(AP) PENSACOLA, Fla. -- WBA heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. can't wait for a big-money fight with Mike Tyson.
Until then, he'll have to settle for a bout Nov. 8 against light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver.
"What else have I got to do right now?" Jones asked after a workout Monday at his chicken ranch.
Jones said he agreed to fight Tarver in Las Vegas because Tyson seems unavailable due to legal problems.
Tyson is set for a hearing Nov. 24 in New York on a motion to dismiss assault charges filed against him after a brawl June 21 with two men at a Brooklyn hotel. He also has filed for bankruptcy, and is suing former promoter Don King for $100 million.
Jones said he spoke with Tyson a few days ago and came away convinced they could work out a deal.
"Mike ain't that difficult to deal with," Jones said. "Actually, he's a very intelligent dude. ... His legal troubles can be worked around, trust me."
Jones said he never would have agreed to fight Tarver if he knew a deal with Tyson was possible.
"It's a waste of my time," Jones said.
He dismissed the idea of fighting Lennox Lewis because the WBC heavyweight champion told him he probably will retire. They spoke Sept. 14 at the Oscar De La Hoya-Shane Mosley fight in Las Vegas.
"I said 'What's up, man? What are you going to do? I wants to know,' " Jones said. "He said, 'I think I'm going to pack it in.' "
If Jones does get Tyson, it might be his last fight.
"If I beat Tyson, I'm gone," Jones said, but then added he might come back for one final fight in Pensacola -- if he still lives here.
Jones is worried he might have to move his prized roosters to Louisiana to get around a new Florida law that bans owning, possessing or selling fighting animals. He said if they go, so will he.
"I ain't giving up my chickens," Jones said. "I wake up in the morning hearing them."
Jones insisted he now is interested only in raising the roosters, not fighting them.
"It thrilled me just as much that my rooster won a poultry show last year," he said.
Tarver (21-1) holds the WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles -- the ones Jones (48-1) gave up when he moved into the heavyweight ranks.
If Jones beats Tarver, he could keep the light heavyweight belts or try to retain his heavyweight title by fighting the winner of a rematch Dec. 13 between Hashim Rahman and John Ruiz. Jones won the heavyweight championship by defeating Ruiz on March 1.
Belts, however, mean little to Jones now. A chance to fight Tyson would be worth much more.
"I'm bigger than titles now," Jones said.
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Der Artikel ist vom 21.10.03
Until then, he'll have to settle for a bout Nov. 8 against light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver.
"What else have I got to do right now?" Jones asked after a workout Monday at his chicken ranch.
Jones said he agreed to fight Tarver in Las Vegas because Tyson seems unavailable due to legal problems.
Tyson is set for a hearing Nov. 24 in New York on a motion to dismiss assault charges filed against him after a brawl June 21 with two men at a Brooklyn hotel. He also has filed for bankruptcy, and is suing former promoter Don King for $100 million.
Jones said he spoke with Tyson a few days ago and came away convinced they could work out a deal.
"Mike ain't that difficult to deal with," Jones said. "Actually, he's a very intelligent dude. ... His legal troubles can be worked around, trust me."
Jones said he never would have agreed to fight Tarver if he knew a deal with Tyson was possible.
"It's a waste of my time," Jones said.
He dismissed the idea of fighting Lennox Lewis because the WBC heavyweight champion told him he probably will retire. They spoke Sept. 14 at the Oscar De La Hoya-Shane Mosley fight in Las Vegas.
"I said 'What's up, man? What are you going to do? I wants to know,' " Jones said. "He said, 'I think I'm going to pack it in.' "
If Jones does get Tyson, it might be his last fight.
"If I beat Tyson, I'm gone," Jones said, but then added he might come back for one final fight in Pensacola -- if he still lives here.
Jones is worried he might have to move his prized roosters to Louisiana to get around a new Florida law that bans owning, possessing or selling fighting animals. He said if they go, so will he.
"I ain't giving up my chickens," Jones said. "I wake up in the morning hearing them."
Jones insisted he now is interested only in raising the roosters, not fighting them.
"It thrilled me just as much that my rooster won a poultry show last year," he said.
Tarver (21-1) holds the WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles -- the ones Jones (48-1) gave up when he moved into the heavyweight ranks.
If Jones beats Tarver, he could keep the light heavyweight belts or try to retain his heavyweight title by fighting the winner of a rematch Dec. 13 between Hashim Rahman and John Ruiz. Jones won the heavyweight championship by defeating Ruiz on March 1.
Belts, however, mean little to Jones now. A chance to fight Tyson would be worth much more.
"I'm bigger than titles now," Jones said.
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Der Artikel ist vom 21.10.03
