'Physical and mental toll' - Jones on retirement

Ebonie Jones was scheduled to fight Tysie Gallagher earlier this year but the bout was cancelled after Jones missed weight

Ebonie Jones has opened up on the "bittersweet" decision to retire from boxing having not achieved all she wanted to in the sport.

The 27-year-old announced on social media at the start of November that she would be hanging up her gloves after failing to make weight for a fight against Tysie Gallagher six months prior.

Jones was scheduled to step into what she called "the biggest fight of her career" for British and Commonwealth titles at Doncaster Rovers' Eco-Power Stadium.

Since the cancelation, the Portsmouth fighter had not posted anything further on the matter before announcing her shock retirement at the start of the month.

In a post on Instagram, Jones teased that "maybe one day" she might return to the sport but for now she wants to live "a normal life".

"It's intense training, extreme dieting from a young age and over time obviously that can take its toll not just physically but mentally," Jones told BBC South Today.

"I'm very hard on myself so it's like a bittersweet thing for me hanging up with gloves because I feel like I didn't really sort of go and achieve all that I wanted to.

"Boxing's only ever done good for me and I've got a lot to give back to it, the sport's given me a lot but I think now it'll be nice to spend time with loved ones."

Jones retires with an unbeaten record, winning six times in seven professional bouts and one draw.

As an amateur the featherweight experienced plenty of success, winning 60 of her 65 bouts and claiming multiple national and British titles as well as European under-22 success along the way.

Ebonie Jones was undefeated throughout her pro career

Jones made her professional debut with promotional company Boxxer and promoter Ben Shalom where she fought four times at arenas including Wembley Arena, the O2 and the Hydro in Glasgow.

She was part of the first-ever all-female card to be televised in Britain, which was headlined by Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall in 2022.

"Even in my darkest times boxing's been my escape," she added.

"Now i'm looking into if I want to coach kids and women who've been in a similar situation to me, I can show that boxing can be that escape and a positive thing in your life."

Jones trained in Sheffield at the Steel City gym under Pearce Gudgeon, and often worked shifts in a local pub alongside her training.

Despite there being elements of boxing that Jones said she would miss, the 27-year-old admitted that there would be some parts of the sport that she would be happy to move on from.

"I'm not going to miss being away from family," Jones added.

"Also I won't miss feeling guilty for going for meals with them, I always had that mindset where I was training I shouldn't be enjoying anything and I shouldn't be enjoying life and I really never got that balance.

"The sport's given me a lot but I think now it'll be nice to spend time with loved ones and maybe give back to the sport in other ways with coaching."