By Adam Fillingham: Roy Jones Jr, the former eight time world champion was unsuspectingly knocked out in the first round last Wednesday night by tough IBO champion Danny Green. Green looked great and so did Jones Jr for all but a minute.
The fight started out as a feeling out process. Roy Jones throwing out a fast jab but the Australian Green throwing the harder jab. Jones had his hands down, looking comfortable dealing with the solid left hand jab and shot out his own quick lefts. Jones seemed to be always moving back wary of Green’s power and got caught in the corner early but Green couldn’t capitalize.
Then the clock hit 1:47 of the first round. After Roy Jones had stepped back into yet another corner Danny Green threw a few soft left hands before clubbing the American legend with a hard right sending him crumpling to the canvas. Jones was obviously hurt by the way he rolled on the floor as he tried to get back on to his unsteady legs.
The clock hit 1:31 and Green leaped out of his corner like a cheetah and pummeled Jones with shots to the body repetitively. The hearts of the Australian nation must have been in their mouths at that point. Green hit from head to body, to head to body over and over for the next half a minute. Jones kept his hands up but there was nothing he could do, he just had to wait for the referees intervention.
At 1:04 Jones and Green stepped out of a clinch and as Jones stepped back we all knew it was over. His legs just gave way and Green piled on more pressure to see and at 1:00 of the round referee Howard John Foster stepped in to end the action.
The Australian ‘legend’ has now defended his IBO title once after he successfully knocked out Julio Cesar Dominguez in five rounds four months ago to win the belt. His popularity must have now increased and may now get a fight with one of the main four title holders.
Back to the original problem. Roy Jones is good enough to defeat B-level fighters but against A-level fighters (if you can call Danny Green A-level) he struggles badly. This can only take you so far and eventually a fighter has to step it up or their legacy will be a mockery. This wont look good on Jones’s part as he is a future hall of fame entry and doesn’t need another loss.
Another problem is that he has a fight lined up with Bernard Hopkins. Hopkins reportedly still wants the fight but will it mean anything to either man? If Hopkins wins he has defeated a washed up Roy Jones who has lost two of his last four fights. If Jones wins he has defeated a 44 year old fighter and would likely just be inviting the inevitable loss down the road. Fighting Hopkins now will not do anything for his legacy.
Roy Jones Jr, retire now and save yourself anymore heart break.
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