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Roy Jones, Jr.'s reign as WBA heavyweight champion could become one of the shortest in boxing history.

In a letter dated Aug. 25 and sent out to all "bonafide'' promoters, whatever that means, the WBA announced a Sept. 5 purse bid for a "world title fight'' between David Tua and Hasim Rahman for the title Jones won from John Ruiz on March 1. At the moment Jones is still the WBA titleholder but, he has made several statements that his next fight on HBO will be Nov. 8 against his cross-state rival and reigning 175-pound champion Antonio Tarver. He has not, however, signed to fight anyway so much of the heavyweight division is presently living where it often seems to be - in limbo.

Tua has been stalled for months trying to figure out what his immediate future is even though he has been the No. 2 contender for some time and the No.1 slot is vacant in the WBA's ratings. After Jones won the title he had 180 days to agree to make a mandatory defense against the highest available contender, which would have been Tua.

That fight was never even talked about however and so Tua tried to convince Rahman to agree to a third fight between them for the mandatory spot. Rahman negotiated for two months before deciding he was "unavailable.'' Since Jones also seemed to be, Tua's manager, Kevin Barry, began going down the WBA's list of contenders to try and find somebody who would be willing to fight him for the mandatory spot at least but got to Vitali Klitschko at No. 6 before he gave up the quest.

Next thing he knew, a letter appears mandating a purse bid for a title fight with Rahman, who has suddenly found he's more available than he thought he was. If this confuses you, be glad. It's a sign of sanity.

What is most intersting about the WBA's letter is that the minimum bid is $1 million. Bobby Goodman, long-time boxing promoter and Don King associate, said he was not sure if the fight would be viewed as an eliminator for the No. 1 spot, a fight for an interim title or something else but he did concede, "It's a pretty high minimum bid. That's a championship (fight) minimum. I think that is very significant.''

So does Tua. As for Jones, he couldn't care less because he knows his status in boxing far exceeds the WBA's or any other of the alphabet soup sanctioning bodies, as well it should. He has made clear on several occasions that while he enjoys winning various championship belts he will not let them rule his life.

The problem in this case though is that his indecision about whether to continue as a heavyweight or return to a smaller weight until he sees his next potential heavyweight victim is that it has stalled the careers of a wide range of other fighters. The same is true by the indecision of Lennox Lewis, who holds the WBC title but seems unsure whether to retire or to fight on.

But after months of silence and inaction the WBA's decision to at least call for a purse bid between Tua and Rahman, who are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively, for "a world title fight'' seems to have greatly decreased the wiggle room for Jones. Not that he cares or should care.

What the WBA has to be careful with is the last time Jones ignored a mandatory title defense it was to defend his title against Michael Nunn in 1997. That led to the WBC vacating the title and having Nunn and Gianfranco Rocchigiani fight for it. Rocchigiani won only to be told after the fact his time as "interim'' champion had come and gone because Jones decided he still wanted the title.

Rocchigiani sued and ultimately won a judgment against the WBC that forced that half of boxing's Los Banditos into bankruptcy. So the WBA must be extremely careful with what it does between now and whenever Tua-Rahman or Jones and whomever are staged because the precedent has been set by for what the consequences can be to one of these shady organizations if they take a sanction fee and hold a high stakes purse bid for a world title fight and then take the title away after the fact.

Jones, of course, is free to do as he pleases. His talent and his place near the forefront of the sport has given him that. He has already avoided the 180 day period mandated by WBA rules and the organization has been strangely silent when asked about what the future of its heavyweight division is. At least it was until it called for the Sept. 5 purse bid for Tua-Rahman.

"I think maybe they're preparing in the eventuality Jones goes with another fight and ignores his obligation,'' Goodman said. "If he doesn't fulfill it, then they could declare the winner heavyweight champion after the fight even if it's billed as an eliminator for mandatory contender. But if you read between the lines it looks like more than an eliminator. If Roy goes and fights Tarver than I would think the WBA would have no choice. They have to enforce their own rules.''

Well, not necessarily. They have a Rule 19 like the WBA used to have a Rule 13 and what it does is say without saying it that "no other rules need apply.'' In other words, we do what we want which is why the sport is so often in a state of near chaos with fighters' careers stalled while boxing's few big names decide everyone else's futures.

