By Mark Vester

In a recent interview in the Pensacola News Journal , former four-division champ Roy Jones, Jr. gave his take on the pound-for-pound king, Floyd Mayweather Jr., competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

"He can go ahead and try it. He might (be able to beat them), who knows? If he can get to them first, he probably knock them out. But he'd have to keep them from getting him to the floor in a submission move, because if they do it's all over for him," Jones said.

When asked if he would ever consider a possible move to mixed martial arts, Jones was quick to to no. Unlike other boxers, Jones plans to stick to the craft he knows best.

"No, because that's not something I trained at for all these years to be out there for a quick fix. I don't go out there to knock you out in the first round. I go out to dissect you, use my art and skill to break you down and defeat you," Jones said.

Jones told NY Newsday several days ago, he is a big fan of mixed martial arts. But, he recently said there is a huge gap between the skill level of most boxers and most mixed martial artists.

"It's good because it gives those types of guys a way to earn money. I don't think mixed martial arts is going to take over boxing because boxing's a skill. Not many guys can come up and get to be 27 and say, "OK, I want to go fight in the boxing ring." But (in MMA) you can do that. All you gotta do is go learn to grapple, learn to wrestle or some submission moves and be tough, you can do that," Jones said.

"All those guys on "Pros vs. Joes," maybe they have a chance to do that. But they don't have a chance in that boxing ring for 12 rounds. Endurance, stamina, discipline. Those three things make what it takes to be a professional athlete. Those guys in the UFC, some of them are good athletes, too, don't get me wrong. But most of them are just tough guys who like to fight."

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