She appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing. "But I guess going into marrying a professional athlete, you have to know what youre marrying into. In many ways, he has refused to play the game by rules established by the media and starmakers such as Don King. On the way up? But U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would not disclose U.S. plans to bring Griner home when asked if a swap was being considered. WNBA star Brittney Griner has a fellow superstar athlete in her corner as she fights to return home to the United States. True or not Jones outpointed Hopkins by 116-112 on each judges scorecard and even later in life reminded people of this in one of his hit single rap songs Yall Mustve Forgot. BOXER. His fighting style was unique and unorthodox. Son of Roy Sr. and Carol Jones. Jones leads an extraordinarily active life. After one more KO, Jones went the distance for the first time against future world champion Jorge Castro, winning a 10-round decision in front of a USA Network national audience. But Jones kept going, by his own choice, because boxing was his love, his life. More Vilona:Area's greatest athletes not just encompassed by Top 50. ESPN ESPY Award 1995 Boxer of the Year. Jones has made clear many times that he has conflicted feelings about boxing, mostly because of the sports inherent dangerfor both combatants. Derrick Brooks (Booker T. Washington High, 1990) Enshrined as linebacker in 2014 into Pro Football Hall of Fame. On the 18th November 1994, Roy Jones Jr. faced the #1 ranked pound for pound contender and undefeated IBF super middleweight champion James Lights Out Toney. Of course, Jones Jr. also has a games room upstairs in the mansion, hosting an air hockey table and table football among other things. She faces up to 10 years in prison if she's convicted. Its bad enough being incarcerated but what if you incarcerated in a foreign land where they dont speak your language? Finally, in November 1994, Jones got his chance for a truly sensational match, against JamesLights Out Toney. Jones was awarded the Val Barker trophy as the most stylistic boxer of the 1988 games. In between, in 2001 Jones would announce his presence in the music industry by releasing Round One: The Album, a rap CD. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. (His final tally as an amateur would be 121-13.) But for him, vindication can come only when the decision is officially overturned. The world was eager to see whether he really had what it takes. Jones Sr. would lose that fight by KO in the 3rd round and receive only a paltry $1,500 to Leonards $50,000. Jones has seen up close the effects of one severe knockout punch on a friend of his: Gerald McClellan, whose eyesight, hearing, and speech were badly damaged. To fully duplicate Bob Fitzsimmons feat of 1896 on the 8th November 2003, Jones returned to the light heavyweight division to regain his championship belt from Antonio Tarver. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Jones made "Pensacola In The House!" This service is provided on talkSPORT Ltd's Terms of Use in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Jones was an extremely Using his fighting birds as an image for his own predicament, Jones said in the sameSports Illustrated piece: I spent all my life in my dads cage. Ultimately, two of the three judges who ruled against Jones were permanently barred from boxing. But not outside of it. Fitness, health and fun are our. *** Nb James Toney did not quite see it the same way blaming making the weight for his poor performance before going on a bender of epic proportions! Addresses: Online http://www.Royjonesjr.Com Pro-motion-Square Ring, Inc., 200 West LA RUA Street, Pensacola, FL 32501. Date of Birth: January 16, 1969 Place of Birth: Pensacola, Florida Gym(s): Pensacola, Florida. On November 18, 1994, he was set to face undefeated IBF super middleweight champion James Toney, #1 ranked pound for pound contender. He can be reached atbvilona@bluewahoos.com. Received 100. Son of Roy Sr. and Carol Jones. They still have a good relationship, but Al Merkerson was his trainer. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Jones credits the gutsy roosters for helping teach him about being a valiant and shrewd fighter. This bout was unsanctioned by the Florida boxing commission. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. Roy Jones Jr.s web site: http://www.RoyJonesJr.Com. He can be reached atbvilona@bluewahoos.com. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Career; Widely considered best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Roy Jones Jr would win several further showmanship fights between 1999 and 2003 before his next major boxing milestone was achieved. It went the full eight rounds at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and generated more than $80 million in revenue. Roy Jones Jr. trains an aspiring fighter at his gym in Pensacola, Florida. The 1980s, by contrast, was a middleweight heyday, with a crop of sensational fighters at the top of their form, such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns. /KO1996 Best Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and 1996 Best Fighter in the World (in poll of boxing experts). Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. If those are not the attributes that one desires to possess then it would be extremely hard to work with Roy nor would there be any point in working with him. Chris Eubank Jr believes he may have found the perfect trainer to help him achieve his potential in Roy Jones Jr. Going into the 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, Korea, Jones had amassed an extraordinary record of 106-4. Jones rose from humble beginnings in Pensacola into a Golden Gloves youth champion, then became the worlds choice in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, after being denied the 156-pound gold medal in a widely-panned, judges decision against a South Korean fighter. Jones described his childhood inSports Illustrated: After a while I didnt care about gettin hurt or dyin anymore. This behavior never really changed; if anything it became more brutal as Roy Jr. grew up. In the final, championship bout for his division, Jones thoroughly dominated his opponent, South Korean Park Si-Hun, with 86 punches to Parks 32and a standing eight count to boot. The Mercury center's arrest happened less than a week before Russia invaded Ukraine. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Captured WBA light heavyweight crown in 1998; defended it in January 1999. Jones hopes to help WNBA star Brittney Griner who is detained in Russia. State honor: Roy Jones. As he said to USA Today, I care about my well-being after boxing. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko). Total Fights: 75, Wins: 66, Wins by KO: 47, Losses: 9, Draws: 0. Jones, 53, is a dual U.S. and Russian citizen. But in denying his son any decision-making capacity, Roy Sr. was stoking the fighters frustration. The boxing icon was born in Pensacola, Floria, where he currently resides with his wife and three sons. Don Sutton (Tate High, 1963 graduate) Enshrined as pitcher in 1998 into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Emmitt Smith (Escambia High, 1987) Enshrined as running back in 2010 into Pro Football Hall of Fame. Like so many other Juniors, Roy Jones Jr. was born into a family with a boxing tradition. MIKE TYSON, ROY JONES JR. FIGHT TO A DRAW IN BOXING SPECTACLE, Roy Jones Jr. trains aspiring boxers at his gym in Pensacola, Florida. The fight lasted the full 8 rounds and was declared a draw. A cinema room that seats ten people is yet another cool feature in the mansion, for Jones Jr. and his family and friends to relax and watch whatever they like. Jones Jr. for the first time in his career was the underdog, but it made little difference quite frankly as Superman boxed rings round Toney (as he would go on to do to many others) and even handed Lights Out a very rare flash knockdown in the 3rd round on route to a 12-round unanimous decision. Roy Jones Jr. trains an aspiring fighter at his gym in Pensacola, Florida. He had the platform to stage fights in Pensacola and he chose to do it as much as possible. From that point, Jones lost eight more times, a few of those in brutal fashion. (Lorraine Taylor/Fox News Digital), "Im not a politician," he said. Jones, 52, who always touted Pensacola in his fights, was a first-ballot selection and easy choice to headline an eight-member class into the Boxing Hall of Fame. Then in the fourth round, Jones became the first fighter in CompuBox history to go an entire round without being hit by his opponent. Governor Ron DeSantis told Floridians in a live-stream from his conference room in the Capitol to stay at home to stop the spreading of the disease. Hes hoping to continue to help facilitate future communication or negotiations as much as hes able. He also has the ability to outthink other fighters, to anticipate and counter their moves before they even know what they are. He even improvises with his technique, launching punches from unlikely angles and surprising opponents with unexpected moves and flurries of blows. 655 views 3 years ago Legend Roy Jones jr training boxing contenders to be the next breakout stars. But Jones, the world champion boxer, will not continue this line of treatment. A decorated Vietnam veteran, ex-club fighter, and retired aircraft engineer who had taken up hog farming, Roy Sr. was hard on his son from early on, taunting the child, sparring with him, enraging Roy Jr., yelling at him, and beating the child, often for 20 minutes at a time. Roy Sr. claimed he was just trying to carefully cultivate his sons career and his character. Further knockouts of Tony Thornton in round two in 1995 and Merqui Sosa similarly in 1996, saw Jones maintain his winning ways, before he defeated by knockout future world champion Eric Lucas in round eleven. Jones visits hospitals to offer hope and inspiration to severely III and injured patients. Lost (by disqualification), then regained, WBC light heavyweight crown in 1997. It was part of the Island Fights series. By the ninth, he was bashing Griffin hard, and forced the challenger down to one knee. He took on the most challenging fighters out there, and trounced most of them in a few rounds. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File), "So, I thought about it for a little while and one night I was sleeping and it hit me what if it was my daughter stuck in a foreign country?" His new gym is a more commercial endeavor that is trying to pull in the MMA market. Leonard and RobinsonJones is believed by many to be the greatest boxer of all time. At a Glance . "If my athlete affiliations can help rectify the situation why wouldnt I try?" FLAT RATE SHIPPING FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS. Ring magazine called Jones performance the most dominant of any big fight in 20 years. His final official bout occurred at the Bay Center on Feb. 8, 2018 as part of Island Fights 46, which just had its 72nd show during Memorial Day weekend as a renown circuit for aspiring MMA fighters. Private Company It is very rare for a fighter to discuss the long-term effects of the sport, but Jones is honest about the risks entailed. March of Dimes1995 Honorary Chairman. Something that to this day and in the competitions history has only happened on 3 occasions where the award did not go to one of the gold medal winners. But part of the reason Jones fights infrequently is because there are no fighters with comparable talent. A total of 54 people have died in Florida owing to the coronavirus outbreak, with the infection rate hitting more than 4,000. The fight was scored a draw, because, well, its boxing judging. To briefly recap for those unfamiliar, South Korean fighter Park Si-Hun was pounded around the ring for three rounds. . Since then, he has waged a campaign to get the medal he deserved. Born Roy Jones Jr., January 16, 1969, in Pensacola, FL. These four men all grew up in Pensacola, graduated from local high schools, and provide Pensacola a rare distinction in America sports history as respective Hall of Famers from a community this size. ", He continued, "I would feel bad sitting there comfortable at night knowing shes in that country in prison and I have citizenship in that country and Im not trying to do nothing to help. I liked his vibe and the advice he gave me. 22 Feb. 2023 . Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. works with aspiring fighters at his gym in Pensacola, Florida. St. Louis, Missouri 63131 And look what happened. A year later, he was quoted in the same paper:This game is not a good game for anyoneme or anyone else. The U.S. State Department classified Griner as wrongfully detained in May. It evolved as expected with both men battling fatigue, age, and well-past-prime skills, but they occasionally showed some flashbacks. Roy Jones Jr. has what some may call a dream house, with his home valued at over 1million with many different features. He had seven of his. * Note Jones knocked Pazienza down three times. ." That was the end of that controversy. From Pensacola to boxing immortality. U.S.A. The separation between him and his father, who was once his trainer, is the most noteworthy. Jones built a record of 15-0 with 15 knockouts before stepping up in class to meet former world welterweight champion Jorge Vaca in a Pay Per View fight on January 10, 1992. In addition, Jones has done a lot of motivational speaking, primarily to younger people. Jones said he has been unable to reach Griner or her family, but hes open and willing to communicate should they reach out. (Lorraine Taylor/Fox News Digital). Jones always shouted Pensacola In The House after each of his victorious fights and made sure that several of his world title bouts, including ones on HBO to a world-wide audience, were held in Pensacola. I think Roy Jones gets in a ring and beats them all. Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions | Las Vegas NV Roy Jones Jr. enters Florida Sports Hall of Fame with rare legacy in boxing, Roy Jones Jr. fights again in surprise exhibition match at Island Fights 52, When Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker and Roy Jones Jr. played basketball against each other, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Similarly after almost a year away from the ring, Jones focused on training and working as an analyst for HBO Boxing, his return to another defeat from Antonio Tarver on the 1st October 2005 by a wide unanimous decision (117111, 116112, 116112) saw the once unstoppable Supermans career seriously start to falter. With his supremacy in the middleweight and light heavyweight range, it is surprising thatRoy Jones does not have universal name recognition. Won IBF super middle weighttitle in 1994. Jonescareer finally started to soar. A later 1997 IOC (International Olympic Committee) official investigation concluded three of the judges were wined and dined by South Korean officials. The current interim WBA super-middleweight champion has . The pair are training out of Jones Jrs personal gym in Pensacola, Florida a city right on the border of Alabama. Their daddys got a big heart, Natlyn told Bleacher Report about their kids five years ago. You dont give a kid $2 million and the prestige of a world title. Jones began as a professional on May 6, 1989, knocking out Ricky Randall in two rounds in Pensacola at the Bayfront Auditorium. Jones said he reached out to his lawyer to get in contact with the White House. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/jones-roy-jr-1969, "Jones, Roy Jr. 1969 He has raised money for a number of charitable causes, including his injured friend Gerald McClellan. On the 1st March 2003, Roy Jones Jr defeated John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight title in Las Vegas. Inside the spectacular home, Jones Jr. has three bedrooms including his master suite, four bathrooms and such a big kitchen that he has fitted two kitchen islands in there. He hopes to someday return to continue his work with the aspiring fighters. Roysamateurcareer was a pretty impressive one to say the least. During his career, Roy won many versions of different titles - His opponent that day, Canadas Eric Lucas, was widely considered easy pickings for Jones, so a fatiguing basketball game was one way to even the field a little.Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service quoted Jones as saying, a little defensively perhaps, At least this gives the guy a chance. Clearly, basketball is far more than a casual hobby to Jones. On the 22nd November 1996, multiple world champion and future hall of famer Mike McCallum was defeated by a landslide decision in 12 rounds earning Jones the WBC light heavyweight championship. Jones was an extremely talented fighter who had "savvy", was very quick and could box or punch; He innovated in the ring and was unmatched in his natural ability; In addition to boxing, he was talented in all other sports and in music and acting as well; Jones fought from middleweight to heavyweight and deserves to be ranked among the best that Jones began as a professional on May 6, 1989, knocking out Ricky Randall in 2 rounds in Pensacola at the Bayfront Auditorium. On November 28, Jones Jr. and Tyson will step in the ring one last time for an eight-round heavyweight exhibition match, taking place at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. That dude is a cool mofo!!! It was famous for being the home gym of boxer Roy Jones, Jr. and the namesake of his company "Square Ring Promotions." After sustaining nearly $200,000 of damage during Hurricane Ivan, it was sold to Mike Bass in October 2004 and razed in 2005 to make way for the Court of North Hill development. Natlyn and Jones Jr have three sons together, Roy III, DeShaun and DeAndre. Updated: Jun 7, 2022 / 09:55 PM CDT. 1984 United States NationalJunior Olympicsat 119lbs (54 kg) division. Hed pull up in his truck and start lookin for something Id done wrong. Home valued at over 1million with many different features, I care about gettin hurt or dyin...., Losses: 9, Draws: 0 with both men battling fatigue, age, and well-past-prime skills but... It became more brutal as Roy Jr. grew up for most Encyclopedia.com content dyin anymore the decision is overturned. Truly sensational match, against JamesLights out Toney Jr. grew up news, education and! 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