Roy Jones: “Kovalev did the same things that Pascal would have done, had I been with Jean Pascal before he fought Hopkins”

Jenna J3513 mins

(Transcribed by Michael Readman) Former four division world champion, Roy Jones Jr, has had a career that has seen him in the spotlight for over twenty five years, and even today he is still one of the sports biggest names. While Roy has continued to box into his mid forty’s, he has become one of the most recognizable personalities with his continued work as a boxing commentator for HBO, and has now transitioned successfully to training, having worked with boxing stars, Jessie Vargas and Jean Pascal.

In part 1 of this “On The Ropes” interview with Roy Jones Jr, I discuss with him his working relationship with Jean Pascal, and get his thoughts on Pascal’s upcoming bout against Sergey Kovalev. Roy also shares his thoughts on Kovalev as a fighter, and what he thinks it will take to defeat him on March 14th. Additionally, Jones gives his views on a potential Mayweather vs. Pacquiao bout and talks about whose legacy the fight will impact more. Here is what Roy Jones Jr. had to say.

Jenna J: Roy, we saw you in the corner of Jean Pascal for a recent fight. Could you tell me a little about what it’s like working with Jean Pascal and what you saw in his last match?

Roy Jones Jr: I love working with Jean Pascal. I saw a lot of patience, a lot of structure in the things that we can work on which is basically patience and him doing things in a timely manner, not rushing himself so much and over doing it.

Jenna J: What do you think you add most to his corner?

Roy Jones Jr: Confidence mainly is the biggest thing. After confidence, I add a little bit of stability as far as distance in a fight. I teach him how to pace himself and be stable the whole fight instead of running these sprints throughout the fight to where it gets you dead tired and everybody including your opponent knows it.

Jenna J: The fight kind of ended under weird circumstances, something your actually familiar with has happened to you before with Montell Griffin. Could you tell me what you were thinking when that happened?

Roy Jones Jr: Yeah, I was kind of upset about it because it happened that way. I knew Pascal was upset but at the same time it was a blessing in disguise, just as it was for me with Griffin because guess what? Now he gets out of the fight safe, with no injuries, no head-butts, no cuts and we move on to Kovalev. That was a great thing in disguise, in hindsight it was a great thing but of course nobody wants to see it happen that way because you want to see the best thing happen for the fans.

Jenna J: You mentioned Sergey Kovalev. A lot of people were very surprised in Jean Pascal for taking that particular fight. Were you at all surprised that he tried to pursuit that?

Roy Jones Jr: I wasn’t at all surprised because Jean Pascal wants to prove that he’s one of the best light heavyweights, if not the best light heavyweight in the country right now and that’s why he took the fight.

Jenna J: When I recently talked to Jean Pascal and he said that everything he wants to do, he wants to be the best ever in Canada. Do you think he can accomplish that?

Roy Jones Jr: He sure can. If he beats Kovalev he’s gonna almost accomplish it right then. This is a great fight for him and a great move. If he beats Kovalev, he would have to be right now recognized as the best light heavyweight in Canada ever.

Jenna J: The fight between Pascal and Kovalev. What do you think as Kovalev as a fighter?

Roy Jones Jr: Wonderful fighter, great fighter. Sergey is actually a friend of mine as well so, I don’t have nothing bad to say about Sergey. He’s a great fighter and he’s a very knowledgeable fighter.

I’ve always admired Kovalev as a fighter, very attacking, skilful guy. He’s a wonderful person and I’ve never had anything bad to say about him, I’m a fan of both guys. It’s a wonderful fight and I admire his trainer, John David Jackson, who did an exceptional job with him and I look forward to us both having a very healthy but competitive fight.

Jenna J: When I asked Pascal about Kovalev’s last fight, he said that he believed that Bernard Hopkins was an old version of himself, that Kovalev beat an older version. What did you see?

Roy Jones Jr: Well, he’s a fighter and he has to fight Kovalev and he had to fight Hopkins recently as well, so he knows what he saw. I kind of agree with him in a sense but at the same time, Kovalev took a different approach and had a guy who had trained Hopkins before in his corner, in John David Jackson, that helped also.

Kovalev did the same things that Jean would have done, had I been with Jean before he fought Hopkins. He was an older Hopkins, don’t get it twisted, but at the same time, had I been with Jean when he fought Hopkins the first two times, then the same thing would have happened that happened with Kovalev.

Jenna J: When you look at the light heavyweight division, who in your opinion really is the light heavyweight champ? Do you believe it is Sergey Kovalev based on the fact he’s got three belts?

