Boxing

Roy Jones Wins Unanimously Over Prince Badi Ajamu - RJ Still Has Something Left

roy jones jr.

By James Slater

30.07.06 - Roy Jones, Jnr certainly did not look like a shot fighter last night. And while he never rolled back the years sufficiently so as to dazzle the fans with a performance that was akin to one from the glorious days of his prime either, Roy proved he very definitely still has something. He boxed well, was never hurt, and looked comfortable at the final bell. And this was after twelve lively rounds. Ajamu tried, that much is without doubt. He put Jones under pressure from the first bell with his constant forward aggression. Yet Roy was able to handle everything that came at him - in the end pitching a shut-out, with three identical scores of 119-106. Roy’s performance was one that will have surprised quite a few experts. The question is, what’s next?

In the interview Roy gave post-fight, he gave himself a C rating for his display - before reaching the subject of who he will fight next. Sounding as cocky as he ever has, Roy said he’d fight anyone. Names mentioned included, Glen Johnson, Bernard Hopkins, and “the boy from England” - I assume Jones was referring to Joe Calzaghe, or was it Clinton Woods? Whatever. And, as crazy as it may sound, Roy would probably have a shot against any one of these three fighters. Certainly judging by the capable way handled Badi Ajamu, anyway. The future for Roy Jones, Jnr will prove to be very interesting indeed.

The fight with Ajamu was entertaining and nothing like what some had predicted beforehand. With their open concerns of a sad affair about to unfold, one that would prove to all just how badly diminished a fighter Roy Jones had become, a bout completely devoid of competition was foreseen by some people. Happily, this was not the case. Roy still has more than enough left to utterly out class many fighters. Prince Badi Ajamu is one of them.

Though he got off to a good start, putting pressure on Jones as he backed him to the ropes, Ajamu’s attacks lacked imagination. He was to repeat the same tactics all night long and, after winning the opening two rounds, his success rate dropped. Roy threw flashy burst of punches and smiled as he did so. It wasn’t long before a pattern, of his total dominance at controlling the action, was formed. The only time Ajamu hurt Jones was when he landed low blows. He was warned quite a few times throughout -in the fourth round, in the seventh, when TWO points were taken off, and again in the eight, when another point was taken from Ajamu and his final warning given. The Prince was massively behind on the scorecards by this time and clearly needed a KO to salvage victory. Such an occurrence looked highly unlikely, however.

With regards to the referee, although taking the points he did from Ajamu for the low blow infringements was okay, some of his other actions were quite perplexing. He twice warned Jones for extending his arm without letting a punch go. While he also warned the winner for holding his opponent around the back of the head and not punching while in a clinch. In fact, the ref was a constant vocal irritant all night. When have you ever seen an official reprimand a fighter for extending their arm in the ring? Roy wasn’t using the move as a range finder either, his glove never made contact with Ajamu when he stuck out his arm. Strange refereeing indeed. The man in question, Jerry Armstrong, also had the cheek to tell the fighters to stop talking at one stage. This after his voice had been heard constantly throughout the contest. Both boxers looked somewhat annoyed with him on more than one occasion.

By the final third of the fight, Roy was still looking fresh. His punches had some zip to them at this late stage, particularly his left to the body - a punch that had served him well all night. While Ajamu, trying his best to rough Roy up along the ropes, was out of steam and looking tired. The class of Jones was telling. Any hopes Badi may have had about Roy being badly damaged goods were being quashed. The former pound-for-pound king was looking sharp and confident. The fight was far from being a great contest, but it was entertaining enough. And for the Roy Jones fans, seeing their hero winning and not getting hurt was more than enough.

In the final three minutes, barring a stunning KO from Badi, Roy had the fight overwhelmingly won. Ajamu was breathing very heavily now and the cut over his right eye which had really started to bother his corner-man, Buddy McGirt, continued to bleed quite profusely. He looked a beaten man. Which is exactly what he was, despite his brave effort.

The scorecards, apart from being extremely late in their reading, where a formality. All three judges were in complete agreement with Jones’ complete superiority. Roy prevailed by three, THIRTEEN point margins. There were no complaints from the Ajamu camp.

Roy Jones, Jnr is back! For how long, and to face who, will produce much talk in the coming weeks.


Roy Jones Jr. - Who Next?

