Boxing

 

Boxings Baddest: The Fans Speak! Issue 9

by Mike Samuels

24.08 - Roy Jones Jr. hasn’t fought a name contender in God knows how long, but with that said, Jones is still one of the most highly talked about boxers in the game. Much like Tyson, the flames roast whenever the subject of who the best pound-for-pound fighter is. So read on for the fans view on Roy, his music, his competition, and his place in history. And of course, everything else I could fit in one of the biggest issues to date.

Why won't Roy fight Jirov?  I can see his case against the super swelled head of x; this brother lost his mind after beating Tito, forgetting that it was only Tito's second fight in a new weight class.  Hey, I'll be the first to admit it, he beat Tito down.  But Tito went 11+ rounds toe to toe, constantly trying to move forward and make something happen.  It's more than I can say when seeing Hopkins defend his title in the first match of the tourney.  So Hopkins fans: please, give it a rest you want to praise a man who beat someone who just got to middleweight. You all would have said Roy Jones was the greatest too and that would have been the mismatch of the century.  Truth is Hopkins needed someone with balls like Tito to step up to the plate, Hopkins was doing squat; were you impressed with his first win in the tourney? Keith Holmes.  Hopkins flat out said he didn't want to face Joppy, he wanted Keith Holmes first.  Why hasn't he fought Joppy in his entire career?  I'm curious.  Ooooh, Carl Daniels was a threat.  Tito gave a better performance than both of those opponents and then some.  Yes, Hopkins handed him his first loss, but now he is the greatest and Tito's name is in the trash. I only see one loss on Tito's record and no draws.  And look at that, titles in three different weight classes.  At the end of the fight, Hopkins said he is a man and that he would give Tito the rematch anytime, all he had to do was ask.  He also said he would apologize to the Puerto Rican people, because they got black in them too, he said set up the place and time and we'll make it happen in a month.  No apology, no rematch.  Then Roy, who promotes himself now, offers 6 million to Hopkins, a man whom he beat decisively and lopsidedly, the judges were kind to Hopkins in having him lose by four rounds, he actually lost by seven rounds but this is boxing right?  Roy offers this man 3 times more than Satan err um, Don king; that is and he says no to a rematch and wants 50/50.  Off to Carl Daniels instead, boy was that a great one.  Enough about this convict who is living off of a win with someone that took him 11+ rounds in only their second fight at middleweight after offing an opponent he never wanted to face and still hasn't (joppy) You could keep that hero and whatever list you want to put him on. 

Names like Trinidad/Delahoya/Forrest/Mosley/ will always be looked at before x. Then there’s Roy Jones Jr.No Jirov, No excuse. Michalzewski: screw him, screw fighting anyone oversees after the racist robberies that occur when a black man wins outside the USA.Hopkins: get real, this is the most money you will ever see in your lifetime, you should have taken the offer while it was given to you, now you want to go downward to pick on DLH or Vargas if they win.  What a fucking coward, convict, loser.  You won't see a payday like that again in your lifetime unless you give Trinidad the rematch or take the fight with Roy, after that no one gives two hoots about you.  So you lose no matter what.  You have the titles.  But your name isn't etched with greatness and it never will be.  Convict. So Roy, Do Jirov and Mich if he comes to the states, it's time homey before you lose another hard-core fan. Peace Yall (here come the flames)

Your last sentence is exactly what this mail is going to generate – flames. The question is, who can handle the heat? Roy Jones won’t fight Jirov because he isn’t comfortable going to 190lbs, and Jirov and his management team have made it crystal clear that a catch-weight isn’t a strong possibility. When a lot of people ask why Roy won’t fight someone, what they fail to realize is that he doesn’t have all that much to prove. I would love to see Jones and Jirov fight, but why should Roy have to move up? No one ever runs his or her trap about Jirov moving down. After all, Jones has been a solid champion for a while now, and he’s beaten the top contenders that he was matched up against (yeah, they all happened way back in the day, but you can’t ignore that he did what he did) and Jirov is a young kid who hasn’t been tested by any real fighting Americans yet. It’s not to say that Jirov isn’t the real deal. But the kid has to fight some top quality guys before thinking about Jones, because the public wants to see Jones lose and he’s definitely not going to take a fight with Jirov at HIS weight, in HIS class, when HE has everything to GAIN and Jones has everything to LOSE.

Hopkins is just being Bernard. If you’ve followed him since he started boxing you would understand that he’s just a hardheaded stubborn mofo from Philly. His style doesn’t win any rounds with the fans (or this writer) but Hopkins couldn’t care less about what anyone thinks about him. The funny side to this is, he knows that he has ALL major titles and no matter if he’s with HBO, Showtime, or a local channel in the desert somewhere, if fighters want a shot at him they will have to come to his terms. The only thing is, the way he has been demanding things as of late, I don’t think Bill Gates could offer him enough cash flow to step in to the ring for a commercial, let alone a fight. The longer Bernard sits on his can and gives crazy interviews about how he destroyed Tito and no one gives him respect, the longer he hurts himself. The man is getting old, and there are a lot of hungry boys comin’ up to try to take what he has. The middleweight division is ‘bout to get rowdy-rowdy and bowdy-bowdy within a matter of months. Just watch.