This is well beyond unfair but it is how it is these days and there is little someone like Tua, who has already had and blown several chances to be heavyweight champion, or Rahman, who himself held the title for a moment before Lewis snatched it back from him in emphatic fashion, can do about it. All they can do is prepare themselves for a world title fight sometime before the end of the year that may or may not actually make them world champion.

Whether they fight him or not, Roy Jones, Jr. will still decide that question.

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What`s next for the champ?
Doug Haller
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com

It`s an odd sight: The heavyweight champion of the world, leading the fast break inside a stuffy gymnasium, one of the shortest guys on the basketball court, one of the richest men in Pensacola.

The boxing world has questions for Roy Jones. That`s how it is when you accomplish dreams with astonishing ease. People don`t reflect on the past. They want to know what`s next. Or rather, who`s next.

Will he fight Lennox Lewis? Or maybe Mike Tyson? Some think Jones should just return to a lighter weight class. Aside from leaping tall buildings in a single bound, they wonder what else the man can prove.

Jones rifles a bounce pass. Here, the only evidence of his boxing skills are his biceps. They protrude from his arms like ostrich eggs, bigger than the calf muscles of half his teammates.

Four months ago, Jones became the first former middleweight champion in 106 years to win a heavyweight title. The opponent in Las Vegas, John Ruiz, outweighed Jones by 25 pounds. By night`s end, the bully had bruises and the heavyweight division had an interloper. An emotional one.

Jones sometimes tears up while watching romantic movies. He says jazz makes him "cry like a mug." But this was boxing. Proud, powerful boxing, and even machismo as strong as Wild Turkey couldn`t hold back the tears.

History was recorded. Little Roy from the Panhandle sticks, putting his stamp on a sport that originated in ancient Greece more than 5,000 years ago, when two young men sat on stones, face to face, throwing punches until one lost consciousness, then his life.

Hallelujah, life is good.

Jones, the World Boxing Association titlist, joins Lewis and little-known Chris Byrd as champions of the sport`s three major sanctioning bodies. They`re all after the grand payday, chasing each other like a cat chases its tail, getting close but getting nowhere. Already a Jones fight with aging warrior Evander Holyfield has fallen through.

Jones acts like he doesn`t care. If nothing develops, he says that`s cool. He turns 35 in January. He can`t fight forever. If need be, he`ll retire as heavyweight champ of the world. There are worse lots in life.

He has enough to keep busy: three kids, four houses, hundreds of chickens, cows, dogs, a catfish pond, a rap career, plans to buy a new boat and the full support of the Pensacola Bay Area, from the richest of the rich to the poorest of the poor.

Basketball is simply a hobby. Jones plays for the Brevard Blue Ducks, a struggling team in the United States Basketball League. He flies to games. In Pensacola, he keeps sharp by playing pickup.

Jones crosses midcourt at the E.S. Cobb Community Center. He stops behind the three-point arc and fires. The ball spins out. Momentum shifts the other way. The champ grimaces.

David vs. Goliath
Two weeks ago, the trainer for Lennox Lewis told USA Today that Jones would fight Lewis. His ego would make him."Once he tasted that money and loved hearing everyone holler `heavyweight champ of the world,` it was intoxicating," Emanuel Steward said. "(Jones) loves the money; he loves the limelight."

Pensacola attorney Fred Levin has worked with Jones throughout his career. He says he knows Jones better than the fighter knows himself. He can`t see Jones walking away. The adrenaline rush is too great.

Not to mention the paychecks.

"A lot of what motivates Roy at this time is money," Levin said. "He enjoys the finer things in life. He travels private. He buys nice clothes. ... He lives large, and at the same time he helps a lot of people."

Jones-Lewis would be a blockbuster, perhaps the biggest fight in history. Lewis is 6 feet 5 inches, 256 pounds. Jones is 5 feet 11, 190. Power in one corner, speed in the other. David here, Goliath there.

Jones likes his odds, but he has doubts. Lewis didn`t look so hot in a title defense June 21. He was out of shape and overconfident. Jones felt Lewis embarrassed the division. Part of him thinks Lewis wants no piece of him.