30.07.06 - By Ted Sares: Who Roy Jones should fight next is different from whom we would like him to fight next. Off his fine showing against the limited Prince Badi Ajamu, I submit he should carefully pick one more opponent (some might want to add the word "cherry" before pick) before stepping up in class.................and to me, stepping up in class means fighting the likes of Joe Calzaghe, Glen Johnson, Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy, or Bernard Hopkins.

He has already disposed of Clinton Woods but Woods is vastly improved from that TKO loss and might well fit the "whom" rather than the "who." Robin Reid is another name that pops up though he would be a big underdog, but remember, this is a work in progress.............or at least it should be depending on the demands of Roy's substantial ego. Rubin Williams, 28-2, and coming off a UD over Richard Grant, 19-13-1, would be another nice move on the way to the top. But my pick would be KO artist Alejandro Berrio, 25 (24 ko's)- 4, who recently tko'd the previously unbeaten Yusef Mack, 22-1-2, in spectacular fashion and has a degree of respectability about him based on his opposition, or the undefeated Robert Stieglitz, 28 (18 ko's)-0 who fights out of Germany. Of course, we all know German fighters don't want to fight Roy Jones Jr anywhere but in Germany. Indeed, all of Stieglitz's fights have been in Germany including his last, an 11th round highly controversial TKO win over the aforementioned Berrio in an IBF Super Middleweight Eliminator.

So why consider Berrio over the undefeated but plodding Stieglitz? Because it would be virtually impossible to get the Russian born German to fight outside of Germany and it would be equally difficult and understandable to get Roy to fight in a country known for decisions that seem to go against visiting fighters with alarming frequency. So that kind of leaves Berrio or perhaps Rico Hoye.

But wait, the venerable and tough Syd Vanderpool, 35 (23-ko's)-4, might be available and would be a common opponent vis a vis Bernard Hopkins, though his fight with the "Executioner" was 6 years ago. Rico Hoye, 19 (14-ko's)-1, or even Montell Griffin, 48 (30 ko's)-6, might fit the "who" category quite well. Hoye, out of Detroit, beat Griffin by SD but lost to Clinton Woods by TKO in 5 for the vacant IBF Light Heavyweight Title at the Magna Centre, Rotherham, England last year. His most recent fight was a UD over Derrick Whitley, 24-24-3. Griffin seems to be a on a decline so that fight likely would not be much of a test for Roy.

Lets's sum it up. I like the Colombian Berrio, Stieglitz or Hoye as the next "test" for Roy Jones, Jr......and by "test," I mean a fight to determine whether Roy was really that good or was Badi really that bad? And of the three, Berrio is clearly the most dangerous. Even though not a top level fght, it would be a dangerous one for Roy Jones Jr.

But if you want to play the "whom" game, we have a great "redemption" story if he fights Glen Johnson, and if Johnson fights like he did in the second Tarver fight, Roy just might get his redemption. However, my feeling is that, style- wise, Roy should avoid this fight, particularly because of the way Johnson looked in soundly beating Richard Hall and George Khalid Jones in his last two fights. I believe Roy would have great difficulty holding off the stalking and incoming Johnson.

A Lacy bout would be a classic young fighter vs old fighter story and hold a lot of interest for the fans, but I think Lacy needs another fight before stepping up in weight and stepping in with Jones. Style-wise, his one dimensional attack would seem to be made to order for a fit and ready Jones. However, if you like this one, you have to pass it over and like a Joe Calzaghe vs Roy Jones fight much better. After all, Calzaghe ate Lacy for lunch and a fight between the "Pride of Wales" and Jones would be a better one for the fans, albeit a more dangerous one for Roy. Still, Roy would be more comfortable at 175 than Joe who would be moving up in weight. And what about Woods? No, Jones has already been there and done that.

Of course, if one were to make hypothetical adjustments for moving up or down in weight, all kinds of opponents emerge throughout the world...names like Mundine, Kessler and Beyer, but my suspicion is that Calzaghe and Lacy are the only ones likely to do this in the near future.

So what's left? Well lo and behold, none other than the "retired,"content and smiling Bernard Hopkins looms in the background. Bernard has cemented his place in boxing history and so has Roy.................but a rematch between these two future Hall of Fame inductees would be one for the ages..................and the winner would still have Calzaghe to consider. In my mind, this is clearly the most compelling fight......the one "we all would like to see." If Roy engages his ego, we may well see it next. But if he engages his brain before his ego, the fight he considers next arguably should be with Hoye, Stieglitz or Berrio.....pick em. Either way, it's a treat for the fans.

As fellow writer James Slater says, "the future for Roy Jones, Jr will prove to be very interesting indeed."

 


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