Roy Jones Jr: Actions and Reactions

21.02 - There is an old phrase: Actions speak louder than words. No one in boxing shows more action in the ring and outside as Roy Jones does. For years he has dazzeled us with his lightening quick hands and spectacular performance enroute to winning World Titles at Middleweight, Super-Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight. There is now talk that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is considering awarding him the gold medal he "loss" in Barcelona. (Jones lost the gold medal bout against the Korean fighter in which later it was disovered that the Korean judges were "wined and dined" the night before the gold medal fight."

Even after his spectacular 7th round mastery of overmatched Australian Glenn Kelly he spoke of fighting undefeated #2 Light-Heavyweight Dariusz Michalczewski. Following his victory over Kelly, Jones said, "On Monday, I'm going to HBO and tell them to give me some money to go to Germany and do this with Dariusz Michalczewski 'cause he wants some." Michalczewski (45-0) expressed his disire to fight Jones as well. However, no one has made any moves to make this fight happen.
We have heard this talk for so long it's getting very stale. Before the Middleweight Tournament began, everyone was picking Felix Trinidad to win and challenge Roy Jones at a catch weight of 168lbs. Jones obliged and waited out the tournament. Trinidad was upset in the final by Bernard Hopkins. A fight that Jones has assisted that Trinidad not take. With Hopkins (41-2-1) becoming Undisputed Middleweight Champion, a superfight re-match was set. Or was it?

Money was and is still the problem that seperates these two undisputed champions from clashing. Jones says at "60-40 I'll kick your (butt), while Hopkins says it should be split 50-50. Jones argument is that he won the first battle and should get the lion's share of the purse. Hopkins feels as Undisputed Champion and Jones' only real threat that the fight should be split. This is another song and dance for Roy, who seems to want the payday more than the match.

My solution: The winner gets sixty percent of the purse.

While all of this game of Whats your price" goes on, a new player has entered the fiasco.

Enter IBF Cruiserweight Vasily Jirov.

Jones advisor Brad Jacobs is currently talking to CEO of Jirov co-promoter Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Bjorn Rebney about Jones possibly going up in weight to battle the hard-hitting undefeated Russian. Jirov (31-0, 27 KOs) is the top rated 190 pounder in the world. The heavy-hitting south-paw (something that Jones has openly stated he has had trouble with) packs a devastating right hook and an "in your face" style. However, he was hit rather easily by Jorge Castro in a 12 round victory on February 1st.

"It's a viable fight," Jacobs said on Monday. He stated that he had talked to Rebney several times and it was a fight they (Jirov's camp) definetly wanted. Jirov manager Ivaylo Gotzev stated that, "We'll make it nice and simple." Referring to the deal. "We'll go into his own backyard and his family can be the judges. We'll agree to any terms as long as they are reasonable and they don't insult us. We'll give them an offer they can't refuse." Jacobs stated that they were in agreement on how the terms would be done. He felt confident thatif Jirov is the way we want to go, there won't be any problems."

That is where the song and dance routine begins. If. It sounded as though this fight had a great possibility to be made until the Jirov camp said they would Fight him in his own backyard with his family as judges." Unlike Michalczewski, Jirov is willing to fight anywhere.

The rhetoric Jones contends is that he is really a Super-Middleweight fighting at Light-Heavyweight and that he isn't interested at pursuing fights against bigger opponents. However, Jirov's lackluster fight with Castro may have opened the door to another "tomato can".

"Jirov walks around at 188 and Jones claimed he was 188 the night of his last fight," Gotzev said. (Jones weighed in at 182 when he walked into the ring) "So they are naturally the same weight. Jirov doesn't blow up to 200 pounds. When he fought at heavyweight last year, he weighed in fully clothed with cellphones in his pockets. Gotzev stated that Jirov is willing to defend his title at 185 pounds. Although that is less than the division limit of 190, it is more than the 175 (Light-Heavyweight) pound limit that Jones fights in.

"We would give that up," Gotzev continued. "If that's what Jones wants, that's what Jones gets. It's that simple.

This could be a intriguing bout. Jones' speed and power will be evident as Jirov will try to set up his hook. Jones will hit Jirov and perhaps hurt him, but if Jirov lands on him, especially the vicious body shot he throws to the liver that has finished off 27 of his 31 opponents (and dropped the others), he'll hurt Jones, too. Could this fight be a reply of Vernon Forrest's 12 round mastery of "Sugar" Shane Mosley? That was a fight where the under-rated, taller, stronger fighter (Forrest) was able to land vicious power shots on the quicker, but shorter fighter (Mosley) and nearly stop him early.

A good jab by a tall, powerful oponent can stop speed in it's tracks.

We'll see if the song and dance of Roy Jones continues on or will he gives us the performance that we have long awaited.

Boxing Tip: Counter-punching:
Counterpunching will frustrate any fighter. Counterpunching will make a fighter think more, thus making his reation time a little slower. He will be taken out of his game a bit. In Boxing, when you have to abandon your gameplan it can cause major problems. Counterpunching as a tall and fast opponent can nulliy the power of a shorter but stronger opponent. Lateral movement and body punching will wear down your opponent as he fires his power shots. If that taller opponent brings his power, step laterally and deliver a body shot. The most tiring punch is a punch that misses it's target combined with a body-counter shot. Great fights that illustrated great countering were Sugar Ray Leonard/Bruce Finch, Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum/Don Curry, Sugar Ray Leonard/Marvin Hagler, Leonard/Hearns, Tyson's battles with Holmes, Bruno, Berbick. If you can't find them, look at Barerra/Hamed, Hopkins/Trinidad, De La Hoya/Mosley, Tsyzu/Judah
Until the next time, keep your hands up and your head moving!