Make the Best of You, Your Employees, and Your Company

Former World Champion Boxer, Jon Thaxton will take you through a whistle-stop tour of his life and career and how he made himself the best person he could be!

Jon will be the first to admit he wasn't the most talented boxer, but his hard work, passion, determination and his ability to optimise the situation led him to win British, European and World Titles.

Using his own professional career and beyond as an example he will use witty stories, life events, failures and successes that allowed him to achieve his goals. This talk will leave you feeling that anything is possible if you truly believe!

Jon’s Professional Boxing Career

He had his first professional fight in December 1992, beating Scott Smith on points over six rounds in Stoke on Trent. In his early career he fought as a light-welterweight. His first fight for a major title was in September 1996, when he won the WBO Intercontinental Light-Welterweight title, beating Bernard Paul of Mauritius on points. In November 1997, he won the IBF Intercontinental Light-Welterweight title, beating Rimvidas Bilius of Lithuania on points.

In September 1998, he lost both titles, when he lost to the American, Emanuel Augustus, being knocked out in the seventh.

In November 1999, he fought Jason Rowland for the British light-welterweight title, losing when the fight was stopped in the fifth. In October 2000, he had another shot at the now vacant British light-welterweight title when he fought Ricky Hatton. Despite Hatton being cut badly in the first round, he went on to defeat Thaxton on points. In February 2002, he fought Eamonn Magee for the Commonwealth light-welterweight title, losing when the fight was stopped in the sixth.

Between 2002 and 2004, Thaxton spent two years out of the ring with a shoulder injury after a road accident.

WBF title

In April 2005, he knocked out Frenchman Christophe De Busillet in the fourth, to take the vacant World Boxing Foundation (WBFo) world lightweight title. In September 2005, he defended the title against Romanian Vasile Dragomir, scoring a knockout in the fourth round.

British title

In December 2006, he fought Lee Meager, the holder of the British lightweight title. Thaxton scored a unanimous points victory to take the title. In March 2007, he defended the British lightweight title against Scott Lawton, winning by a technical knockout in the seventh. In October 2007, he defended the British lightweight title again, this time against Dave Stewart, winning by a technical knockout in the twelfth round.

European title challenge

In April 2008, he challenged Yuri Romanov, of Belarus, for his European lightweight title. The fight was stopped at the start of the sixth when Thaxton's corner refused to let him come out due to bad cuts. This was Thaxton's first defeat after twelve straight wins. On 4 October 2008, Thaxton captured the vacated European lightweight title in the third round of the contest against Spaniard Juan Carlos Melero Diaz.