The prospect of boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. facing Tommy Fury in any capacity sparked a backlash from the boxing community.
Jones Jr, a former pound-for-pound king, touted a potential clash with Fury in Saudi Arabia. The discussion brought about groans from many fans and media.
It begs the question, ‘What has boxing become?’ and where have the boundaries gone in the age of YouTubers and influencers?
Speaking to Casino Alpha about the clash, Jones even stated Mike Tyson could fight John Fury in the co-feature. The whole situation comes down to money, greed, and the pillaging of a great sport.
Roy Jones Jr. vs Tommy Fury
“Saudi Arabia at the moment will probably pay what I’m looking for to make an exhibition happen,’ he told Casino Alpha. “Dealing with the Saudis, I’ll say that I’m 75% sure this exhibition happens against Tommy Fury.
“And if the money is not right in Saudi Arabia, then maybe me and I could do an exhibition in the UK? – That would be the first time I ever had the chance to perform in the UK. Would I say no to that?”
RJJ added: “Me and Tommy Fury is a great idea. John Fury initially said he wanted to fight Mike Tyson, so I said, “If you’re all going to do that, let’s go and make an all-out card – if John fights Mike, I’ll fight Tommy on the undercard or as the co-main,” – that would be awesome right?
“Tommy Fury said “alright, let’s fight for real,’ so I said, “Whoa, okay, that might work, but I need to get these knees right first.”
That phrase alone from Jones shows just how ludicrous the scenario is. The fact is that his aged body needs fixing before they fight.
As of now, it is doubtful that the fight will take place. Surely, there’s no interest in anyone watching that. However, in this day and age, who can tell?
Exhibition
Jones concluded: “I haven’t heard any more about John Fury and Mike Tyson, but Tommy Fury said, “Hey, we can still do our thing and do our exhibition.” And I said, “That’s not a bad idea, but the money will have to be right.”‘
“We’re in talks. It’s being negotiated, and it’s an exciting fight because Tommy is inexperienced, and my age and experience balance that out.
“I’m a 54-year-old guy who can fight for real. I’d be fighting a guy who’s not experienced but built right and can get the job done. It’s an even fight.’
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of experienced boxing writer Phil Jay.