Roy Jones Jr: Yeah, I know it’s Sergey Kovalev right now because he beat the man that beat the man and he took Hopkins out and he is the man right now.

Jenna J: Roy, apparently Manny Pacquiao has agreed terms to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. HBO and Showtime are talking to each other, trying to work out the details with that. How do you feel that it looks like this fight might happen?

Roy Jones Jr: I hope for the whole boxing public that the fight will finally take place and I just can’t wait for it to happen.

Jenna J: I’ve asked you in the past, what do you think happens now, based on how each guy has looked in their last few fights?

Roy Jones Jr: I ain’t saying nothing until they sign! Once the signing’s done, then we’ll talk about it. Until then I have nothing to say, I’m not wasting no more comments on it. When the signings done, then I’ll talk about it.

Jenna J: When you look at Floyd Mayweather Jr. today, what kind of a fighter is he compared to how he used to be?

Roy Jones Jr: He’s the same as he used to be. He’s still a slick boxer who doesn’t like taking any chances, but he’s the best at what he does. He’s very smart, you couldn’t find a slicker guy inside the ring and he knows what he’s doing and he will be ready to do what he does.

Jenna J: Manny Pacquiao knocked his opponent down six times in his last fight. What kind of fighter is he now?

Roy Jones Jr: A very aggressive fighter, a guy who looks forward to competition, loves to hit, pretty defensive but more offensive minded than defense. So, you’ve got an offensive guy versus a defensive guy, which always turns out to make for a very good fight.

Jenna J: If they do fight, whoever wins, whose legacy do you think it affects more?

Roy Jones Jr: I think a Manny Pacquiao of course affects Floyd’s legacy more because it took so long for the fight to happen and we haven’t seen anybody in the ring with Floyd that we really thought could beat him, except Canelo as of late and Canelo didn’t fight the right fight that he would have expected Canelo to fight. It affects Floyd’s legacy more so than anybody else.

35 thoughts on “Roy Jones: “Kovalev did the same things that Pascal would have done, had I been with Jean Pascal before he fought Hopkins””

  4. His scapegoat this time is Bob Arum…
    Isn’t he is guaranteed a certain amount?
    So what’s wrong if Bob is involved?
    Will it affect his guaranteed share?
    I just can’t understand Floyd’s logic
    here…

    1. You are absolutely right,I don’t understand either,Floyd is guaranteed whatever millions of dollars he’s getting .Bob has nothing to do with his money. Now I really think Floyd is scared of Manny and afraid to lose.

    2. The logic? Well, plainly simple. He is scared to lose his ZERO record. Once it is gone, that will be his last PPV.. he will be exposed by MANNY’s rapid fire attack.. 10 punch combo in 3 seconds.. LOL!

  5. Manny said i could easily beat Floyd! i think this statement was enough in evaluating the mind set of Pacquaio going into the fight. Pacquaio accepted already the fact that he will be the underdog once the coward Floyd signs the contract and the fight is on. But the great southpaw loved to be in that state. He demolished Oscar and Hatton when nobody in the world believed that he could do it. Manny will annihilate Floyd! his defensive skill will be useless because Manny said he knew what to do in the ring!

    1. Who cares what one fighter opinion about the others? Just sign the damn contract and move on. No point dwelling on the past.

  6. If Coward Mayweather still refuses to sign the contract to fight Pacquiao, all boxing fans should boycott all future fights of Coward Mayweather.

      1. let’s talk up a mayweather vs triple g fight ! mayweather has to take some risk if he wants to be considered with the greats ! fight triple g at a catch weight or maybe 154lbs.

  7. I think so… Floyd is bothered,
    because, if he won’t Manny
    before his retirement, the whole
    world will curse him…
    I remember, he said once that
    he doesn’t want to take a risk
    to fight Manny…

  8. To me, the greatest boxer of
    all time is the 8-division champ
    Reverend Manny Pacquiao…
    Reason why Floyd is afraid to
    fight him…

    All people love him and respect
    him in & out the ring… He is
    approachable and his concern
    to the poor is quite evident ..

  9. He is afraid!, he can not find a scapegoat now, Mayweather and Ariza can not point fingers to Bob Arum, Lawyers will distribute the documents, showing Paquiao agreed to almost all Mayweather demands, such as Drug Testing, MGM Las Vegas as Venue, May 2 as date, Weight of gloves..Getting more share of purses than Paquiao 60:40(here probably Mayweather wants 70% for him 30% for pacquiao, And Mayweather silly demand to avoid paquiao – Promotions will handle all by Maywetaher Promotions, without Paquiao Promoter Bob Arum which he should forget, because it can not be. With Arum, Mayweather will never agree?, because that is the only way to he can avoid Pacquiao..

