ROY JONES, regarded as the best pound for pound fighter in the world, suffered the first blemish on his record Friday when he was disqualified late in the ninth round for hitting Montell Griffin while he was down on a knee at Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Jones, unchallenged through 34 career bouts, lost his World Boxing Council light heavyweight title following the ruling. Jones decked Griffin with just over 30 seconds - left in the ninth round, but the challenger had got to a knee before referee Tony Perez could begin the count. Jones hit Griffin twice and Perez stepped in and counted Griffin out.

After a lengthy discussion in the ring, Griffin was awarded the disqualification victory. Chaos reigned in the ring and Perez had to leave ringside under a police escort.

Jones, who had been dominant in winning 29 of his first 34 bouts by knockout, was winning on two of the three judges scorecards at the time of the stoppage. Jones, who fell to 34-1, had captured the middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight titles.

Griffin, unbeaten in 27 fights with 18 knockouts, was also knocked down in the seventh round, but had given Jones one of his stiffest tests to date.