Did Roy Jones duck Nigel Benn?

[Toney616]

Hi Roy, hows it going ? There was a lot of talk over here years back about you fighting Nigel Benn how come it never happened ?

8:14 Roy Jones Jr.

I tried to make that fight, but he was going through a divorce at the time...he never called me back.

http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/A...010-09-06.html

[Toney616]

To the best of my knowledge Benn, has never commented on why the fight fell through

[Stallone60]

Jones wouldnt fight benn after the mcclellan fight because it was to much of a risk for him. Benn was at the top of his game at this time and just like jones wouldnt fight collins he wouldnt fight benn either. Jones didnt like fighting fighters that had KO power.

[Toney616]

Jones wouldnt fight benn after the mcclellan fight because it was to much of a risk for him. Benn was at the top of his game at this time and just like jones wouldnt fight collins he wouldnt fight benn either. Jones didnt like fighting fighters that had KO power.

http://www.setanta.com/Documents/podcasts/BBH_290109.m p 3
(remove spaces)
Eubank:Jones didnt want to fight me
Steve Bunce:The Americans wanted nothing to do with Benn after he destroyed Iran Barkley

[Toney616]

[Zig Zag.]

don't want to be rude, but who cares ? it would have been a mismatch

i know, Benn would've ko'd him in round 4 or 5 anyway.

[Gojira]

I believe it was just one of those fights that didn't come off. Benn was up for it like a mother anyway

[Toney616]

In a previous episode of this thread on, Sun, 21 May 2000 14:55:32
GMT, Robert Phillips said:

>Phrank Da Slugger wrote:

>> Not only were all the above fighters titlists and thus not rated by
>> whichever organization that Jones represented (another debate for another
>> day), but according to Lou DiBella, Eubank, Collins and Benn were offered
>> fights on HBO w/Jones when Roy was at 168 and all 3 turned the fights
>> down.

>I have a feeling that this post will get ignored more than most trolls'
>posts.

At the time, the purse offerings were said to be a little on the
paltry side IIRC. RJJ was expecting ODLH type paydays and these guys
were going to have to come to the USA and fight RJJ for less than they
were making in Great Britain. It didn't seem like the negotiations
were very intense or very long.

I remember this because I was really wanting to watch these fights.
This was also when RJJ first started to show the size of his balls.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.s...a8f5246736c1dc

In November 1990, Eubank relieved "The Dark Destroyer" of his WBO
middleweight title in nine bruising rounds.

Benn went on to wear the WBC super-middleweight belt, but he and Eubank's
mutual loathing added fuel to calls for a second meeting.

It duly happened in October 1993, when they fought to a standstill in an
epic 12-round draw.

Boxing politics killed any chance of another fight. But if both men
(unwisely) came out of retirement tomorrow, a third encounter would still
sell out in record time.

Many boxing fans would also have liked to see Benn take on Roy Jones Jnr -
for many the sport's best active pound-for-pound fighter.

A young Jones v Benn in his prime would have caused a stir, and the British
boxer, who never dodged anybody, was up for it.

But Benn's 1995 knockout of Gerald McClellan, which left the American
fighting for his life, was a factor in why Jones never took the bait.

His friendship with McClellan saw the potential contest receive unsavoury
hype as a revenge mission.

That, plus Benn's solid record against American opponents, may well have
deterred Jones who was not short of other options.

But even when the only option for two fighters is to face each other, as is
seemingly the case with Lewis and Tyson, boxing can conspire to keep them
apart.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.s...16516ee7e33a71

[Toney616]

DiBella has always been honest about fighters, including HBO's own.
Whether the offer was fair or not is a question for the next person who
interviews him. But IMO, when you are offered a fight against a guy like
Jones you take it if you believe in yourself. For example, if Benn had to
take a pay cut to come to the US and beat Jones, so be it. The next
fight(s) he woulda made the big money.

That said, Jones will go down (at the rate he's going) as a fighter who
never fought the best in his division with the exception of Toney. For a
guy so talented, that's sad.

Phrank Da Slugger, Editor/Publisher
"Bob's Feints" boxing journal (email for free sample)

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.s...a8f5246736c1dc

[Toney616]

DUBLIN, Ireland (Oct 8, 1997 - 16:05 EDT) -- WBC light-heavyweight
champion Roy Jones Jr. wants to fight Ireland's
Steve Collins, who announced his surprise retirement last week.

Collins, the former WBO super-middleweight champ, said he regretted
never having fought the American champion.

Jones' spokesman and publicist, Greg Fritz, said Wednesday the fight can
still happen.

"Roy has wanted to fight Steve for some time and if the money is right
he will," Fritz said. "He wants Steve to come out of
retirement to fight him."

Fritz said Jones would have to get $5 million for the fight.

"We are prepared to come to Dublin, Belfast, Boston, wherever he wants
to fight," Fritz said. "At this moment, I'm just waiting
for his call. The fight can be made."

In the meantime, Fritz said, negotiations are underway for Jones to
fight Germany's WBO light-heavyweight champion Dariusz
Michalczewski.

Johnboy

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.s...83fe01f9ec9280