Over the last day or two, a few stories surfaced saying how former multi-weight king Roy Jones Junior had, finally, retired. Jones, last seen being brutally knocked out by another veteran in Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli, SHOULD have called it quits years ago, so most people say. But, in taking to social media, the former pound-for-pound master said he has not hung his gloves up quite yet.
“No official retirement yet. Maybe one coming, but hasn’t come yet. That will be MY announcement to make,” Jones wrote.
And, over on ESPN.com, there is a Roy Jones has not retired story that includes mention of a possible farewell fight in Pensacola; something Jones has always apparently always wanted. So, as sad as it is, especially for those fight fans who remember the absolutely dazzling prime of Jones, when in the 1990s and early 2000s he truly was something akin to unbeatable, we may yet see the 47-year-old future Hall lf Famer in the ring.
Jones, 62-9(45) has not won a really meaningful fight in years – probably his 2008 points win over a past his best but still dangerous Felix Trinidad – and he said late last year, when going into the Maccarinelli fight, that the only thing he was still fighting for was to win a world cruiserweight title. The painful loss to Enzo that came in Russia contested a marginal belt, yet as we know, Jones was unable to win even that. Surely Jones will not get another shot, at a major cruiserweight belt!
The only thing for the 1988 Olympian, then, could be that farewell fight at home in Florida (although Jones calls Russia his home these days). Jones is still capable of beating the likes of Max Alexander, Hany Atiyo and Eric Watkins (three of Jones’ recent wins) – at least he was before the Maccarinelli disaster. How that punishing loss may or may not have affected Jones is not something he should risk finding out by taking another fight – even a “safe” farewell fight.
Just imagine for a minute, if Jones had walked way after his stunningly beautiful 2003 decision win over John Ruiz up at heavyweight. How highly would Jones be rated amongst the boxing greats today?
