LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Roy Jones Jr registered a majority points decision over Antonio Tarver Saturday to reclaim the light-heavyweight title and underline his credentials as the greatest fighter of his generation.


It was the 14th consecutive win for Jones since his controversial disqualification against Montell Griffin in 1997 and improved his record to 49-1 (38 knockouts). But it was probably the most difficult night of his 14-year career.


The fight was Jones's first since he beat John Ruiz for the WBA world heavyweight crown in March.


After becoming the first former middleweight in more than a century to capture the heavyweight title, Jones, 34, was expected to rubber-stamp his status as boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter by challenging Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield or Mike Tyson.


But when a top-drawer heavyweight bout could not be arranged Jones decided to drop back down to the division he once dominated, losing nearly 25 pounds for a grudge fight with Tarver, a man he felt had disrespected him.


CHAMPION'S HEART


Having struggled to make the weight, a tired Jones showed his class and the heart of a champion in the final two rounds of the 12-round contest, digging deep into his reserves to clearly outbox Tarver (21-2).


The three judges scored the fight 114-114, 117-111, 116-112 to Jones.


"It was tough. I had to lose 25 pounds, it was the toughest 25 pounds I ever had to lose," Jones said.


"I never thought that weight would be so hard to lose. But I told him I was coming and I came.


"I was never worried about losing the fight. His strategy was to win the last 30 seconds but you can't win a fight in the last 30 seconds.


"He had nothing to lose, I had everything to lose."


The bout is expected to be Jones's last as a light-heavyweight as he turns his attention back to the heavyweight division and the big-money fight he has been seeking with Tyson.


Jones said if a fight with Tyson could not be put together he would retire.


"I doubt you will see me (as a light-heavyweight) here again, it was so difficult, the weight coming off," he said.


"I want one more big-money fight, that's all I want. All I want is Mike Tyson and if I don't get him I'm done."

Ashanti. Nice to see a boxing fan on the forum.

Roy Jones shoul;d fight James Toney, that would be a brilliant fight. He could get Tyson, but he would probably do what Micheal Spinks did when he fought Tyson. Take the money and lie down whenever he gots hit hard

p.s. Roy Jones 2nd best fighter in the world after Floyd Mayweather

CashMoney wrote:
p.s. Roy Jones 2nd best fighter in the world after Floyd Mayweather


(Ashanti has just passed out from shock, LOL!)

CashMoney please tell me you are joking!!!! Second best? Lie down? Haaa! Oh geez, don't let me husband hear you say that, or any one else from the Gulf Coast, LOL! Roy is by far the best, pound for pound, I mean this guy can go up and down the weight division and kick so much booty blkboxing as he has proven. Bring on Tyson! Bring on Lennox, Bring on Mayweather or Toney and he will give them all a whippin...Southern Style!!!!bighairlol

Ashanti wrote:

(Ashanti has just passed out from shock, LOL!)

CashMoney please tell me you are joking!!!! Second best? Lie down? Haaa! Oh geez, don't let me husband hear you say that, or any one else from the Gulf Coast, LOL! Roy is by far the best, pound for pound, I mean this guy can go up and down the weight division and kick so much booty blkboxing as he has proven. Bring on Tyson! Bring on Lennox, Bring on Mayweather or Toney and he will give them all a whippin...Southern Style!!!!bighairlol

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Sorry Ashanti tell your husband that he's talking horse rollocks, no way Roy Jones is the best pound for pound fighter no way..he hasn't even fought the best in the weight catogories he has won a belt in except that is in the middleweight divisions..

For him to be the best he'd have to fight proper and i mean proper heavyweights and beat them silly....As for Mayweather sorry but I think the jury is still out on him...

Kunjufu wrote:
Sorry Ashanti tell your husband that he's talking horse rollocks, no way Roy Jones is the best pound for pound fighter no way..he hasn't even fought the best in the weight catogories he has won a belt in except that is in the middleweight divisions..

