It’s a special edition of BOXING AFTER DARK when HBO Sports presents FELIX TRINIDAD VS. ROY JONES, JR. the exclusive replay of their light heavyweight showdown, this SATURDAY, JAN. 26 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO. The HBO Sports broadcast team, which was ringside for the live event at Madison Square Garden in New York, will call all the action. The replay will be available in HDTV. Carried live on HBO Pay-Per-View, the Jan. 19 fight featured the long anticipated showdown between two future Hall of Fame performers. The 39-year-old Roy Jones, Jr. scored a unanimous decision victory in the 170-pound showdown. The exclusive replay will be paired with the previously announced BOXING AFTER DARK telecast from Berlin as Alexander Povetkin meets Eddie Chambers in a heavyweight tilt.
Roy Jones Jr.
Is Roy Jones Jr. Faster Than Floyd Mayweather Jr?
In an interview at fightnews.com, Roy Jones Jrs. (51-4, 38 KOs) had this to say about Floyd Mayweather Jr. (39-0, 25 KOs) in reference to their handspeed, “Only Floyd Mayweather comes close to me and he’s still 10 miles an hour slower.” At first I thought Jones was just being himself, bragging in his typical fashion, but I found myself agreeing with him about him being faster, as I don’t see Mayweather as having nearly the kind of blazing speed that Jones has, even now. Earlier in Jones’ career, there could be no such comparison, for he had almost blinding handspeed, the type of speed which allowed him to get away with not holding his hands up to protect him.
It also made him much more unpredictable, because it was often hard to tell where his punches would be coming from due the speed with which he’d throw them. Jones never had to worry about things like fundamentals, because his speed would enable him to take short cuts, forgoing the typical worries of having to cover up to guard against incoming shots. Of course, his foot speed has unfortunately slowed down much more than his handspeed, as has ability to get out of the way of punches. However, his handspeed, even now, appears to be faster than Mayweather.
Little Interest In Jones-Trinidad Bout
According to the latest reports, ticket sales for this Saturday’s bout between Roy Jones Jr. and Felix Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) have been less than impressive, to put it kindly. In fact, many of the most expensive seats at New York’s Madison Square Garden have been drastically reduced from $15,000 to a mere $5000. Part of the problem is caused by the New York Giant’s football team, which has a playoff game with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
I guess the fans aren’t particularly intrigued with the idea of dumping a bunch of cash on a fight that many of them consider little more than an old-timers bout between two former champions Trinidad, 35 and the 39 year-old Jones. At this point, we can only only that Madison Square Garden gets a big walk up crowd on the night of the fight. Aside from that, the PPV numbers might end up disappointing as well, for the cost of the fight – $49.95 – is what I consider an absurdly high amount for two non-champion, mostly part-time fighters. It wouldn’t be bad if Jones & Trinidad were still champions, but both of them are far beyond that at this stage in their careers with zero chances of ever winning another title.
Should Calzaghe Skip Hopkins And Fight Jones vs. Trinidad Winner?
As super middleweight Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) appears locked into a fight with former light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, I can’t help think that the 35 year-old Calzaghe will be better off canceling the bout with Hopkins and instead focus on fighting the winner of this Saturday’s bout between Felix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr. The reasons are simple: Both Trinidad and Jones were much more popular than Hopkins was during their prime, and even though they’re both well past that stage now, they still remain very popular with large fan bases behind both of them.
Even more important, is that after Saturday’s bout, if it turns out to be an interesting fight, the winner will be even more in the forefront of the media, and will be able to pick and choose their next opponent. In contrast, if Calzahge he faces the 43- year-old Hopkins, the fight will almost surely be a boring, grappling-type fight in which Hopkins grabs and wrestles Calzaghe constantly to prevent him from drilling him with his fast hands. It will be the type of fight where Calzaghe will lose popularity because he’ll look bad against Hopkins, who turn the fight into a long stalling pattern, and stink up the joint in the process.
