Curly Howard
03-04-2003, 01:59 AM
James Brown – “How will you make your decision to decide if you will remain a heavyweight or not and what are your thoughts on having the WBA mandate you defending your title against Vitali Klitschko in the next 180 days?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “They stripped my IBF title before I went in there (vs Ruiz) just because I wanted the opportunity to go in and do something good for the sport of boxing. It seems like the more you do good for the sport of boxing the more boxing does back to you to discredit what you did for them. I am ready and willing to deal with the situation. As far as I’m concerned, in the book they have to write me down as the WBA heavyweight champ. They can take that and do what they want with it, I don’t care. They are not going to rush me into nothing. I have been my own man for all my career and I’m going to continue to be my own man. Nobody is going to force Roy Jones into doing nothing, you already know that JB because I don’t even roll like that. I will retire first. “
James Brown – “Why do you think they are forcing you into making this decision?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “Probably pressure coming from one of the managers of the Klitschko boys, because usually that is how the situation goes. People want to get their fighter in, they want to give them a title shot so they try to do as many things to make that happen. It’s somebody behind one of the Klitschko boys who thinks I’m small and this is a great opportunity for them, so they are putting the pressure on the WBA saying if you don’t force him to fight we are going to sue or whatever. They get scared because the WBC just lost a big lawsuit, so that’s most likely where it’s coming from. I don’t think it’s coming from Don King.”
James Brown – “What’s next for you?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “It will cost a lot of money to see me fight as a heavyweight again, I did that one for the people, my fans, for history, and the sport of boxing. Anymore of them will cost a whole lot of money. But a whole lot of money will make me think about. So I don’t know. I’m not saying no, but it will cost a whole lot of money.”
James Brown – “If they put that money on the table, would Mike Tyson be a possibility?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “A whole lot of money, then anybody is a possibility. I told them before that this is one time I'm going to suck it up and take this one ahead because proving to my father that even the 10 million dollar guarantee was really worthy a risk for me, but I knew I had to fight this one on the chin and do it for boxing. So I'll take the 10 million-dollar guarantee and show them that when I say I'll work I will work and I think I gave the fans 10 million dollars worth and probably 15 to 20 million dollars worth of entertainment that night. A lot of people thought I would come to the fight and run and be happy with running and getting the victory and the money. No, I wasn't there for the 10 million dollars I was there to win the title and make history, because it's my time and that's what I came to prove.”
James Brown: “Let me get this straight if the money and motivation were right you would fight Tyson, Lewis or Klitschko?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “In a heartbeat, in a heartbeat. I fear no man.”
Roy Jones Jr. – “They stripped my IBF title before I went in there (vs Ruiz) just because I wanted the opportunity to go in and do something good for the sport of boxing. It seems like the more you do good for the sport of boxing the more boxing does back to you to discredit what you did for them. I am ready and willing to deal with the situation. As far as I’m concerned, in the book they have to write me down as the WBA heavyweight champ. They can take that and do what they want with it, I don’t care. They are not going to rush me into nothing. I have been my own man for all my career and I’m going to continue to be my own man. Nobody is going to force Roy Jones into doing nothing, you already know that JB because I don’t even roll like that. I will retire first. “
James Brown – “Why do you think they are forcing you into making this decision?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “Probably pressure coming from one of the managers of the Klitschko boys, because usually that is how the situation goes. People want to get their fighter in, they want to give them a title shot so they try to do as many things to make that happen. It’s somebody behind one of the Klitschko boys who thinks I’m small and this is a great opportunity for them, so they are putting the pressure on the WBA saying if you don’t force him to fight we are going to sue or whatever. They get scared because the WBC just lost a big lawsuit, so that’s most likely where it’s coming from. I don’t think it’s coming from Don King.”
James Brown – “What’s next for you?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “It will cost a lot of money to see me fight as a heavyweight again, I did that one for the people, my fans, for history, and the sport of boxing. Anymore of them will cost a whole lot of money. But a whole lot of money will make me think about. So I don’t know. I’m not saying no, but it will cost a whole lot of money.”
James Brown – “If they put that money on the table, would Mike Tyson be a possibility?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “A whole lot of money, then anybody is a possibility. I told them before that this is one time I'm going to suck it up and take this one ahead because proving to my father that even the 10 million dollar guarantee was really worthy a risk for me, but I knew I had to fight this one on the chin and do it for boxing. So I'll take the 10 million-dollar guarantee and show them that when I say I'll work I will work and I think I gave the fans 10 million dollars worth and probably 15 to 20 million dollars worth of entertainment that night. A lot of people thought I would come to the fight and run and be happy with running and getting the victory and the money. No, I wasn't there for the 10 million dollars I was there to win the title and make history, because it's my time and that's what I came to prove.”
James Brown: “Let me get this straight if the money and motivation were right you would fight Tyson, Lewis or Klitschko?”
Roy Jones Jr. – “In a heartbeat, in a heartbeat. I fear no man.”