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RJ: Beyer might be next, if not Kessler! Taylor blew his chance at a career high payday
Editor: What's the latest with you, Roy? Are there any new developments when it comes to your next fight?
RJ "They're offering me a pretty good situation to come to Germanyfor this match with Marcus Beyer. He wants me to come there, I'll go there. I don't like to go anywhere too much, so obviously I'm interested in fighting, regardless of how he looks, just make the offer right. This would be a good tune up for me to get ready if I'm going to fight Calzaghe in Wales, if he beats Hopkins. I don't know that he will, I think he will. If he doesn't I don't have anything to worry about. If he does win, I'm going to start preparing myself for the ride. Then I'll just wait on that, and check him out."
Editor: So, your logic behind that is you could end up fighting Calzaghe in England, you might as well get ready for that kind of atmosphere by fighting Beyer in Germany?
Roy Jones Jr.: There you go, and he's the guy paying. It's nothing personal against Elvir Muriqui. If it doesn't work out, then I'll be more than happy to come back here to the United States and fight him. I don't really have names of who I won't fight, I'll fight anybody. If somebody decent wants to fight, HBO, Showtime, anyone who wants me to fight Elvir Muriqi, let's go. I would definitely entertain that fight if I don't go to Germany, but if nothing else pops up of course. That fight is one that has been mentioned, and it sounds pretty good. If it looks good on paper then that's probably where I'm going to go."
Editor: I understand that Lou DiBella and Don King are working on a fight with Jermain Taylor and Ricardo Mayorga, hoping that ...
RJJ: (cutting in) I heard they signed on that fight, but I'm not interested in the winner of that fight, for one. For two, I was going to fight Taylor because he's a good fighter to come out against. Pavlik was the man, and he still is the name to fight. I would have fought him before that, but I don't need Jermain to fight Mayorga before he fights me. I'm not interested in Mayorga, so the winner of the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight is the one I'm going to be looking at.
Editor: In other words, once that fight gets signed, you can forget about the winner.
RJJ: Yes, after that I'm not going to fight either one of them. For what?
Editor: Now you're going to Germany this weekend to see if a deal could be worked out. If so, when can a fight take place?
RJJ: I'd fight him in May. I'm sure if Calzaghe wins the fight with Hopkins, it could take longer because he's probably going to break his hand in the fight. If he beats Hopkins, and I fight in May, and I can't get Calzaghe, I'm trying to fight Kessler in July. I would fight Calzaghe if he wins. I'm still going to fight in May, and then Mikkel Kessler or somebody else in July or August.
Editor: If a deal can't be made for you to fight Meyer in Germany, will you just look to...
RJJ: I'll go straight to Kessler.
Editor: So, you're looking to make your next fight a big fight. Basically, the Elvir Muriqui's of the world don't interest you, unless as a last resort.
RJJ: Right, I'd take it, most definitely, but why would I waste my time with an Elvir Muriqi if there's nothing else for me. He is a good fighter, I'm not saying that he isn't. If I can't get a decent chance, if there's nothing out there for me, yes. He's not in a situation that's going to be beneficial to what I'm trying to do. I'd be ****** if I took those situations before trying to make bigger fights first.
Editor: Where I was going with my previous question is, if a deal can't be made to fight Beyer soon, at what point might you say forget about it let's see what happens with Hopkins-Calzaghe before next month?
RJJ: I'm not going to do anything like that. I'm going to fight somebody. If Calzaghe beats Hopkins, 9 times out of 10 he's going to break his hand. Let's see how he does. I'm going to put it out there, but I'm not waiting to fight him.
Editor: If Hopkins beats Calzaghe, it might take you six months to start negotiating.
RJJ: That's what I'm trying to tell you when I say I'm going to fight somebody. I'm not going to be waiting on that.
Editor: Give me closing thoughts.
RJJ: I'm still the best, I'm still in shape, I'm looking good, I'm feeling wonderful, and I can't wait to get back out there and entertain you all."
