Jones has eyes for Calzaghe
January 15, 2008
NEW YORK (Ticker) - Eight-time world champion Roy Jones Jr. has stepped up his bid to fight Joe Calzaghe in Wales following this Saturday's showdown with Felix "Tito" Trinidad at Madison Square Garden.
A champion in four different weight divisions from middleweight to heavyweight, Jones, 38, said Tuesday that he will knock out Puerto Rican ring legend Trinidad, 35, in four rounds of their schedule 12-round, 170-pound bout at Madison Square Garden.
Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) on Monday also said that Calzaghe was in his sights, as did former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor last month.
Jones (51-4, 38 KOs) told reporters before the final pre-fight press conference that his last remaining ambition in the ring is to regain the world super-middleweight title (168 pounds) from the undefeated Welshman.
Calzaghe, 35, is close to sealing an April 12 mega-fight in Las Vegas with Bernard Hopkins. Jones said he would even travel to Wales to challenge the current undisputed super-middleweight champion, despite the fact that he has previously refused to fight outside America in his 19-year professional career.
"For all his titles, I'd go," Jones said. "I want Calzaghe. If I got the titles, he has to come and get it, but he's got the titles so I have to go and get it.
"The way I see it is that Ricky Hatton came over and fought Floyd Mayweather so it's somebody's turn to go back over there for us, to show that we're impartial, we're fair."
The American said making history was a motivating factor for wanting the fight. Having equaled Bob Fitzsimmons' 1897 achievement of a former middleweight winning a heavyweight title, Jones would return to the lighter divisions to regain titles.
"The only thing left to accomplish that I've thought about is if I go down and regain the super-middleweight title," Jones said. "Bob Fitzsimmons didn't do that so I'd have one up on him. He can't come back and re-do it, and the next person to try and do it will have a hard time to do it all."
Jones said he was confident Calzaghe would beat Hopkins.
"Calzaghe's busy and that's why I know Hopkins won't beat him because Hopkins doesn't have knockout power," Jones said. "To beat Joe you're going to have to knock him out. He's far too busy to go 12 rounds and expect to get a decision (against him), especially in Wales.
"That's why I say it doesn't matter where you go to fight him, because you've got to knock him out wherever you go. I've got to knock him out, but Hopkins doesn't have the power to knock him out. That's why he doesn't want to go over there and fight, and I don't blame him. But I'll take the gamble."
If Hopkins should defy his 43 years and defeat Calzaghe, however, Jones said the chances of fighting his fellow American were very slim. The pair fought for the IBF middleweight title in 1993, with Jones outpointing Hopkins to win a decision.
"Hopkins won't fight me if it's his last day in the ring, and after he's seen me this time (against Trinidad) he really won't want to fight me," Jones said.
Jones warned Hopkins that if he fails to finalize his fight with Calzaghe this week, then he would readily step into his shoes and fight the Welshman himself at 168 pounds.
Asked if a failure to seal a deal for Hopkins-Calzaghe was due to both parties waiting for the outcome of Saturday's Jones-Trinidad contest, Jones said: "No, but I tell you what, if (Calzaghe) wants Roy Jones and (Hopkins-Calzaghe) ain't done by Sunday, I'm going.
"If I do what I feel like I'm going to do Saturday night, then come Sunday morning I'm going straight to Wales."
January 15, 2008
NEW YORK (Ticker) - Eight-time world champion Roy Jones Jr. has stepped up his bid to fight Joe Calzaghe in Wales following this Saturday's showdown with Felix "Tito" Trinidad at Madison Square Garden.
A champion in four different weight divisions from middleweight to heavyweight, Jones, 38, said Tuesday that he will knock out Puerto Rican ring legend Trinidad, 35, in four rounds of their schedule 12-round, 170-pound bout at Madison Square Garden.
Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) on Monday also said that Calzaghe was in his sights, as did former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor last month.
Jones (51-4, 38 KOs) told reporters before the final pre-fight press conference that his last remaining ambition in the ring is to regain the world super-middleweight title (168 pounds) from the undefeated Welshman.
Calzaghe, 35, is close to sealing an April 12 mega-fight in Las Vegas with Bernard Hopkins. Jones said he would even travel to Wales to challenge the current undisputed super-middleweight champion, despite the fact that he has previously refused to fight outside America in his 19-year professional career.
"For all his titles, I'd go," Jones said. "I want Calzaghe. If I got the titles, he has to come and get it, but he's got the titles so I have to go and get it.
"The way I see it is that Ricky Hatton came over and fought Floyd Mayweather so it's somebody's turn to go back over there for us, to show that we're impartial, we're fair."
The American said making history was a motivating factor for wanting the fight. Having equaled Bob Fitzsimmons' 1897 achievement of a former middleweight winning a heavyweight title, Jones would return to the lighter divisions to regain titles.
"The only thing left to accomplish that I've thought about is if I go down and regain the super-middleweight title," Jones said. "Bob Fitzsimmons didn't do that so I'd have one up on him. He can't come back and re-do it, and the next person to try and do it will have a hard time to do it all."
Jones said he was confident Calzaghe would beat Hopkins.
"Calzaghe's busy and that's why I know Hopkins won't beat him because Hopkins doesn't have knockout power," Jones said. "To beat Joe you're going to have to knock him out. He's far too busy to go 12 rounds and expect to get a decision (against him), especially in Wales.
"That's why I say it doesn't matter where you go to fight him, because you've got to knock him out wherever you go. I've got to knock him out, but Hopkins doesn't have the power to knock him out. That's why he doesn't want to go over there and fight, and I don't blame him. But I'll take the gamble."
If Hopkins should defy his 43 years and defeat Calzaghe, however, Jones said the chances of fighting his fellow American were very slim. The pair fought for the IBF middleweight title in 1993, with Jones outpointing Hopkins to win a decision.
"Hopkins won't fight me if it's his last day in the ring, and after he's seen me this time (against Trinidad) he really won't want to fight me," Jones said.
Jones warned Hopkins that if he fails to finalize his fight with Calzaghe this week, then he would readily step into his shoes and fight the Welshman himself at 168 pounds.
Asked if a failure to seal a deal for Hopkins-Calzaghe was due to both parties waiting for the outcome of Saturday's Jones-Trinidad contest, Jones said: "No, but I tell you what, if (Calzaghe) wants Roy Jones and (Hopkins-Calzaghe) ain't done by Sunday, I'm going.
"If I do what I feel like I'm going to do Saturday night, then come Sunday morning I'm going straight to Wales."
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