I understand how the frustration builds with all the stories about who offered who what, and when, yadya-yadya-yadya. But referring to Hopkins as a convict is a bit over the top. The guy may be one hardnosed champion and a jackass to the fans whom he would be nothing (and is he really as much as he should be?) without. But his story is one that should be told to anyone who has struggled with life. Unlike Tyson, Whitaker, Strawberry, Bam-Bam Morris, and many other sports stars that have had brushes with the law, Hop took his time and came out to turn his life around. You don’t have to like how he’s conducting himself as champion, but show the man some respect. He’s earned that if nothin’ else. At least on a personal level.


MIKE,
SO JONES SAYS HE WANTS RUIZ? BUT YOU DONT THINK IT COULD HAPPEN, WHYNOT? ROY'S PROBLEY SICK OF THE SO CALLED "CONTENDERS" IN THE LIGHTER RANKS AND AFTER SEEING THE HOPKINS FIGHT FALL THREW IT WANTS TO PROVE ALL OF HIS CRITICS LIKE YOU WRONG! IF ROY DOES STEP UP TO FIGHT RUIZ HE WOULD BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF HIM! BECAUSE ROY JONES JR. IS THE BEST BOXER IN THE WORLD. WHAT MORE DOES HE HAVE TO DO?
SO NOW THAT I'M DONE GREAT COLLUMN MIKE!
IRON ERIC

What more does he have to do? How about going to Europe to fight The Tiger? Wasn’t it your boy Jones himself who said that after his lopsided win over Glen Kelly he would be on the phones to get something worked out over in the land of Darius? Yeah, it was. That was eight months ago. What about moving up in weight and challenging Jirov? He called him out as well. Sure, Jones shouldn’t be expected to move up in weight, but he brags enough about how he walks around at 185lbs and could easily fight at that weight. So, what’s stopping him? I’ll tell you: Will power. Roy doesn’t have it. I wouldn’t if I could sit on my ass and fight bums for five million dollars on HBO, rather than be in a tough fight and have to EARN the all ready crazy salary that he does.

Jones is slick. Jones is fast, and Jones is one badass (sorry, I just wanted to see if I could write and rap. After all, if Jones can Rap and box, why can’t I?). But a fight with Ruiz is a bit trickier than you realize. Ruiz style could frustrate Jones. My best bet is that Ruiz would be holding, butting, clinching, and throwing elbows and shoulders into Jones all night. I’m not saying I’d count Jones out, but it wouldn’t be as EASY as all of your Roy fans on Cloud 9 think.

And, hey, what has Jones done to deserve a shot at Ruiz in the first place? Oh wait, I can’t argue that. Hell, what did Tyson do to deserve Lewis, and lord knows Ruiz didn’t do ANYTHING to get that fake title around his waist.


I liked your column on Jones but at the end of the article, think it was in "bitch slap..." you realize of course that X did got Puerto Rico months ago and publicly apologize to Tito?

Allan Cerf

Yah, he apologized but he also turned down a rematch. So, you tell me what we are supposed to think?


Look at the Roy Jones contemporary pound4pound fighters today and whom they have fought recently or 'will' fight recently. Lewis has just about fought all the name fighters he could be expected to. Hopkins 2nd last fight was against the frightening, power punching Tito. De la Hoya and Vargas are about to put it all on the line. Barrera and Naseem fight to decide whom the best featherweight is. We have (at the time) two undefeated stars fighting each other twice in a row with Forrest and Mosley. Lets not forget Tszyu against Judah and the soon to be rematch of Mayweather against Castillo.

What’s my point?

My point is while the best are fighting the best, Roy is happy to fight the rest. When the likes of Jirov and Calzaghe say they really want to fight Jones they really do mean it. When Jones says he wants to fight a worthy opponent we have grown to realize that it is nothing but shit. Jones speaks Bullshit. Jones has turned into a selfish chicken shit, all he cares about is fighting these no hopers and picking up his cheque, he doesn't care about boxing fans or even his 'own' fans because he is simply not bothered about giving them what they really want. The Roy Jones of today is nothing more then a fake champion fighting 'fake' contenders.

You hit the nail on the head, man. Seriously. Guys like Mayweather are moving all over in weights and taking on the best without hesitation. Guys like Tszyu are moving forward (although Tszyu hasn’t granted Zab a rematch yet) and fighting a lot of the best in his weight class. Forrest wanted to prove it was no fluke and he did it again (but I fell asleep) and now he’s riding high, and so are the fans. These guys are champions. Jones is, too. But Jones wears the belts and does his own thing. These other guys keep the sport alive. If Jones would fight someone and quit all the excuses, the light heavyweight division (or wherever he went) would possibly be one of the most exciting places to box in. Roy isn’t a fake champion (nobody thought he’d beat Toney) but he has been doing what X is starting to do – live off past victories. And that doesn’t make you great in my book.


