Jones Jr offers to come to UK for Calzaghe by Ian McNeilly Apr 15th 2007

Befitting his self-styled superhero status, Roy Jones Jr has offered to fly in to Britain and fill Joe Calzaghe's summer schedule. If Jermain Taylor won't take a UK fight against the WBO super-middleweight in September, nor WBC/WBA champ Mikkel Kessler come over for the proposed July 21 TV date, RJJ has graciously offered to take time out of his busy schedule to box the Welshman. 38-year-old Jones is a shadow of his former self but still has an aura for fans who remember him in his heyday as one of the greatest fighters to lace them up. The cock-fighting, cock-sure veteran told BBC Wales: "I've got July wide open and I'd fight at 168lbs in the UK or the USA." "It's the right time in both of our careers to give the British people a true fight." (A cynic might opine that RJJ can only be bothered coming over to Britain as the once ubiquitous offers for big pay days are thinner on the ground after he's been iced a couple of times.) "I've still got all the skills and I'm hungrier than ever." Jones seems rather more mellow and complimentary these days. "Peter Manfredo Jr was way out of his league when he lost to Joe last week. Joe is a class fighter who needs someone similar - someone like me - to take him on." Jones would obviously prefer to fight in America but, in an incredible change in his personality, realises he ISN'T the man these days. "It would make most sense for him to come to the US. The British people will watch him whatever time of night he fights, and by fighting in America he will only add on the extra numbers of US fans. "But I'm the challenger now and I have to go and get the title wherever it is on offer. "I could see that there was a beautiful atmosphere at [Cardiff's] Millennium Stadium for the Manfredo fight, that's the sort of support needed to make a great fighter like Joe. "I wasn't happy that the supporters booed the US national anthem, but I'm not the president so I don't know what that was about. "I would love to go there and face 35,000 screaming Welshmen, I'm an entertainer and that's what I do. "The promoters might get in the way of the fight, but there's no reason we can't come to an agreement. "If we can't agree terms, I say give 60% to the winner and 40% to the loser. That's fair, so let's go." Somehow one feels Frank Warren won't feel the same but if this is a serious offer (and why wouldn't it be?) it should be taken seriously.

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