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“Damn, I can beat Klitschko”
Published: 10 July, 2009, 16:37
TAGS: Sport, Boxing, Klitschko
Former middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight champion of the world Roy Jones Jr. says he’s ready to return to the heavyweight division to beat either Klitschko, Boxingscene reports.
The all-time Jones (53-5, 39KOs) has seen better days as a prizefighter – he used to be regarded as a pound-for-pound champion of the world. In 2003 he even risked the heavyweight division and beat John Ruiz to claim the WBA title, but since his loss to Antonio Tarver in 2004 he doesn’t seem to have fully rebounded. However, Junior hasn’t lost his ability to talk a good fight.
In his interview with Boxingscene, the 40-year-old claimed he’s strong enough to beat either Wladimir or Vitaly Klitschko and bring back at least one of the major heavyweight titles to America. Currently all four belts rest in Europe, with Nikolay Valuev holding the WBA one, Vitaly Klitschko the WBC, and his brother Wladimir holds the other two – the IBF and WBO.
“Everyone needs to understand that I'm the easiest guy to make a fight with,” says Jones. “I promote myself, so ain’t nobody in the way. I can't say no. I will do anything the fans wanna see. I would love to fight Bernard Hopkins or Glen Johnson. I’d fight either Klitschko because Chris Byrd beat one of them (Vitaly), and if he beat 'em, I know I damn sure can.”
“I’d like to get the title back in this country and it wouldn’t matter,” said the American. “I would do whatever my fans wanna see me do. I would fight either of them. To be honest with you, them having them belts keeps me awake at night.”
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I wish there was more self-belief than greed in R.J's words, but I think he is desperate for a pay day. If he is ready to risk his health in the heavyweght division, he should be ready to face B-hop first, a fight that could be interesting. R.J. says he is the easiest guy to fight against, he should face it that he is also the easiest guy to beat after he fought Tarver. Any of the Klitchkos could put his life in danger, if they agree to such a preposterous mismatch. I think Hopkins is very easy to fight too, and he is willing to figh Jones, if Jones is easy too, why try to outdance heavies instead of a real fight against a real challenge (I pick Hopkins by K.O.)
The Klitschkos can't be beat, even at their mid 30's. Roy would easily get beat up badly fighting one of them. David Hayehas even found a easier way to get a Heavyweight Title by whoosing out against Wladimir and jumping in against Nicoli "The Caveman" Valuev.