Roy Jones Jr. Gets Punked

[The Outlaw]

LAS VEGAS -- Roy Jones Jr. was flat on his back in Antonio Tarver's corner. A second earlier in the second round of their WBC light heavyweight title fight, Tarver countered a missed right hand from Jones with a short overhand left that landed square on the four-division champion's jaw. Jones went limp and fell backward to the canvas, slamming his head where Tarver's stool sat in-between rounds. Jones had been beaten only once in 50 previous fights -- and that was on a disqualification. To see him knocked silly by one punch left the crowd of 10,000 at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on their feet, roaring in unison. Nine seconds later Jones stumbled to his feet and took a few steps on shaky legs, needing the ropes to keep him upright. Referee Jay Nady took one look in his eyes and wisely waved the contest off at the 1:41 mark of the second round. Some in the crowd shrieked in horror. Some cheered wildly. Many just stood in disbelief, their jaws wide open. It was as sudden as it was shocking. But neither fighter sounded surprised about the outcome. Jones, now 49-2 (38), seemed to take the first knockout loss of his professional career in stride, telling HBO's Larry Merchant that it was a "good shot" that Tarver landed. Tarver, now 22-2 (18), took it one step further, telling Merchant, "It was a perfect punch." "Overhand left right on the kisser," Tarver said. "It was beautiful." Even future hall-of-fame fighters with all-time great skills and talent will drop like the most mediocre of journeymen if they are caught just right. "I was knocked out once in the amateurs," Jones told Merchant. "It happens to the best of us." Especially when they begin to get old. Both Jones and Tarver are 35 years old. But while Tarver turned pro in 1997, Jones joined the paid ranks in 1989. And 15 years is a long time in boxing. But the way Jones looked in the first round, one would think that he had at least another five good years of prize fighting in him. Even during the opening 30 seconds of the first round when neither fighter threw a punch, Jones seemed to control the tempo of the bout. Despite all of the bold talking Tarver did leading up to the fight, the rangy southpaw seemed nervous and unsure of himself. It was Jones who got off first and often in the remaining two minutes of round one, dictating the pace of the bout, stalking a retreating Tarver around the ring and establishing his will over his nemesis. But in the second round, Tarver stood his ground in the center of the ring and began to establish his jab. It was a good move because it forced Jones to circle and backpedal, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash a lightening-bolt counter punch. Jones threw a right hand that caused the taller fighter to crouch down. Tarver came out of the crouch with an overhand left that caught Jones flush on the side of his face. Who would have thought that it would be Tarver who would land the KO strike? Tarver, that's who. "He missed and I turned (the left) over perfectly and caught him on the kisser," Tarver said after the fight. "I missed with my jab, but I beat him to the punch with a beautiful overhand left. "Roy Jones came out strong, but I stayed confident and composed. I had a good defense. I saw everything coming. I knew it was my time." Ringside punch stats showed Jones landed 12 of 42 punches, while Tarver landed only seven of 54. It was the last of those seven punches, though, that shocked the boxing world. It is indeed Tarver's time, but after knocking out the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, his options are surprisingly limited. As far as making big money, Tarver can go two routes -- fight Jones in a rubbermatch or jump to heavyweight, something Jones himself has hinted he'll do. "I can fight Tarver again or I can fight heavyweights," said Jones, who also hinted at retirement. "I am not sure what I am going to. If I don't have the same interest and enjoyment (in fighting) I always do, then I will stop." Jones said he might move back to heavyweight for possible fights against Mike Tyson or Vitali Klitschko. In their first fight, Tarver fought Jones to a virtual standstill in the eyes of most ringside observers, though he lost a somewhat controversial majority decision. Tonight Tarver starched the ring legend with one punch. Many question if Jones really wants to face his nemesis a third time. "It takes a great fighter to beat a great fighter," Tarver said. "I will fight anyone, including heavyweights, for the money." For Tarver, who recently filed for bankruptcy, the $2 million purse was his biggest payday of a pro career that began after he won a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics. Jones earned $6 million for a fight. Don King, who promoted the rematch and has three heavyweight title holders (Chris Byrd, John Ruiz and Lamon Brewster) under contract, said, "Antonio is certainly a candidate for a heavyweight fight." But for now, Tarver says he just wants to soak in his tremendous victory. "It has been so long," said Tarver, who overcame drug addiction, promotional disputes, a set-back loss and scores of naysayers to earn his opportunities with Jones. "I never gave up. I never gave up on my dream. I knew the steps to take to get here. I knew I couldn't be denied." King was certainly impressed. "He beat Superman tonight," the promoter said. "It was shock and amazement. He made this fight. This young man shocked everyone." Everyone but himself.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ory?id=1802517


Tarver made him look like a little bitch

Anyone watch it/thoughts?

“ Why I'm doing this is because my fans want me to shut this boy's mouth. I don't really want to kill (Tarver) or nothing like that. I just want to show him that when I'm on my day, 'No, you can't beat me at all.' ”
— Roy Jones Jr.

lol Wow

[sadio8]

Good for him Hopefully this can jump-start his career!

[MoRcHeEbA]

I'm not a huge fan of Tarver, but he sure did make jones look like a fool

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I dont think Jones will fall off too bad from this...He is still nasty..Tarver has his # tho...A lot of people thought he beat him in the last match.

Jones is a cocky mother****er though...Id want to see Jones vs Tyson...that would be sick.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Jones hasn't really defeated any big names or anything. Defeating Ruiz was pretty sick..I mean Ruiz is exactly a GREAT boxer but still to beat a heavyweight was cool

[Bad Guy]

I'm telling you, it's the EA curse.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by sTiMa34 Jones hasn't really defeated any big names or anything. Defeating Ruiz was pretty sick..I mean Ruiz is exactly a GREAT boxer but still to beat a heavyweight was cool

I've been saying Jones Jnr is over rated for ages (said it here many times and was mocked too). Tarver isn't really much better. In my eyes, the Glenn Johnson vs. Joe Calzaghe fight on June 12 decides who is the man in the light heavyweight division (and I'm picking Calzaghe there). I'm surprised to see Frank Warren is already trying to fix a Calzaghe vs. Tarver unification fight when June 12 certainly isn't a walk in the park. And what's the point in that anyway? All the money is still with Jones Jnr. Well I guess the sense is that you might as well book a unification match since Jones Jnr has been ducking Calzaghe for years now (as well as Dariusz Michalczewski).

And as for Jones Jnr beating Ruiz - He had ONE fight at heavyweight which was a joke really. Ruiz is one of the worst heavyweights in the worst heavyweight top 10 list in the past 50 years. He could have easily fought a James Toney or David Tua and seen what he could do, There is a very good reason he never fought a Lennox Lewis, a Mike Tyson or even a Hasim Rahman or a Klitchko.

[VonErich Lives]

I don't think Jones is "over-rated" but he's also been around awhile, at some point, someones gonna be better.

I think he needs to do a rematch, there 1 and 1 each. He needs to try and redeam himself rather then retire on this knockout.

Then again, w/ all the money he has...

[Rob]

Rematch means nothing. He needs to take the fights people think he is scared of taking.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Jones lost the first match too. The decision was bullshit.

[The Outlaw]

Originally Posted by El Capitano Gatisto Jones lost the first match too. The decision was bullshit.

[xXxClouderxXx]

Originally Posted by Bad Guy I'm telling you, it's the EA curse.

ahhhhh it is the curse! holy shit i dident even think of that..