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Critics say their quality is suspect. The fighter, supporters say his record stands on its own.
By JOHN C. COTEY
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 24, 2001
TAMPA -- Roy Jones Jr. can be a happy, gregarious and playful fighter.
He opened a teleconference this week by proclaiming himself the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and then chuckling. He feigned fear of himself at Wednesday's news conference, making the crowd laugh by telling it he is so fast now it's scary. And he smiled at challenger Derrick Harmon's supporters at Friday's weigh-in for their light heavyweight title fight tonight at the Ice Palace.
But bring up that most boxing observers don't believe he holds the mythical title of "Best Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World" anymore and Jones stops smiling. Each time the subject came up this week, Jones grew more peeved.
His feeling on the matter: "I don't give a damn."
And that's the problem, according to those who say Jones has been displaced.
"Well, a) he hasn't gone outside the division, which is traditionally what a dominant champion has done," HBO commentator Larry Merchant said. "And b) he's been satisfied getting wins by decision in some of his fights and not trying to close the show in a sensational way like (Shane) Mosely and (Felix) Trinidad. Roy is 32 years old, and you have these guys in their 20s and still hungry for the recognition. A fighter who is trying to get what he wants is more dangerous than a fighter trying to protect what he has."
But does that make a fighter better? Jones (43-1) is still electrifying, much faster and more powerful than any other light heavyweight. Though he said he no longer cares about being the best pound-for-pound fighter, Jones has defended his record all week.
Jones has beaten 11 current or former world champions. He avenged his only loss, a controversial disqualification against Montell Griffin in 1997, with a first-round knockout in the rematch five months later. He has dominated every division he has been in.
What more do you want, Jones asks?
Something other than Harmon, who is 20-1 and rated No. 4 (WBA), No. 8 (IBF) and No. 9 (WBC). Something other than Eric Harding, Richard Hall and David Telesco, his past three opponents who despite their relative obscurity lasted 10 rounds or better.
Something like Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins, German WBO light heavyweight Dariusz Michalczewski or Lennox Lewis.
"They want to talk about Hopkins, but (Jones) beat Hopkins in his prime (May 1993)," said Ron Saladin, who was with the Jones camp the past eight fights and now is vice president of MM Sports.
"Hopkins is 36 years old. Do you think he's gotten better?.
"Then they talk about Trinidad. Trinidad is a welterweight. He hasn't proved anything. Roy Jones Jr. has fought nothing but No. 1 contenders and world champions. He is the world's only unified -- unified -- champion. I don't know why they criticize him."
Jones says he has made an offer to Michalczewski, but he refuses to fight in Germany. "I'm the champ," Jones said. "(Michalczewski) should have to come here."
Lewis probably is an unattainable goal considering he is 6 inches taller and 60 pounds heavier.
"Billy Conn, Archie Moore, Harold Johnson, Bob Foster -- all light heavyweights, but they fought heavyweights to get the recognitions," trainer Lou Duva said. "Rocky Marciano was 186 pounds when he was champion. Joe Louis was 202. Now what's so wrong that a light heavyweight puts on 10 pounds and goes to 185 when he has the ability and can punch? And I think Roy's got the ability."
What Duva doesn't mention is that heavyweights are bigger now and rarely has a light heavyweight made the jump and excelled. If Jones fights Lewis and loses, will that make him greater in everyone's eyes?
"I'd be remembered as a loser," Jones said. So Jones, who has a deal with HBO that pays him around $4-million a fight, will go on picking his opponents, sprinkling in a No. 1 contender, trying to get Michalczewski to fight outside Europe (the German has not done so), waiting for someone to come get him. But he won't wait for Trinidad if he chooses to go through with a proposed middleweight "tournament," and he is resisting a rematch with Hopkins, "a step back," he says.
Though a drop to 168 pounds would set up some possible marquee fights, Jones will not do that at his peril. He is content to stay where he is.
"I was a lot meaner five years ago," he said. "I had things to prove ... but I have to move on. I'm not starving, looking for big fights or looking for a payday. I'm a winner. I don't care about defending my opponents.
"I've done it in three weight classes. These other guys have names to fight. I don't have anyone that even looks like they can whip me in my weight class. But it doesn't really matter to me now. To get up there was good enough for me."
WHO: Roy Jones Jr. vs. Derrick Harmon.
WHAT: Light heavyweight title fight.
WHEN/WHERE: Nine-fight card begins at 7; 12-round main event is scheduled for 10:30; Ice Palace, Tampa.
TV: 10 p.m., HBO.
NOTES: Jones returns to the Ice Palace, where he defeated Mike McCallum in a 12-round decision Nov. 22, 1996. Jones is 43-1 with 35 knockouts and is coming off an 11th-round TKO of Eric Harding in November in New Orleans. ... Jones is the world's only unified champion. ... Harmon, a Chicago native, is 20-1 with 10 knockouts. He rebounded from his only loss with back-to-back eight-round unanimous decisions. ... The other championship match pits Jones' best friend, fellow Pensacola native Derrick Gainer (36-5, 23 KOs), against Victor Polo (29-2-2, 22 KOs). Gainer defends his WBA featherweight championship for the first time since knocking out Fred Norwood in September. Also, 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Antonio Tarver (16-1) tries to rebound from his first defeat in a light heavyweight match with undefeated Lincoln Carter (22-0), and 2000 Olympian Dante Craig fights his second fight. -- Compiled by John C. Cotey.