Paul Jones (boxer) of the year award". This then placed Jones as number 2 in the WBO rankings. Jones then defended this title twice. Jones was in the form of his life and was unbeaten for more the 3 years. Next up was what he had been waiting for; a shot at the champion. Jones went into the fight the heavy underdog but surprised the boxing world by dominated the fight capturing the WBO Light Middleweight Title in 1995 with a majority decision win over Future IBF Light Middle Weight Champ and future IBHOF Champion Verno Phillips. With the win, Jones became the
World Boxing Organization champions Michael Moorer, Riddick Bowe, and Henry Akinwande relinquishing the title to pursue other options. Boxing publication "The Ring" also did not recognize the WBO, despite having recognized the IBF after its inception in 1983, five years prior to the WBO. In the lighter weight divisions, however, long-reigning champions during the 1990s such as Chris Eubank, Dariusz Michalczewski, Johnny Tapia, and Naseem Hamed gave the WBO title increasingly more prestige. The WBO was also made popular by boxers such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya, Nigel Benn, Ronald "Winky" Wright, Joe Calzaghe, and Wladimir Klitschko, all of whom