The New York Daily News boxing columnist Tim Smith interviewed boxing great Roy Jones, Jr., for an article that appeared earlier this week headlined “Roy Jones Jr. disappointed that matchup with UFC star is off.”
The article notes what has been previously reported: that Dana White (smartly, I might add) stepped in to stop talks of a Jones vs. Anderson Silva boxing matchup before they went any further than the chatter that had already caused rumors to fly. UFC Middleweight Champion Silva is under an exclusive contract with UFC, and it would be a big risk allowing him to fight Jones in a boxing match, since a loss could potentially hurt future fights. Jones disagrees.
“I don’t see how it could discredit the UFC,” Jones said to the News. “The guy has boxed before and he’s a tall, slick, left handed fighter. That gives everybody problems. It would be a good fight. As fighters we’re supposed to be trying to do things that amaze people and make history. This could have been something that people really wanted to see.
“I just think it’s wrong not to allow him (Silva) to get the opportunity to live out his fantasy to be in the ring with one of his heroes. That’s the kind of thing that boxing promoters usually do.”
The great Adam Swift at MMAPayout.com proposes an interesting solution: a boxing bout, followed by a return MMA fight where both fighters agree to one match-up in their respective specialties. Jones told the paper, however, that he wouldn’t do MMA since he has no wrestling background.