Excellent view point (For the one before this one)... I agree 100%. I think you should replace Larry Merchant on HBO!!

You KNEW this was going in this issue! Thanks a lot. Maybe someday I’ll be in his place. But one thing is for sure: There will never be another one like good ole’ Merchant.


Roy is the best p4p (I aint no Roy worshipper though) I mainly base it on the destruction of Montell Griffin (damn if Jones were always this focused think what he would do) and James Toney yet I think Roy is the man so why should he go out to make the fights against DM. DM better come over here 1 title to Roy’s 7 don’t make you the man and Hopkins already lost so why don’t he move up Roy proved himself so if they want Roy they better fight under his terms
and J. Ruiz lmao

The only problem with basing Jones as the best because of his rematch with Griffin and his destruction of James Toney is that it holds no ground in the real world of boxing. Hell, the Mike Tyson of 88’ would have bum rushed Lennox Lewis this past June and probably would have knocked him flat out within five rounds. The Ali of the early 60’s would have made Larry Holmes look like a little boy. Do you see where I’m going? You can’t live in the past and that’s what you – like most Roy supporters – are doing. I do agree that Darius should not only come to the US, but also FIGHT some legit US fighters. But that won’t happen. So we are left with Jones running his mouth, blowing hot air and laughing all the way to the bank.


Mike good article! I myself think that Roy Jones is great but I do believe he has to fight someone who will sell tickets to get respect. He will continue getting paid the same until he fights someone who people think is worth paying money for.
Ricardo Aguirre

Before I comment, I just wanna say DAMN! Your article was the easiest to edit, so I gotta give you props on that, bro. Editing is a biatch, but it’s part of the job. You have said what everyone has been saying for five years – Fight someone, Roy! It’s a shame he didn’t have that rival like most boxers have had in the past. Leonard had Duran, Hagler had Hearns, and Ali had Frazier. Roy has his easy paydays and his rapping. That’s about it.


The best-PROVEN p4per I’ve ever seen in action was Felix Trinidad. He outdid himself in proving he was an all-time great as far as I’m concerned but after his loss 2 Hopkins the spotlight was on Hopkins. One fight n the bitch gets fighter of the year?? Anyway that was down 2 Trinidad having a bad fight rather than Hopkins a good one!! Is it just me or is the years of Hopkins being dogged by promoters n underrated a big conspiracy 2 make ppl feel sorry 4 him because I fink he's actually becoming the most overrated fighter on the planet. He’s definitely better than he was when Jones beat him BUT the attributes he improved wouldn't b enough 4 them 2 beat Jones. Yeah he has a lot more confidence, experience, n power but if he wasn't fast enough in 93 he definitely won't b now in 2002. PS. sorry if my hate 4 Hopkins made me spin off in2 a completely different subject

It’s mails like this that make everyone realize that Felix Trinidad – love or hate him – will be missed.


What a waste of great talents. But I don't blame him either. Anybody would of done the same thing Roy's doing if given the chance. Let's be realistic here. 5 to 6 millions are being handed to you just to run around a block and you say no, you want to run a mile? As much as I hate what he's doing for boxing. I have to give him a little respect for his great skills that were proven years ago. If anybody is to blame HBO should be the one to be blamed. They are the ones with their head stuck up Roy's ass and the one who keep giving Roy money to feed them and Roy's fans shit, right? I mean, when will they finally smell that asshole and pull out their heads? Not until all Roy's fans stop watching Roy run the block, not until all Roy's fans stop defending him like he's a god. He's got too many heads up his ass and too many gullible dummies to keep them heads up there to stop what he is doing and run the mile. For every fan out there that hate him, There's one gullible dummies that will put his/her life on the line to defend their god who we all know as Roy Jokes jr.

Precisely. I don’t enjoy bustin’ my hump for a paycheck that isn’t what everyone thinks, and if someone said: "Mike, come write for us and all you have to do is write the same article every week and we will pay you five times what they are paying you" I would probably jump on that train and ride it all the way to retirement. The only thing is with Jones is, he is hurting the sport. It’s a sport that he has said he cares about, yet he is doing nothing to help give the fans (who help put money in his pockets) what they want. HBO, on the other hand, is definitely to blame for the BS they have given to Jones. They have said that after Woods in September he has to fight someone with some sort of skill so lets wait and see if they are true to their word.

Eastside’s Mike Samuels can be reached at Tyson180@aol.com for comments, criticism, or entries for next weeks Boxings Baddest: The Fans Speak numero 10

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