Still, negotiations have commenced. Lewis` camp insists the big man seeks at least one more major fight before retirement. If so, here`s a wrinkle: Jones wants the bigger purse. He`s hinted at $100 million. "These guys are different animals," said Jones, who earned more than $10 million for fighting Ruiz. "That`s why I got to be paid three times the money in order to do it. It`s stupid. Why would I go in there and not make a major, major payday? One lick could be the end of me. One lick from me ain`t going to end their career."

He speaks from his office off Summit Boulevard, two hours before lacing up his hightops. Jones wears red shorts, a light blue shirt and matching flip- flops. He is tired after a long weekend in New York and West Palm Beach, where he served as the best man in a friend`s wedding.

Jones is like most boxers. He refers to himself in the third person. Roy Jones was born to fight. Roy Jones trusts in God. That`s how Roy Jones deals with success.

He figures there must be a plan. God makes no mistakes. "`It`s hard to understand," Jones said. "Life is awesome. And with me, God is awesome. I know Lennox Lewis is supposed to get me, but I know God ain`t put me here to do something that I can`t do. Or to be in a situation I can`t handle."

Some think Jones is intentionally pricing himself out of the fight. They say he`s too smart to take such a risk.USA Today boxing expert Dan Rafael says there`s no way Lewis would take less money. In this particular fight, he`d be the champion. He deserves more, even if it`s $1.

But don`t count on Jones to bend. He`s firm in his ways. He`s come too far. He remembers training as a teenager. Dropping 10 pounds in one day to make weight for tournaments. He remembers running in plastic in the summer heat, missing weekend parties, skipping lunch at school.

Today, he`s not so strict with his diet. Jones says he eats whatever he wants. Fast food, slow food, whatever looks good."It`s almost time for me to become an old man," he said. "I`ve been working my whole life, since I was 10 years old. I`m cutting back, trying to do a little bit here, a little bit there. I just have to make sure my money still can work for me. Once that happens, I`m done."

And of his legacy?
"I don`t care," Jones said. "Pensacola rules, baby. That`s the only thing that`s important to me. I don`t care what they say about history. Pensacola rules."

Facing his fame
One thing that`s changed since Jones won the heavyweight belt: Even with his speed, he can no longer zip in and out of public places.

Used to be one or two people noticed him in the grocery store. Now a crowd gathers. It`s worse at the mall. More people, more attention.

"But it`s cool," Jones said. "You owe all that back to your fans. They love you; they support you. How can you get mad about that?"

Levin sometimes sees Jones fishing by himself off the Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge. Not long ago, Jones walked into a Gulf Breeze bait shop. He started a conversation with another customer. The man invited Jones to fish. Off they went.

He`s a frequent visitor to the Cobb Center, stopping a couple times a week when he`s in town. Each person signs a list when they enter the gym. The first 10 break into teams. Winners stay.

Here, no one pussyfoots around the champ. No one cares if he appears in "The Matrix Reloaded" or if his house is featured on MTV`s "Cribs." Basketball is basketball. Get a man, play some defense.

Jones drives to the basket. An opponent inadvertently smacks him. Jones walks to the sideline. He wipes his mouth with his shirt. He checks for blood, something he rarely has to do in the boxing ring.

"He`s no different than anyone else in here," said Capri Rudolph, 31, one of about 20 waiting to play. "The man`s just got a lot more money than the rest of us."

Outside, Charles Haynes walks down East Moreno Street. He is a 45-year-old car salesman. A five-year Army vet. He has gray in his moustache and sweat on his face.

Asked if he`s surprised the champ is shooting hoops a few yards away, Haynes smiled: "This is the `hood. This is where Roy grew up. His grandfather still lives down the street. All the fame and money, none of that`s gone to Roy`s head. He`s still the same person."

A few blocks away, Walt Williams, 54, sits in the barber`s chair at Elk Barber Shop on North DeVilliers Street. Haircuts here run $10. A sign on the wall prohibits smoking and profanity. A picture of Jones leans against a mirror.

