Roy Jones Jnr for exhibition fight in Jamaica

(Jamaica Observer) With local boxing slowly regaining its vibrancy, Giomax Entertainment company and Stewart’s Auto Sales have combined in an effort to take the sport to another level with an exciting exhibition bout featuring the enigmatic veteran boxing star Roy ‘Superman’ Jones and streetfighter turned professional boxer, Kimbo ‘The Streetfighter’ Slice.
The fight, labelled ‘Beauty and the Beast’, will take place in Montego Bay in December, it was announced at a launch at the Spanish Court Hotel on Thursday evening.
Lawyer Lewis Hanna, who has been helping to tie up the deal, noted that this unique fight was organised as a part of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
And he believes the controversial Jones has the persona and charisma that Jamaican boxing fans love.
He noted that all the details for the fight are yet to be finalised, but he expects a conclusion soon.
Hanna said this was not a one-off fight and the promoters will be looking to stage other interesting fight cards on the island.
“We want to forge a relationship going forward and not just with one fight… so you can look forward to seeing more fights, whether it’s Roy himself fighting or helping young men get opportunities. But the aspiration is to have a lot more fights, at least one a year in Jamaica,” he said.
Hanna thinks the December fight will have a tremendous impact on the sport locally, and that Jones, one of the best boxers of the modern era, will thrill boxing fans.
Jones, who has incredibly won titles across three weight divisions, will face a daunting opponent in Kimbo Slice.
The 234-pound, six-footer Slice was a very popular streetfigher since 2003.
However, after some disappointments, the Bahamian-born slugger switched to professional boxing last year and has scored five consecutive wins, four by knockout.
Both fighters had an interest to fight each other for some time, but ‘Superman’ had said he wanted to wait until Slice gained experience and exposure in the sport.
Now the two have been contracted by Giomax and Stewart’s Auto in what is expected to be a blockbuster pay-per-view event in America.
And although Jones acknowledged that his opponent was bigger and stronger than he was, he says his experience and know-how as a boxer will even things up.
“He’s a big streetfighter with a lot of power, so early in the fight he can be very dangerous… but as the fight goes on, my mental experience should take over. But for the first five rounds he will be very deadly,” Jones said at Thursday’s event.
Duncan Stewart of Stewart’s Auto described the promotion as “exciting” and an opportunity to expose Jamaican boxing on a bigger stage.
He also described Jones as a very storied and accomplished boxer and he is certain that he will make the fight a very interesting one.