Like the Energizer Bunny (only slower) Roy Jones Jr. Keeps on Ticking

Roy Jones Jr. Keeps on Ticking – “Slighted Olympic Boxer Might Not Fight Again” was the sub-headline above a story by Executive Sports Editor Ralph Routon in the Nov. 24, 1988 issue of the Colorado Springs Gazette. Routon was referencing Roy Jones Jr. who had indicated that he was done with boxing after losing an outrageous decision to his South Korean opponent in their light middleweight match in the gold medal round of the Olympic Games. “America will understand (if Jones never fights again),” said Routon, “and still be proud of him.”

It goes without saying that Jones reconsidered his decision to hang up his gloves. Twenty-eight years after he was robbed in Seoul, he’s still slinging leather. In fact, he’s in action once again tomorrow night, Saturday, Aug. 13. The opponent is Rockin’ Rodney Moore of Houston (not to be confused with Rockin’ Rodney Moore of Philadelphia who retired in 1997 and would have likely provided a stiffer test). Jones vs. Moore headlines a mixed boxing and MMA card at the Pensacola Bay Center in Jones’ hometown of Pensacola, Florida.

Roy Jones Jr. Keeps on Ticking

Roy Jones Jr., a 47-year-old father of six, is quite the busy bee. In an addition to being an HBO boxing analyst, he promotes fights, controls a small stable of professional boxers, trains fighters at his own gym, and sells stuff on his web site (prices range from $29.99 for a Roy Jones bobblehead doll to $249.99 for a signed boxing robe). He plays in a basketball league at the Pensacola Naval Air Station and, as a dual citizen of the United States and Russia, he does a lot of traveling. And occasionally he steps back in the ring.

The son of an unrenowned professional boxer, Jones first laced on a pair of boxing gloves at the age of five. He reportedly had 134 amateur fights. As a pro, he’s had 72 fights, answering the bell for 467 rounds.

These numbers call to mind Roger Mayweather. A champion in two weight classes, Mayweather had 72 fights, answering the bell for 485 rounds. Roy Jones Jr. won’t like the comparison. Mayweather, now 55 years old, suffers from a form of dementia. It’s irreversible.

Jones has won nine of his last 10 fights. However, only one of those 10 opponents had a recognizable name, that being Enzo Maccarinelli who knocked him out cold in December of last year. Jones had previously suffered one-punch knockouts at the hands of Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson and back in May of 2011 he required medical attention in the ring after being rendered unconscious by a volley of punches from Denis Lebedev.

In Rodney Moore, Jones is meeting a 40-year-old man who has lost five straight since returning to the ring after a seven-and-a-half year absence, and lost nine straight overall. However, Moore has been stopped only once in 30 pro fights (that by Murat Gassiev, a murderous puncher) so this one seemingly has a shot of going the full distance.

When the smoke clears, Roy Jones Jr. will have banked another victory, elevating his record to 64-9.

But at what expense?

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