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January 15, 1999
Jones clash heads for KO
by Harry Mullan and Wayne Higgins
PROFESSIONAL boxing is a world of hidden agendas, lies and bluff, but the confusion surrounding Steve Collins' date with Roy Jones is setting new standards.
It is hard to believe that a shrewd and streetwise pragmatist like Collins, a man who has always cherished his own reputation, would run the risk of exposing himself to public ridicule by announcing the fight was on if there was any doubt about it, but if we are to believe Murad Muhammad, the American's promoter, this is precisely what has happened.
Mohammad insists that there is no question of Jones facing Collins in Las Vegas, Dublin or anywhere than in the Irishman's imagination. He refutes the support which Jones' manager, Stanley Levin, has given to the fight, and says that Levin must either have exceeded his authority to speak for the fighter, or else has been misquoted or misinterpreted.
Yet, Levin, a Florida lawyer, who gives the impression of operating on a rather higher moral plain than is customary in this business, stands by his word. There is clearly a split in the ranks, and one possibly significant aspect of the affair is that Mohammad is trying to steer Jones into a light-heavyweight championship unification match with IBF title holder, Reggie Johnson. Jones already holds the WBC and WBA versions.
When Johnson beat Collins for the middleweight title in New Jersey a few years ago, Mohammad was involved as Johnson's representative. Their current relationship is unknown, but the cynical viewpoint — which is often the most accurate and rewarding — could be that he is pushing for the Jones v Johnson match with the tempting prospect of earning from it in both capacities, as promoter and through his "piece" of Johnson, if he has such an arrangement.
Such deals, known as double dipping, are commonplace in American boxing circles.
The American press reported the announcement that the Collins fight is on, but without any comment from Jones or Mohammad.
The match would have a degree of credibility in America, where Collins is still well remembered and accorded more respect than most European fighters are accustomed to receiving over there.
Jones is known to be growing increasingly bored with the lack of challenges on offer for him, and whatever doubts about the Collins match there may be in the Florida camp, they are unlikely to be coming from the man himself. As always, though, the money men will have the last word. If Jones' TV backers at HBO want the fight it will happen: if they don't, Collins faces the prospect of an excruciatingly embarrassing public climb down.
The latter may still be the case.
HBO chief, Lou Dibella, last night insisted there had been no contact between himself and either the Collins or Jones camp on the possibility of a fight.
Dibella, who as chief of the network to which Jones is contracted, would have to okay such a deal, said in a telephone conference: "There would be little or no interest in Collins v Jones in America. Collins has not fought in a year and a half and although he was a very good champion there would not be a great deal of interest in him in America at the moment. If he wants to fight someone else before Roy Jones then interest may pick up.
"I would like to see Collins fight Joe Calzaghe, who holds Collins' former super middleweight crown. Calzaghe is an exciting fighter, whom we have earmarked to fight Roy Jones at some stage. At the moment Reggie Johnson, the IBF light heavyweight champion, is the one who I feel most deserves a shot at Jones. However, if Collins was to fight Calazaghe possibly on a Jones undercard, then the winner could meet Jones in their next contest," said Dibella.
The likelihood of Collins fighting anyone but Jones is slim, given that he has consistently said that he would only come out of retirement to meet Jones.
Dibella said he had spoken to Murad Muhamad, but had not had any contact with either Collins or his solicitor, Brian Delahunt, when they were in Florida last weekend.
Collins' solicitor, Delahunt, said yesterday that he had been talking with Stanley Levin, Jones' attorney, regarding the contest, and that negotiations had been taking place between those two.
On the possibility of Jones and Collins, he said there would be no further announcements until negotiations took place between Jones' camp and Collins' camp with HBO.
Jones clash heads for KO
by Harry Mullan and Wayne Higgins
PROFESSIONAL boxing is a world of hidden agendas, lies and bluff, but the confusion surrounding Steve Collins' date with Roy Jones is setting new standards.
It is hard to believe that a shrewd and streetwise pragmatist like Collins, a man who has always cherished his own reputation, would run the risk of exposing himself to public ridicule by announcing the fight was on if there was any doubt about it, but if we are to believe Murad Muhammad, the American's promoter, this is precisely what has happened.
Mohammad insists that there is no question of Jones facing Collins in Las Vegas, Dublin or anywhere than in the Irishman's imagination. He refutes the support which Jones' manager, Stanley Levin, has given to the fight, and says that Levin must either have exceeded his authority to speak for the fighter, or else has been misquoted or misinterpreted.
Yet, Levin, a Florida lawyer, who gives the impression of operating on a rather higher moral plain than is customary in this business, stands by his word. There is clearly a split in the ranks, and one possibly significant aspect of the affair is that Mohammad is trying to steer Jones into a light-heavyweight championship unification match with IBF title holder, Reggie Johnson. Jones already holds the WBC and WBA versions.
When Johnson beat Collins for the middleweight title in New Jersey a few years ago, Mohammad was involved as Johnson's representative. Their current relationship is unknown, but the cynical viewpoint — which is often the most accurate and rewarding — could be that he is pushing for the Jones v Johnson match with the tempting prospect of earning from it in both capacities, as promoter and through his "piece" of Johnson, if he has such an arrangement.
Such deals, known as double dipping, are commonplace in American boxing circles.
The American press reported the announcement that the Collins fight is on, but without any comment from Jones or Mohammad.
The match would have a degree of credibility in America, where Collins is still well remembered and accorded more respect than most European fighters are accustomed to receiving over there.
Jones is known to be growing increasingly bored with the lack of challenges on offer for him, and whatever doubts about the Collins match there may be in the Florida camp, they are unlikely to be coming from the man himself. As always, though, the money men will have the last word. If Jones' TV backers at HBO want the fight it will happen: if they don't, Collins faces the prospect of an excruciatingly embarrassing public climb down.
The latter may still be the case.
HBO chief, Lou Dibella, last night insisted there had been no contact between himself and either the Collins or Jones camp on the possibility of a fight.
Dibella, who as chief of the network to which Jones is contracted, would have to okay such a deal, said in a telephone conference: "There would be little or no interest in Collins v Jones in America. Collins has not fought in a year and a half and although he was a very good champion there would not be a great deal of interest in him in America at the moment. If he wants to fight someone else before Roy Jones then interest may pick up.
"I would like to see Collins fight Joe Calzaghe, who holds Collins' former super middleweight crown. Calzaghe is an exciting fighter, whom we have earmarked to fight Roy Jones at some stage. At the moment Reggie Johnson, the IBF light heavyweight champion, is the one who I feel most deserves a shot at Jones. However, if Collins was to fight Calazaghe possibly on a Jones undercard, then the winner could meet Jones in their next contest," said Dibella.
The likelihood of Collins fighting anyone but Jones is slim, given that he has consistently said that he would only come out of retirement to meet Jones.
Dibella said he had spoken to Murad Muhamad, but had not had any contact with either Collins or his solicitor, Brian Delahunt, when they were in Florida last weekend.
Collins' solicitor, Delahunt, said yesterday that he had been talking with Stanley Levin, Jones' attorney, regarding the contest, and that negotiations had been taking place between those two.
On the possibility of Jones and Collins, he said there would be no further announcements until negotiations took place between Jones' camp and Collins' camp with HBO.
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