Roy Jones, Jr. faces veteran Danny Green in front of 18,000 Australians Wednesday night (Dec. 2) with a same day broadcast (7:00 PM Central) on the Versus Network. Of course the real question is: Why? What is the purpose?
I don’t know and I don’t know the meaning of life. But I know I’ll watch Roy Jones, Jr.
In fact, Bernard Hopkins is scheduled to lead off the doubleheader (but check your local listings.) The Hopkins fight I believe is live and Jones follows on same day tape delay.
If they both win they are scheduled to face each other March 13 in Las Vegas on HBO PPV.
If you’re reading this you don’t need to be reminded of how many different titles in different weight divisions Jones has won. It’s Roy Jones, Jr. That is all that needs to be said. It’s about respect.
Manny Pacquiao fans will learn this eventually. They are caught up in the seven titles in seven different weight divisions and they are looking into an eighth against Yuri Foreman.
They will realize someday that the fighter makes the title. But as I have gotten to know them, I have been won over by their loyalty to Pacman and the good questions they ask me.
Muhammad Ali needed only one belt. Same with Marvin Hagler.
Manny Pacquiao’s name can stand alone. It doesn’t need alliteration, pronouns, or adjectives in front of it anymore. It means boxing greatness on its own.
After a thorough loss in Madison Square Garden against Joe Calzaghe, Jones has been fighting off Broadway. Way off Broadway. Pensacola, FL (Jeff Lacy); Biloxi, MS; (Omar Sheika); and now Green in Australia.
It is a solid three million bucks. But if it turns out to be worth it or not oddly seems to be on the shoulders of Green and not Jones.
Green is younger (36) to Jones (40) and bigger and fighting in his backyard. He needs to make Jones fight back and make us old timers remember our youth. If Green can do that, Jones can come back to Madison Square Garden or Las Vegas.
Jones appears to me to be much slicker and smarter and have more boxing finesse.
A loss to Green could possibly affect the scheduled HBO Pay-Per-View date with Hopkins.
The Green fight was signed first, when Jones was still in the boxing promotional wilderness, and Jones wished to honor it.
Even though this will be his third fight in 2009 (and fourth in 13 months), Jones is looked at as a fad fighter, even a part – timer. An oldie that can be brought in on short notice,
Seriously he can probably beat all but the elite fighters. Top prospects won’t fight him. He’s too dangerous. He could teach the wrong prospect a serious and career-ending boxing lesson.
One day in the ring he’ll get old. Hopefully not the way Joe Louis did against a young Rocky Marciano. But I’ll be there until the end. He’s been that good and important to me.
If Manny Pacquiao is, for any crazy reason, fighting in 10 years, let’s hope he looks like Roy Jones, Jr.
