MACAU − Roy Jones Jr. was always an unorthodox boxer, relying on his incredible athleticism to offset sometimes careless technique.
So it shouldn?t come as a surprise that Jones, who still fights and works as a boxing commentator for HBO, is unconventional as a trainer as well.
When news arrived that Jones, one of the most dynamic fighters of his era, was now training Jessie Vargas, the super lightweight champ from Las Vegas, it seemed an intriguing pairing.
But it was impossible to tell how interesting until Vargas dropped the following hint before the final press conference for his title fight with Antonio DeMarco on Saturday night.
?I?ve sparred with Roy,? Vargas said, growing serious. ?He hits hard, without a doubt.?
Vargas let that idea sink in, of the supremely athletic and hard-hitting Jones − a four-division title winner − donning gloves and punching a boxer he?s supposed to be helping.
But Vargas, 25, soon downplayed the sessions, saying both men don?t aim for the head.
?Well, to be honest it was all to the body,? Vargas says. ?But as soon as I got in the ring I was like, ?Oh s— it?s Roy.? ?
While the 45-year-old Jones doesn?t wear head gear, Vargas does, aiming his shots to Jones? midsection while Jones does the same.
?He socks me up,? said Vargas, who noted the sessions are pretty infrequent.
But Vargas (25-0, nine knockouts) will fight for real on Saturday when he and Jones have their first bout together. The fight will take place on the undercard of the bout between Manny Pacquiao and Huntington L.I.?s Chris Algieri at the Venetian?s Cotai Arena and be aired on HBO Pay-Per-View.
And if both Vargas and Pacquiao prevail, there is talk of the two possibly fighting each other in the future. If that happens, the always opportunistic Jones could unveil his latest boxing stunt.
As a super middleweight, Jones once played in a semi-pro basketball game on the same day he had a professional title fight with someone named Eric Lucas in 1996.
Now, he wants to do one better.
He has told Vargas that he wants to commentate for HBO, work a corner and also fight all on the same card.
?That?s three hats,? said Jones, who will work the HBO telecast following Vargas? fight. ?You have to be really, really humble but a strong-minded person to pull off such a feat. It?s very difficult because I have to be able to maintain myself for him. I got to be able to maintain my focus on myself and then I have to be able to talk about whatever fighter I watch and commentate.?
Has he started to think about when this could happen?
?I haven?t thought about that yet,? he said with a laugh. ?I?m still working on that right now.?
Jones, who was always able to ad-lib in the ring with the best of them, has been having fun this week in China. During the final press conference on Wednesday, Jermaine Jackson was introduced to the audience. He immediately walked up to the stage and shook Jones? hand, returning to his seat satisfied.
Given what he went through with his father at a young age − the two had a stormy relationship as fighter and coach − it?s somewhat surprising that Jones would segue into training fighters.
But he has done so before, working with former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and also former junior welterweight titlist Kendall Holt.
And he says that training fighters also helps him with his own still-going boxing career.
?When I started training these guys it made my fighting better because it reminded me of things I used to do when I fought,? Jones said. ?Because I had nobody to really remind me. But now working with them ? it reminds me. I?m a student of this game because I know so much and that?s why I can teach so much.?
