criss - daughter of hip-hop stars Anthony 'Treach' Criss from Naughty by Nature and Sandra 'Pepa' Denton from Salt-N-Pepa - in her maiden boxing bout in Derby on 7 March, a crossover Jones herself labelled "crazy". Having trained for little more than a year, Jones swiftly became aware of the unforgiving nature of the sport. "I think one of the hardest challenges that people don't realise is going from being at the top of one sport and going to the complete bottom of another sport. It's very humbling," Jones told BBC Sport Wales. "I remember first walking into this gym, I'd never thrown a punch before. "I said I was going to be a boxer and everyone laughed at me and looked at me as though I was crazy." Training under the guidance of former professional boxer Stephen 'Swifty' Smith at Liverpoo...