Editor: What's the latest with you, Roy? Are there any new developments when it comes to your next fight?
RJ "They're offering me a pretty good situation to come to Germanyfor this match with Marcus Beyer. He wants me to come there, I'll go there. I don't like to go anywhere too much, so obviously I'm interested in fighting, regardless of how he looks, just make the offer right. This would be a good tune up for me to get ready if I'm going to fight Calzaghe in Wales, if he beats Hopkins. I don't know that he will, I think he will. If he doesn't I don't have anything to worry about. If he does win, I'm going to start preparing myself for the ride. Then I'll just wait on that, and check him out."
Editor: So, your logic behind that is you could end up fighting Calzaghe in England, you might as well get ready for that kind of atmosphere by fighting Beyer in Germany?
Roy Jones Jr.: There you go, and he's the guy paying. It's nothing personal against Elvir Muriqui. If it doesn't work out, then I'll be more than happy to come back here to the United States and fight him. I don't really have names of who I won't fight, I'll fight anybody. If somebody decent wants to fight, HBO, Showtime, anyone who wants me to fight Elvir Muriqi, let's go. I would definitely entertain that fight if I don't go to Germany, but if nothing else pops up of course. That fight is one that has been mentioned, and it sounds pretty good. If it looks good on paper then that's probably where I'm going to go."
Editor: I understand that Lou DiBella and Don King are working on a fight with Jermain Taylor and Ricardo Mayorga, hoping that ...
RJJ: (cutting in) I heard they signed on that fight, but I'm not interested in the winner of that fight, for one. For two, I was going to fight Taylor because he's a good fighter to come out against. Pavlik was the man, and he still is the name to fight. I would have fought him before that, but I don't need Jermain to fight Mayorga before he fights me. I'm not interested in Mayorga, so the winner of the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight is the one I'm going to be looking at.
Editor: In other words, once that fight gets signed, you can forget about the winner.
RJJ: Yes, after that I'm not going to fight either one of them. For what?
Editor: Now you're going to Germany this weekend to see if a deal could be worked out. If so, when can a fight take place?
RJJ: I'd fight him in May. I'm sure if Calzaghe wins the fight with Hopkins, it could take longer because he's probably going to break his hand in the fight. If he beats Hopkins, and I fight in May, and I can't get Calzaghe, I'm trying to fight Kessler in July. I would fight Calzaghe if he wins. I'm still going to fight in May, and then Mikkel Kessler or somebody else in July or August.
Editor: If a deal can't be made for you to fight Meyer in Germany, will you just look to...
RJJ: I'll go straight to Kessler.
Editor: So, you're looking to make your next fight a big fight. Basically, the Elvir Muriqui's of the world don't interest you, unless as a last resort.
RJJ: Right, I'd take it, most definitely, but why would I waste my time with an Elvir Muriqi if there's nothing else for me. He is a good fighter, I'm not saying that he isn't. If I can't get a decent chance, if there's nothing out there for me, yes. He's not in a situation that's going to be beneficial to what I'm trying to do. I'd be ****** if I took those situations before trying to make bigger fights first.
Editor: Where I was going with my previous question is, if a deal can't be made to fight Beyer soon, at what point might you say forget about it let's see what happens with Hopkins-Calzaghe before next month?
RJJ: I'm not going to do anything like that. I'm going to fight somebody. If Calzaghe beats Hopkins, 9 times out of 10 he's going to break his hand. Let's see how he does. I'm going to put it out there, but I'm not waiting to fight him.
Editor: If Hopkins beats Calzaghe, it might take you six months to start negotiating.
RJJ: That's what I'm trying to tell you when I say I'm going to fight somebody. I'm not going to be waiting on that.
Editor: Give me closing thoughts.
RJJ: I'm still the best, I'm still in shape, I'm looking good, I'm feeling wonderful, and I can't wait to get back out there and entertain you all."
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