Tweet
By Jason Smith
Contact
June 19, 2005
Before Roy Jones Jr. could even begin signing the ticket stubs, the $20 bills and the unmentionable body parts, he was already being asked the $1-million question(s) Saturday night.
"Who's next, Roy?" they asked.
"I don't know yet," Jones answered.
"When you going to fight again, Roy?" they asked.
"I don't know yet," Jones answered.
Jones's adviser, Brad Jacobs -- who confirmed Saturday he's talked with members of both Glen Johnson's and Antonio Tarver's camps -- seemed to have a better idea.
Despite introductory talks with IBF light heavyweight champion Clifton Woods about a possible Woods-Jones rematch, Jacobs said Jones may be more interested in a potential fight against undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.
"The Clifton Woods thing can't happen because the IBF won't rate Roy until he's had another fight," Jacobs said. "So that's not going to happen.
"I've been in ongoing conversations with (Tarver and Johnson) and it's an option, but they potentially might do their fight again. We've now got an option with Hopkins, which would probably be a bigger fight."
Asked Saturday night of his plans following Tarver's victory over Johnson, Jones said he wouldn't rush into anything.
"I'm going to take my time. I ain't rushing into nothing, you understand?" Jones said. "I'm waiting till I see something. When I see some light, then I'll jump into the light. But until I see some light, ain't nothing happening."
Jones, who afterward congratulated Tarver on the win, said he'd actually prefer to see a third fight between Tarver and Johnson.
"That was a good fight with two exceptional fighters. Why not let them do a third one? They deserve that," he said. "It's 1-1. Let them go on and do that last one.
"In the meantime, if (Hopkins) says he wants that, then that's what we'll do."
Jacobs said talks with Hopkins's camp would begin as soon as Monday.
He added that Jones was rooting for Tarver on Saturday night.
"I think he really wanted Tarver to win," Jacobs said. "Style-wise and personality-wise, it's a bigger match (with Tarver). Glen's just so tough to fight. He keeps coming after you.
"But truthfully, even after this, the bigger fight is the Hopkins fight. It's one we're going to try to make happen sooner than later."
Jones said he told Tarver immediately after the fight that the southpaw from Tampa had fought brilliantly.
"I just told him that was a (heckuva darn) fight," Jones said. "Those were my exact words: 'That was a (heckuva) fight.' You can't ask for much more than that.
"I expected that from Tarver. He wants to prove that he is capable of being recognized as a great fighter and he's going to do everything he can for that. Some people are willing to sacrifice their life for it, and he is."
Johnson promoter Dan Goossen mentioned several times during the post-fight press conference that he'd like to see a third Tarver-Johnson fight.
Tarver promoter Joe DeGuardia, meanwhile, mentioned Jones briefly, but added he and Tarver would indeed be interested in a third fight.
"A Jones-Tarver fight would draw in Memphis," DeGuardia said. "That fight would draw well anywhere."
Contact
June 19, 2005
Before Roy Jones Jr. could even begin signing the ticket stubs, the $20 bills and the unmentionable body parts, he was already being asked the $1-million question(s) Saturday night.
"Who's next, Roy?" they asked.
"I don't know yet," Jones answered.
"When you going to fight again, Roy?" they asked.
"I don't know yet," Jones answered.
Jones's adviser, Brad Jacobs -- who confirmed Saturday he's talked with members of both Glen Johnson's and Antonio Tarver's camps -- seemed to have a better idea.
Despite introductory talks with IBF light heavyweight champion Clifton Woods about a possible Woods-Jones rematch, Jacobs said Jones may be more interested in a potential fight against undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.
"The Clifton Woods thing can't happen because the IBF won't rate Roy until he's had another fight," Jacobs said. "So that's not going to happen.
"I've been in ongoing conversations with (Tarver and Johnson) and it's an option, but they potentially might do their fight again. We've now got an option with Hopkins, which would probably be a bigger fight."
Asked Saturday night of his plans following Tarver's victory over Johnson, Jones said he wouldn't rush into anything.
"I'm going to take my time. I ain't rushing into nothing, you understand?" Jones said. "I'm waiting till I see something. When I see some light, then I'll jump into the light. But until I see some light, ain't nothing happening."
Jones, who afterward congratulated Tarver on the win, said he'd actually prefer to see a third fight between Tarver and Johnson.
"That was a good fight with two exceptional fighters. Why not let them do a third one? They deserve that," he said. "It's 1-1. Let them go on and do that last one.
"In the meantime, if (Hopkins) says he wants that, then that's what we'll do."
Jacobs said talks with Hopkins's camp would begin as soon as Monday.
He added that Jones was rooting for Tarver on Saturday night.
"I think he really wanted Tarver to win," Jacobs said. "Style-wise and personality-wise, it's a bigger match (with Tarver). Glen's just so tough to fight. He keeps coming after you.
"But truthfully, even after this, the bigger fight is the Hopkins fight. It's one we're going to try to make happen sooner than later."
Jones said he told Tarver immediately after the fight that the southpaw from Tampa had fought brilliantly.
"I just told him that was a (heckuva darn) fight," Jones said. "Those were my exact words: 'That was a (heckuva) fight.' You can't ask for much more than that.
"I expected that from Tarver. He wants to prove that he is capable of being recognized as a great fighter and he's going to do everything he can for that. Some people are willing to sacrifice their life for it, and he is."
Johnson promoter Dan Goossen mentioned several times during the post-fight press conference that he'd like to see a third Tarver-Johnson fight.
Tarver promoter Joe DeGuardia, meanwhile, mentioned Jones briefly, but added he and Tarver would indeed be interested in a third fight.
"A Jones-Tarver fight would draw in Memphis," DeGuardia said. "That fight would draw well anywhere."
Comment