Williams is a process engineer for Advanced Elastomer Systems. He has watched nearly all of Jones` bouts. The last time he was surprised. Williams didn`t think Jones would win the heavyweight title so easily. But Lewis? Williams thinks Jones has no business fighting him. And that`s hard for him to say because he knows the boxer`s daddy.Still, Williams concedes this: Jones thrives on confidence. If he steps into the ring, reaches up and thumps the giant`s chin, who knows? It`s hard to bet against Roy Jones.

Back at the gym, Jones is finding a groove. He drives the lane, pulls down a rebound. Soon, he will have to make a monumental decision. Lots of dollars out there. Also lots of risk. For now, the champ doesn`t seem concerned. He dribbles to the top of the key with the game on the line. He fires. Nothing but net.

The man
Pensacola`s Roy Jones isn`t just a world champion boxer. He also appears in the hit summer movie "The Matrix Reloaded." He performed some of his rap songs at this year`s SpringFest. He`s even been featured on the MTV show that spotlights celebrity homes, "Cribs." But he also hangs out with average folks at the local gym and fishing spots.

The foes
Jones became the first former middleweight champion in 106 years to win a heavyweight title. Now, major names loom for the champ. His next fight could be, against, above from top, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson or fellow champ Chris Byrd.

Who`s next for Jones?
Roy Jones has the World Boxing Association title. If he wants to keep it, he should have a mandatory defense coming up in the fall. However, Jones could ask for an extension or vacate the belt and seek more lucrative fights.

Here`s how USA Today boxing expert Dan Rafael sees Jones` options:
Jones vs. Lennox Lewis
The skinny: With two belts, Lewis is considered the true heavyweight champ. An intriguing matchup: David vs. Goliath. Would be one of the biggest fights ever. Home Box Office has two pay-per-view dates available in November and December. There`s time to pull it off. Problem is, Jones seeks megabucks, and Lewis doesn`t normally play second fiddle. He may opt for a rematch with Vitali Klitschko.

Rafael`s prediction: Lewis. "He`s so much bigger, so much stronger. Plus, he`s pretty mobile for a bigger guy. I know Roy has one of the (heavyweight) belts, but Lewis is a whole different animal."

Jones vs. Mike Tyson
The skinny: Would be a blockbuster financially. Tyson and Jones are boxing`s biggest draws. Jones could make more money against Tyson than Lewis. It`d be like man vs. lion. Problem: Tyson. His legal troubles continue, his skills erode.

Rafael`s prediction: Jones. "I think Roy would frustrate Tyson. I like his intelligence, his ring savvy."

Jones vs. Chris Byrd
The skinny: Byrd is the International Boxing Federation champion, but he is mostly unknown outside boxing circles. A good potential fight but not much demand.

Rafael`s prediction: "I actually like Byrd, stylistically. He can pretty much do everything Roy does, and some things he can do better. They`re very similar. Only difference is Chris Byrd has been fighting heavyweights for the last 10 years. I think that gives him an advantage."

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/062903/Local/ST002.shtml

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By Ron Borges, Boston Globe Staff, 4/20/2003

oy Jones Jr. has done what he has wanted to do most of his professional career, both in the ring and in contract negotiations. The World Boxing Association is about to learn it's not going to change that just because it gave him the opportunity to win a jewel-encrusted belt that's bigger than his waist. Jones announced last Tuesday he would give up the light heavyweight title belts he holds in exchange for keeping the heavyweight championship he won from John Ruiz March 1. He did this because both the WBA and the World Boxing Council have rules prohibiting a champion from holding titles in two weight classes simultaneously, and Jones is a man who believes in rules. Much to the likely dismay of the men who run the WBA, Jones also believes he rules in matters fistic.

Never has Jones's power been more prominent than after becoming only the second light heavyweight champion in history to move up and win a portion of the heavyweight title. Because of that, Jones is widely perceived as a savior of a division that has been mired in mediocrity, old age, and shattered myth for a long time.

Perhaps not fully understanding this, the WBA has informed Jones he must fight No. 1 contender Vitali Klitschko within 180 days from the night he won the title, which means he has 129 days to reach agreement with Klitschko's arrogant manager, Peter Kohl. This will be difficult to accomplish because Jones already has set his sights in another direction, and with good reason.

