EXPECTATIONS
(INSIDE BOXING) Roy Jones, Jr., the undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, won again. Bernard Hopkins, the undisputed Middleweight Champion of the World, won again.
What more could one expect from either World Champion?
According to the “powers that be” (they know they are) the light heavyweight champion (175 pounds limit) should fight the middleweight champion (160 pounds limit).
Ignoring the mere fact that there currently exists a 168 pounds division, the aforementioned “powers” suggest no marquee name exists comparable to the middleweight titleholder. True as that may be, the 168 pound division has fighters with their own EXPECTATIONS.
The seemingly obvious answer is MONEY.
Not so obvious is that the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, Roy Jones, Jr., has dominated his division with little concern for the “big payday” that so permeates the sport.
During this period of dominance Roy Jones, Jr. has invested wisely, been an ambassador of the sport of boxing and enhanced his image as the greatest light heavyweight of all time by destroying every light heavyweight to come along.
When under contract to HOME BOX OFFICE (HBO) Roy Jones, Jr. was highly touted by the network as the greatest thing since “sliced bread”. His choosing not to re-sign with any network has allowed him to negotiate his own deals.
The ability to decide with whom and where he fights is what most fighters can only dream of. In the world of FREE ENTERPRISE, Roy Jones, Jr. should be recognized as their consumate poster boy.
He has so dominated the light heavyweight division that there would only be one question asked before any of his bouts. That was “how long will the fight last”. His boxing skills are second to none. Roy Jones, Jr. is the UNDISPUTED LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
Before promoter Don King was successful in getting the middleweight division into a elimination series, Bernard Hopkins was uninterested in fighting William Joppy to lay claim to the title UNDISPUTED MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
The junior middleweight turned middleweight Felix Trinidad did what Hopkins never attempted. Trinidad fought and defeated William Joppy.
Hopkins defeating an undersized Felix Trinidad was indeed impressive. But Hopkins had never been referred to as the dominant fighter in the middleweight division. His reluctance to fight Joppy was, according to Hopkins, the result of the two sides being unable to reach a “financial compromise”.
There is a sudden interest in finding someone to defeat Roy Jones, Jr. Let’s not forget, a match against Bernard Hopkins would be a REMATCH.
Being the best in the world at 175 pounds or under is mysteriously no longer good enough. Roy Jones, Jr. is now ridiculously being compared to fighters in lesser weight divisions.
The fighters that desperately need Roy Jones, Jr. want to meet him at “compromised” weights and 50/50 purses.
Bernard Hopkins is the latest to arrive on this bandwagon. Hopkins feels he deserves a chance to prove he can beat Roy Jones, Jr.
Roy Jones, Jr. is the best fighter in the world with a weight limit of 175 pounds. Any discussion concerning the light heavyweight title uses that weight limit as its basis.
The EXPECTATION of many is that Roy Jones, Jr. needs to put himself at a disadvantage by fighting at 168 pounds. But the 168 pounds title is not the one Roy Jones, Jr. holds. There are currently 3 champions in the 168 pounds division that would love to be considered in my following proposal.
The scenario that makes the most sense, from a monetary and media standpoint, is to have an elimination tournament. The current champions of the WBA, IBF and WBC in the 168 pounds division along with the Undisputed Middleweight Champion would do battle. The winner gets a shot at Roy Jones, Jr. for the title of UNDISPUTED LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
The 168 pounds division champions surely figure into the equation…don’t they? As of this date, Bernard Hopkins has not beaten any of them. So, in order to be fair, he has to prove his own worthiness. Leap-frogging over champions in the 168 pounds division would be totally unfair...wouldn’t it?
The survivor of the elimination tournament will have qualified himself to challenge for the (175 pounds) Light Heavyweight Championship of the World title.
The purse would be 60% for the Champion, Roy Jones, Jr. and 40% for the challenger.
The site would be Las Vegas, Nevada.
The promoter would be the man with the deepest pockets, Don King.
The fighters can come in weighing anything less, but nothing more than 175 pounds.
There!
I have given “the powers that be” the blueprint to allow fight fans the opportunity to see just who is the greatest fighter in the world at 175 pounds or less.
Just because Bernard Hopkins SAYS he wants Roy Jones, Jr. doesn’t mean he automatically gets him. Hopkins still has much to prove. The only way to accomplish that is for him to participate in the elimination tournament.
Now, if Bernard Hopkins is unwilling to engage in such an event then he should just request a match against Roy Jones, Jr. with a purse indicating a 60%-40% split in the favor of the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion of the World. That would satisfy his desire to fight Roy Jones, Jr. without suffering any repercussions from the inevitable defeat.
Do I expect Hopkins to engage in either proposal? NO WAY! His only interest at this point is receiving as much as he can as fast as he can!
Do I expect the “powers that be” take my suggestion about an elimination tournament? PLEASE!
Do I expect the continued pressure on Roy Jones, Jr. to fight for whatever purse and weight ”the powers that be” deem appropriate? MOST DEFINITELY!
Roy Jones, Jr. lives up to his own EXPECTATIONS. In the world of boxing he is the greatest light heavyweight of all time. To tarnish that image by attempting to meet EXPECTATIONS of anyone else is absurd.
What Roy Jones, Jr. deserves and should be able to expect is the recognition for what he has accomplished in and out of the boxing ring. Is that too much to ask?
I suppose my own EXPECTATIONS and that of Roy Jones, Jr. are way too much to ask.
Stephen S. Johnson 02/02/02