BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…

(INSIDE BOXING) WBO light heavyweight champion Dariusz Michalczewski is coming dangerously close to getting the match he desperately wants. Not because he has earned it, but because he is now publicly claiming the reigning WBA, WBC and IBF champion Roy Jones, Jr. is ducking him.

The promoters for the 32 year old Michalczewski say the contract offers made to Jones have been rejected with no response as to what further negotiations are needed to make the match. In their eyes this is Jones ducking their man.

The 32 year old Jones, with a record of 43-1, 35 KO’s, is now the subject of many fighters ranging from the middleweight to the heavyweight division. Why these challengers are trying to attract the attention of Jones is somewhat puzzling. Until you realize the MONEY factor.

Every since Roy Jones, Jr. fought his last fight under the HBO umbrella numerous claims have surfaced that Jones is afraid to fight. When Jones was still under an HBO contract these fighters were none too loud about fighting the champion. But for some reason there is much conversation from fighters who are good but are not on the same level as Jones.

Bernard Hopkins was making claims Jones was ducking him. Then Jones went public with a letter he had sent Hopkins suggesting that Hopkins was the one afraid to sign a contract offer. Hopkins says the $3 million dollar offer from Jones was an insult. Jones reminded Hopkins that he has already beaten him once and that if he were in Hopkins’ shoes he would take a rematch for free…Hopkins CAN wait.

Felix "Tito" Trinidad is on record as saying he would like to fight Bernard Hopkins and William Joppy, not necessarily in that order, so that he may have the unified middleweight title. Trinidad then feels he will be ready to tangle with Roy Jones, Jr…Trinidad WILL wait.

This leaves us with the fighter who has said just enough publicly that Jones will probably give the beating he is requesting…Dariusz Michalczewski.

The WBO titleholders from heavyweight to strawweight are all in desperate need of recognition. Most are good fighters but the level of competition faced by them warrants no serious consideration by any champion in either the WBC, WBA or IBF.

Another in a long line of "alphabet soup" organizations, the WBO has decided to step up their campaign to attract viable interest by attacking various champions in hopes of getting a big payday for their fighters.

Having Roy Jones, Jr. destroy a clearly over matched and under experienced Dariusz Michalczewski will go a long way in exposing the WBO for what it is.

The WBO has offered up its’ version of the "sacrificial lamb" in the form of Dariusz Michalczewski, who probably even believes he can beat Roy Jones, Jr. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Soon he will learn, the hard way, the old adage of "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!"

Boy Wonder

02/11/01