If the WBA is unhappy, it should get used to it because Jones has no interest in fighting an opponent nearly a foot taller than he. Not that he couldn't outbox the plodding Klitschko, because there is every reason to believe he would, considering Klitschko's ebb-tide talent. But that is not the point.

For Jones, the point is maximum revenue for minimum risk, which brings us to the doorstep of four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. The 41-year-old Holyfield has already said he is willing to fight Jones this year, and Jones understands he would make a vastly greater sum of money on pay-per-view with Holyfield than he could with Klitschko. Hence, the 5-foot-10-inch, 193-pound Jones knows whom he will be fighting when next he steps between the ropes. It will not be Senor Klitschko, despite whatever the South America-based WBA has to say on the matter.

Jones has won world titles at 160 pounds, 168 pounds, 175 pounds, and the heavyweight division by being a man who listens almost exclusively to the sound of his own voice. He operates by what his heart and his head tell him and that approach has served him well throughout his career as a prizefighter.

What they are telling him now is that he has three good reasons for focusing on Holyfield. Holyfield is vulnerable to anyone with speed, and no heavyweight has the kind of speed Jones possesses. Holyfield is not much bigger than Jones; in fact he is one of the few top heavyweights in the world who doesn't look like he belongs in the NBA or NFL. Lastly, a fight between them would likely do record business on pay-per-view despite the fact Holyfield has won only two of his last seven fights. Holyfield remains a boxing icon because he seems intent on proving once again that he can defeat the calendar.

So the WBA can threaten Jones all it wants but it has a problem unlike any it has faced before. It has a champion who doesn't need its belt for validation and knows it. Jones is like beltless featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who has rejected organizational titles and the accompanying sanction fees because he needs nothing more than his superiority in the ring to satisfy the public.

The same is true, though in a different way, of Oscar De La Hoya. Not everyone is convinced he is the best fighter in the world at 154 pounds, but many are convinced no fighter sells more tickets or creates a louder buzz when he enters an arena. So, why does he need sanctioning bodies and their ratings? He doesn't, and neither does Jones. Not only is Jones considered pound for pound the best fighter in the world but he is also a Lilliputian trying to survive in a land of giants, which carries its own fascination.

That leaves stiffs such as Klitschko in a difficult position. The kneeling position. The WBA will realize soon it's right there next to him.

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(AP) - Roy Jones Jr. notified the World Boxing Association that he will remain a heavyweight and relinquish his light heavyweight crown.

The WBA said on its Web site that it received written confirmation from Jones on Tuesday that he will stay in the heavyweight division after beating John Ruiz for the WBA title.

A bout with top-ranked contender Vitali Klitschko has been ordered by the WBA to be Jones' next fight. But Jones is hoping to first fight Evander Holyfield, a far more lucrative bout.

Jones reportedly broke his right hand in a recent motorcycle accident. The Daily News reported the injury in Wednesday's editions.

It is a matter Jones has already said he has no desire to explore, proving once again that while Roy Jones, Jr. may be a great fighter he has no real interest in finding out how great he might be. Until he makes that choice to risk it all for vain glory, boxing will hold back giving its full measure of respect to him.

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Promoter Don King also was happy with the numbers, though he said they could have been more than doubled had Jones worked at it.

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Jones proved he was a sensational fighter by dominating John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title March 1 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Jones also is showing he is a super negotiator with his comments Friday about his plans after becoming the second light heavyweight champion to defeat a heavyweight champion.

He said he wants $100 million to fight former undisputed champion Mike Tyson or WBC champion Lennox Lewis. Jones said it would take $50 million for him to fight former champion Evander Holyfield.

"If I come, I am coming to win," Jones said via cell phone while driving to his home in Pensacola, Fla., in his new Bentley after being honored in Mobile, Ala. "It is going to take that kind of money to put my name on the line. I proved my point I could become heavyweight champion."

Jones called the exorbitant figures of $100 million for Tyson and Lewis "stupid money," but said he had to ask for that much because they are high-risk fights.

