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Jones given WBA deadline
19/03/2003 13:40 - (SA)
Washington - If Roy Jones wants to keep his World Boxing Association heavyweight title, a decision he must make by April 15, he is going to have to defend against mandatory challenger Vitali Klitschko by late August.
That was the word from the World Boxing Association in a statement released on Tuesday.
Jones has the option of remaining the undisputed world light heavyweight champion or keeping the heavyweight crown he won from Puerto Rico's John Ruiz on March 1 in Las Vegas.
Jones sought and received a deadline extension for his decision from the WBA. He has struggled to find worthy foes in his weight class for years but will be giving away huge size edges to most top heavyweight contenders.
Ukranian Klitschko stands 2.02m and weighs 112 kg while Jones stands 1.80m and weights 88 kg.
Jones, who told a radio talk show that he wants to fight Mike Tyson, might have a way out because Klitschko is also the mandatory title challenger for World Boxing Council champion Lennox Lewis of Britain.
Should Klitschko elect to fight Lewis, or Lewis retire and Klitschko fight for a vacant WBC crown, Jones might be allowed to book a different foe. But his deadline is likely to come before Klitschko's fate is decided.
American Chris Byrd owns the International Boxing Federation title and South Africa's Corrie Sanders won the World Boxing Organisation title from Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's brother, earlier this month.
- AFX
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