Roy Jones Jr Profile
Former Eight-Time World Champion in Four Separate Weight Classes: Middleweight (160), Super Middleweight (168), Light Heavyweight (175), and Heavyweight Born on Jan. 16, 1969, in Pensacola, Fla. Height: 5’ 11” Weight: Light Heavyweight (last weight 175). Record: 51-4, 38 KOs
Roy Jones Jr. is a man who defies definition. He is an eight-time world champion boxer in four different weight classes; a world-class boxing promoter and expert television analyst; a superb athlete in all arenas including professional basketball; a hit-music performer and manager; and a television and motion picture actor. In short, Roy Jones, Jr. is a renaissance man for his era and a legend for eras to come.
Jones Trinidad: Is This Fight Worth $49.95?
Like many people, you might be asking would be interested in forking over $49.95 to watch former champions Roy Jones Jr. (51-4, 38 KOs) and Felix Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) go at next week on January 19th, at Madison Square Garden, in New York City, New York. Much as this fight would have been an intriguing bout around 10 years ago, when both Jones and Trinidad were in their prime, it’s hardly interesting to watch either of them know that they’re badly faded as fighters.
Trinidad, who turned 35 today, has done little in the ring in the past seven years, fighting only four times and losing half of the bouts, both resulting in retirements on Trinidad’s part. In his last bout, Trinidad was beaten by Winky Wright, losing a 12-round unanimous decision on May 2005. The loss was made worse by the fact that it was completely one-sided, with Trinidad losing almost every round of the fight. He looked old and shot, even then, and he doesn’t figure to have gotten any younger since then. Of course, Wright, a fighter with excellent defensive skills, is the type of opponent that would give almost any fighter big problems. However, instead of moving on and continuing fighting, Trinidad retired for the second time. Not something that exactly made him look good to his many fans. Trinidad’s fan, however, are quick to forget his defeats and the way he gave up boxing afterwards.
Does Trinidad Have A Chance Of Defeating Jones?
As the January 19th fight between former WBA/WBC/IBF light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. (51-4, 38 KOs) and former IBF welterweight and IBF/WBA light middleweight champion Felix Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) creeps closer, I’m beginning to suspect that this fight is going to be a blowout win for the soon to be 39 year-old Jones. Trinidad, 35, though he’s been training for months, he still looks nothing like he did in his prime, as he appears to be somewhat fleshy around the checks and chin, and looks to be still sporting a generous gut to go along with it.
Besides that, he looks old, much older than a person should normally look at the age of 35. Of course, Trinidad could very well prove me wrong by fighting well, like many fighters do when they’re slightly overweight, but judging how he fought last time out – a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Winky Wright in May 2005 – I have a hard time thinking that he’s going to come out on top over Jones. Recently, there’s been boxing news about Trinidad getting pointers on how to beat Jones from Glen Johnson, who viciously stopped Jones in the 9th round in September 2004.
Roy Jones Jr. Wants Match With Calzaghe
On last nights’ ESPN telecast, former light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. (51-4, 38 KOs) said that he wants to fight super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, after he, Jones, stops Felix Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) in the fourth round in their scheduled 12-round bout on January 19th at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Jones, 38, appears to be completely overlooking the 35 year-old Trinidad, treating him as if victory is a forgone conclusion. Jones, it seems, has been looking too closely at Trinidad’s last fight in which he lost a lopsided decision to Winky Wright in May 2005, afterwards leading to another retirement by Trinidad.
Trinidad Jones: Can Felix Pull Off An Upset?
With only a month to go before Felix Trinidad (42-2, 35 KOs) comes out of retirement – for the second time – to face Roy Jones Jr., I’m wondering how much Trinidad has left in the tank at this stage in his career. At 34, soon to be 35 by the time they fight, Trinidad is getting up their in age, and hasn’t looked good in recent press conferences, appearing fat and, well, old. He’s old fought twice in the past five years, winning one (an 8th round TKO over Ricardo Mayorga in October 2004) and losing a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision to Winky Wright in May 2005, prompting yet another retirement from Trinidad.
Roy Jones Jr: “ll fight Calzaghe anywhere He Wants”
In somewhat of a shocking display of bravado, former eight -time world champion Roy Jones Jr. called out super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe at a recent press conference, saying “I can fight at practically any weight right now. “I can drop down to 168 pounds and take on Joe Calzaghe. “‘ll fight him anywhere” he wants. Jones Jr is back and ready to fight.” Perhaps Jones, 38, has taken notice of Calzaghe’s frustration with trying to arrange a bout with light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins, and hopes to make easier for Calzaghe by being much more pliable.