A personal thankyou to Roy J..

[newblokes]

I'd like to personally thank Roy Jones Jr. for giving the Heavyweight boxing division a nice shake up!

Why? Not only did he recently move up to win the WBA title.. he is STAYING at a Heavyweight with a possible fight against one of the Klitschkos or E.Holyfield!

[madjack]

He is fighting Holyfield and relinquished all his belts I believe to day...



Edited by - madjack on 17 Apr 2003 01:36:10

[madjack]

Jones ditches light-heavy title
April 16, 2003

ROY Jones will keep his World Boxing Association heavyweight title and surrender his undisputed world light heavyweight title.

Promoter Murad Muhammad told USA Today that Jones has decided to keep the crown he won from John Ruiz last month, a historic victory as the first former middleweight champion in more than a century to win the heavyweight title.

Muhammad said Jones, 48-1 with 38 knockouts, had sent the WBA a letter informing them of his decision, which was to have been made by today.

"Roy Jones Jnr would like to keep and defend his heavyweight title," said Muhammad.

But that's where the problems begin.

The WBA insists that Jones defend the crown against top-ranked contender Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine.

Jones, however, wants to fight Evander Holyfield, a bout planned for later this year which could bring Jones a $US10 million ($16.5 million) payday.

"He's leaning towards defending the heavyweight belt against Holyfield," Muahammad told the newspaper.

If the WBA strips Jones of the crown, it could scuttle the bout, since it would be part of the history Jones made and offer 40-year-old former champion Holyfield a chance to reclaim a piece of the world title.

Muhammad also said Jones would attend the light heavyweight fight between Montell Griffin and Anotonio Tarver later this month and consider fighting the winner if plans with Holyfield fall through.