For him to be the best he'd have to fight proper and i mean proper heavyweights and beat them silly


Kunjufu, before I address your diss of Jones, let me ask you kindly to add Horse rollocks to the Translation thread, LOL! But from it's context it doesn't sound good, LOL!Was not Ruiz proper? I mean he beat Holyfield I think. Whom would you consider proper heaveyweight? If it's Tyson or Lewis...again I say bring them on.blkdevillol

Ruiz.....a never will be...

Holyfield......has been..

If he fought tyson or my man Lewis..you know that jones would be spending some serious time in the local medical facilities..that is why he's ducked Oops i mean fought these heavyweights yet..

Come on Ashanti you can do better than that surely..?

kunju by the way your talking you definately know your boxing.

Mayweather has fought top cats @ 130lbs, @135lbs he hasn't fought the best but he aint ducking noone though, I checked ut lightweights and he humiliates all of them, no question

Roy Jones is the most talented fighter I ever watched but he has ducked a few cats in his time, although everybody he has ducked I think he could have beat anyways. Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, Steve Collins, Joe Calzaghe, Darius Michealscheski(spelling), James Toney again, these are all people he would have punked out easily. None of these cats can take Roy Jones murderous body shots, especially Benn and Eubank. There just wasnt enough money to tempt him. He is a business man first

So who would yu say was the best fighter in th world kunju, and if you into UK Boxing, what do u think of Calzaghe and Hatton

I'M BRINGING IT!!!!!!

You know before I typed my last respond, my hubby said I bet Kunjufu is a Lewis fan. I said nall sweetheart, he couldn't be, absolutely no way!

Kunjufu wrote:

"my man Lewis"

well lo and behold, YOU CONFIRMED IT!!!, lol!

Now talk about your has-beens kunjufu, Lewis would be it, LOL! Does Rah-man(rock-man) ring a bell? Ha,!, Ha!, Ha! That fight was by far the biggest indicator that your guy should just hang up his boxing gloves. I mean did you see the way he came into the ring with this big production number, complete with fire and music only to be flatten before he could say...WHO HIT ME? Okay, now it's your turn Kunjufublkbiggrin

CashMoney wrote:
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Cashmoney: i was into boxing in a big way, but i have to be honest boxing has lost its way a bit with me and the general public..because i believe of all these non fights and obvious mismatches mascarading as proper fights..

However on the Uk front..Hatton looks useful, i would like to see him fight in the US, if can win there then I'll rate him.. Calzaghe..for me is a boring but good fighter..very dangerous which is why probably people like Roy Jones avoid him like the plague...

Best pound for pound I'm not sure I think i'd have to put Barrera up there, Mayweather Hmmm jury still out untill he can be consistent, Roy Jones definately an exciting fighter with power and speed however he picks too fights for me to consider him great.. I did liked Sugar shane Mosley before he got his arse bust big time.. To be honest I don't think there is a fighter that I would rate a pound for pound fighter right now...

Ashanti wrote:

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When I said my man..me neva seh he was pound for pound the BEST fighter, what i said was your so called pound for pound Roy (I duck em) Jones.. avoided fighting him.. I would concede that Lewis is well past his sell by date..and should hang up his gloves..no argument there..My view remains Roy Jones Pound for pound nah sah...Your hubby took one punch too many in da head from you..

Over to you Ashanti..Oh I can wait for this, as this ought to be good...
blkdevillol

Kunjufu & CashMoney wrote:
Roy Jones definately an exciting fighter with power and speed...
Roy Jones is the most talented fighter I ever watched


My first reaction upon reading your proper and correct responses about Roy Jones...LAWD, THEY'RE NOT BLIND!!!bighairlol

And for your information, I am neither tall enough, or strong enough and last but not least FOOLISH enough to try and dispense any licks up side the hubby's head. Hey Kunjufu I was born at night, just not last night.bighairlolblkbrukteet

Ashanti wrote:

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What have yu neva heard of a step ladder...tsk tsk blkdevillol