Vitali on Jones' hit list
2004-05-07 12:03
Las Vegas - Adding more confusion to a jumbled heavyweight boxing picture, ex-champion Roy Jones says he wants to fight new champion Vitali Klitschko or former champion Mike Tyson.
Jones will fight fellow American Antonio Tarver here on May 15 in a rematch of a majority decision Jones won last November to claim the World Boxing Council light-heavyweight crown.
Jones won the World Boxing Association heavyweight crown over John Ruiz 14 months ago but was stripped of the crown for refusing to defend it against Ruiz, saying there was no money or interest in such a fight.
What Jones wants after Tarver is a chance to face Tyson, who has fought less than a minute in almost two years, or much larger Ukranian Klitschko, who won the WBC heavyweight title last month by stopping South African Corrie Sanders.
"People would love to see me fight somebody as big as (Klitschko)," Jones said. "I know I can whip him. I'm not going to tell you why I know I can whip him but I know I can beat him."
Since British heavyweight king Lennox Lewis retired, the heavyweight picture has been muddled and title bouts last month did little to solve matters.
Ruiz was lacklustre in beating fellow Puerto Rican Fres Oquendo for the WBA title and American southpaw Chris Byrd kept the International Boxing Federation crown with a draw against Poland's Andrew Golota.
The IBF has granted Golota title rematch rights against Byrd and the two are expected to meet again July 10 at New York's Madison Square Garden with the winner to face bypassed American contender Jameel McCline next.
- AFP