"I am not a money-freak," Jones said. "But money talks. That kind of money I can't turn down. I proved my point. I am the baddest man on the planet. It would cost them (for me to fight heavyweights)."

And if he doesn't get that much money? Jones said he would leave the heavyweight division.

"Other than that, I will look at going back to the light heavyweight division and continuing my domination there," Jones said. Jones' promoter, Murad Muhammad, said the figures are not "far-fetched."

Sorry, Murad, but they are. Consider that the $34 million Lewis received for his victory over Tyson last year was the largest purse in boxing history. The largest purse in Nevada was the $33 million to Holyfield for the second Tyson fight, in 1997. Tyson received $30 million in Nevada three times.

Jones was guaranteed $10 million for the Ruiz fight, and Muhammad said Jones would get between $14 million and $15 million because the pay per view sold 525,000 subscriptions.

Renzo Bagnariol, the chairman of the WBA championship committee, said Friday that Jones has been given until April 15 to decide if he wants to remain WBA heavyweight champion or defend his WBA light heavyweight belt. Under WBA rules, Jones had 10 days to make the decision, but it is not surprising that he was given an extension. Meanwhile, Jones weighed more than the announced 193 pounds at the weigh-in Feb. 27. Mackie Shilstone, Jones' conditioning coach, said Jones was 198 1/2 the morning of the weigh-in.

"I knew it was more than 193," said Marc Ratner, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission. "Roy had a sweat suit on. (The scale) was hovering. I figured he had about three pounds of clothes. With the skirmish that had just happened (between the camps), the amount of people on the stage and all of the jockeying around, I just got them up and down (off the scales)."

Ratner said because heavyweights don't have to make a weight, it was better to get the weigh-in over with before another melee broke out.

"Marc didn't make an error," Shilstone said. "The scale never balanced."

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Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- World light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr.'s foray into the heavyweight division might just be a one-shot deal.He is scheduled to fight World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John Ruiz on March 1 in Las Vegas.

"My point is not to become a legitimate heavyweight, just to take that one challenge for the most coveted crown in sports," Jones said Tuesday.

When asked why he's fighting Ruiz, Jones responded, "Why not?" "I live to fight," he said. "This is the type of challenge that doesn't come around too often."

The Jones-Ruiz fight is part of a series dubbed "Hard Road to Glory" by promoter Don King, whose goal is to have a unified heavyweight championship. Jones said he is only committed for the Ruiz fight. Jones, who turns 34 on Jan. 16, is attempting to become the second light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight championship following Michael Spinks, who won the title from Larry Holmes in 1985.

Jones (47-1, 38 knockouts) also has held versions of the middleweight and super middleweight titles and is attempting to become the first middleweight champion to win the heavyweight championship since Bob Fitzsimmons won the title from Gentlemen Jim Corbett in 1897. "To be that big of a time span means it has to be a most difficult task," Jones said. "You don't find too many situations that span 100 years."

Ruiz called Jones, "just another guy (trying) to achieve his dream, to become the next heavyweight champion."

"My dream is to stay the heavyweight champion, so something's got to give there," Ruiz said. Despite the history and weight disadvantage, Caesars Palace oddsmaker Chuck Esposito installed Jones as the 9-5 favorite. Jones said his ideal weight is 192 pounds, 17 above the light heavyweight limit. Ruiz said he plans to fight at 225, eight less than his last bout.

Experts have said that while Jones has an advantage in speed, Ruiz's weight will give him an advantage in punching power. Jones said he is undaunted by the prospect of being hit by a ``big punch'' from Ruiz. "You're going to get caught with a big punch, so what?" said Jones, who is from Pensacola, Fla. "You just take it."

Ruiz (38-4-1, 27) said he expects Jones to "move around and throw a lot a flurries," which Ruiz said he would try to counter by cutting off the ring and ``make sure he's cornered every moment." Light heavyweights have not been successful with that tactic against Jones. But Ruiz said he would frequently use his jab and exploit his 7½-inch reach advantage. "No one really knows what's going to happen," said Ruiz, a 31-year old from Chelsea, Mass. "I'm going to go out there and do my best and corner him and make sure that he's not running that much. I know I can succeed on that."

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