  10. Maywether can not find a scapegoat now, Mayweather and Ariza can not point fingers to Bob Arum, Lawyers will distribute the documents, showing Paquiao agreed to almost all Mayweather demands, such as Drug Testing, MGM Las Vegas as Venue, May 2 as date, Weight of gloves..Getting more share of purses than Paquiao 60:40(here probably Mayweather wants 70% for him 30% for pacquiao, And Mayweather silly demand to avoid paquiao – Promotions will handle all by Maywetaher Promotions, without Paquiao Promoter Bob Arum which he should forget, because it can not be. With Arum, Mayweather will never agree?, because that is the only way to he can avoid Pacquiao..

  11. Floyd is a coward and a big liar.He is making us all to believe in him that he wanted to fight Pac long time ago.Pac even agreed all in his terms..even to be tested on the day of the fight..The only thing we can do now is to boycott all the mayweather fights.He doesn’t deserve to be called the face of Boxing. .He should be remembered as one of the greatest coward in the history of Boxing. He is a chicken..Kwak. .Kwak ..Kwak. .

    1. If someone argue with coward Floyd,I bet you this is what he’s going to say…..YOU DON’T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BOXING……

  12. Just fight Pac..gayweather. .don’t make a lot of alibis not to fight Pac..or else…you will be remembered as A Gayweather. .

  13. Floyd Mayweather is a smart boxer as they said, but not intelligent boxer. Just sign the the fight contract..

  14. Everybody who hates mayweather jr calls him many things like scared gayweather, a liar and a coward. Hey, If they knew he is a coward why pursue him to fight. A coward will not fight. Period….. But of all the coward fighter in the world other big name fighters all dreamt of having a fight with him. Why? If you know mayweather jr to be a coward pls tell ur figthers to look for brave fighter out there for a fight. But why they keep on pursuing him because they cannot deny the fact mayweather is big money out there and they all dreaming a big pay day with him. Whatever names you call mayweather jr dosen’t matter he is the man out there and they are all under his spell.

    1. Then why until now he is still using a lot of excuses, like Arum should not be part of the negotiations.. If he is really sure that he hcan beat a the PAWN. He should have step on the plate right away. Without much talkies, like chicken. How about Cotto? Who is under the Top Rank, why he wanted to have a rematch to this guy? Why not fighting the real DEAL? Common.. Take you argument straight. No excuses.

  16. . If a fighter beats another fighter and you saw it easy it’s easy no doubt. If you put yourself on their shoes you will do the same you dont want to get hit but you want big money. Boxing is business they want to earn more with little risk we have to understand it. Whether or not you agree mayweather jr is smart in business he does best. If anybody dosen’t like him dont go watch him coz if you do you add to his fortune.

  18. coward gayweather . resign from boxing as the most gifted and remembered human who is coward in facing the best in the word “manny pacquiao” the history will be remembered.

  19. If Floyd truly hates Arum and believes he can beat Pacquiao, the more he should take the fight. Then after beating Pac tell Arum “In your face, there goes your boy and your team”. C’mon stop all these b***shits.
    I am an avid fan of the sport for 50+years but could not understand why the best doesn’t want to face best this time.

  20. l am a big fan of Floyd. His very defensive, his style attract me much; very clever in the ring, smart; very sharp, effective puncher.

    To be honest; l watched all of his fights. Fighting him Manny Pacquioa, is fight l really want to see. in my own opinion, floyd will beat Pacquioa. But, l think Floyd the one who duck Manny. If he never fight Pacquioa, l WILL BOYCOTT ALL OF HIS FIGHT ( Floyd Mayweather ).

  21. There is no such thing as boycott in boxing. You only deny yourself to watch a fight. Before 2 fighters sign a deal promoters have slready fo their math so they know how much each fighter will get. Plus the mafia and all the gamblers that profits from any fight. That is why every fight is promoted. Your idea of boycott will have no impact becsuse all the sanctioning bodies in boxing dont consider it.

  22. Muhamad ali once said he is the greatest and many and i said many believed hjm so. He took every opponent his promoter puts infront of him. Look at him now. We feel sorry to see him like that but we don’t care. We wanted to see him fight every fight available. Ali is a great boxer but was not smart and he paid dearly.

    You guys want floyd jr to bleed and lose and you want pacman to do it for you. You must be happy now because many have already proclaimed pacman the winner against floyd jr even before they fight inside the boxibg ring.

    1. And that is why Ali is considered by many as the greatest. And for Floyd, he’s just afraid to fight Pacquiao. Mayweather – what a FREAKING BORING STUPID COWARD!!!

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