wrestler_nl
07-05-2009, 17:49
According to Michael Woods over at CBS Sports, Roy Jones Jr. had agreed to fight Anderson Silva in a MMA rules bout within the Octagon of the UFC:
Roy Jones, who enjoyed a long run as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world in the 1990s, has issued a challenge to the best mixed martial artist in the world, Anderson Silva.
The 40-year-old Jones, who is coming off a win against game but faded vet Omar Sheika last month, is willing to battle the 34-year-old Silva in the UFC Octagon, adhering to regular UFC rules.
Interestingly enough, the story is actually true. CBS Sports contacted Dana White, and he had more than enough to say:
"That's a question you have to ask Dana White," Soares told us. "We'd love to fight Roy Jones. Anderson wants to challenge himself, he wants legendary fights."
So, how about it, Dana?
Should fans of both disciplines get geared up for the crossover clash?
"You won't see a Silva versus Jones fight while Silva is under contract with me," White said Tuesday. "I don't want to say anything bad about Roy Jones, I like Roy Jones and was a fan of his, but he mattered like fifteen years ago. He's not anywhere near the best boxer in the world. He must've spent all his money."
.....
"I could do it, make it huge, make money, but I could have done a fight like this when we were bleeding money (in the early 2000s)," White said. "The fight would make some money, but it hurts MMA in the long term. We don't do that because we love the sport. That's a Pride or K-1 matchup. It's not what we do."
The only oddity I can see here is that Roy Jones Jr., a boxer who is well past his prime, actually wanted to step into the cage with Anderson Silva under MMA rules. While many fans would simply believe Silva would take Jones to the ground and pound him, I have no doubt that we would have seen a boxing display in the matchup without any possibility of a ground battle. Sort of like the Lytle-Davis "agreement".
Could the UFC really make some big money on this fight? I'm skeptical. I wonder if boxing fans would really tune in to see Roy Jones Jr. take on Anderson Silva with visions of grandeur that Jones can pull it off. What do you think?
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/5/6/...s-jr-agrees-to (http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/5/6/866680/report-roy-jones-jr-agrees-to)
Roy Jones, who enjoyed a long run as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world in the 1990s, has issued a challenge to the best mixed martial artist in the world, Anderson Silva.
The 40-year-old Jones, who is coming off a win against game but faded vet Omar Sheika last month, is willing to battle the 34-year-old Silva in the UFC Octagon, adhering to regular UFC rules.
Interestingly enough, the story is actually true. CBS Sports contacted Dana White, and he had more than enough to say:
"That's a question you have to ask Dana White," Soares told us. "We'd love to fight Roy Jones. Anderson wants to challenge himself, he wants legendary fights."
So, how about it, Dana?
Should fans of both disciplines get geared up for the crossover clash?
"You won't see a Silva versus Jones fight while Silva is under contract with me," White said Tuesday. "I don't want to say anything bad about Roy Jones, I like Roy Jones and was a fan of his, but he mattered like fifteen years ago. He's not anywhere near the best boxer in the world. He must've spent all his money."
.....
"I could do it, make it huge, make money, but I could have done a fight like this when we were bleeding money (in the early 2000s)," White said. "The fight would make some money, but it hurts MMA in the long term. We don't do that because we love the sport. That's a Pride or K-1 matchup. It's not what we do."
The only oddity I can see here is that Roy Jones Jr., a boxer who is well past his prime, actually wanted to step into the cage with Anderson Silva under MMA rules. While many fans would simply believe Silva would take Jones to the ground and pound him, I have no doubt that we would have seen a boxing display in the matchup without any possibility of a ground battle. Sort of like the Lytle-Davis "agreement".
Could the UFC really make some big money on this fight? I'm skeptical. I wonder if boxing fans would really tune in to see Roy Jones Jr. take on Anderson Silva with visions of grandeur that Jones can pull it off. What do you think?
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/5/6/...s-jr-agrees-to (http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/5/6/866680/report-roy-jones-jr-agrees-to)