Benn vs Jones: Why didnt this fight happen?

general zod · Oct 20, 2010

NIGEL Benn is sacrificing pounds 3million and a chance to be the true super-middleweight champion of the world.
On offer is a fight with America's fabulous Roy Jones, who spectacularly stopped Merqui Sosa of the Dominican Republic inside two rounds at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Friday night.
And not even Benn will dispute Roy's post-fight boast, after throwing 20 unanswered punches: "Tonight I showed who is the best fighter in the world, pound for pound."
Greg Fritz, of Jones' management team, accuses: "Benn and his promoter, Frank Warren, are sitting on their butts. They are letting slip the match the world wants to see."
Deal
Fritz claims the stalemate is due to the English camp's liaison with Don King.
"King demands options on Roy if he should beat Nigel," explains Greg. "We will never agree to that.
"Fair's fair - we want no piece of Benn. Why can't there be a straight deal with no strings?
"The pounds 3million purse is guaranteed. If Nigel can walk away from it, he's a very rich and lucky man."
The American allegations anger Warren. "I haven't received a single call from Jones or his people," he stresses. "How can they say what Nigel, Don or myself want?
"They talk about a meeting without even checking we're available. It's totally unprofessional. They are freezing Jones out of the world picture.
"The truth is that Jones needs Nigel to make decent money. He earns buttons compared with Benn and Steve Collins."
Jones comes to London next Sunday for talks about a basketball career with London Towers. He already plays minor league in Florida.
But Roy still longs to mix it with Benn. From his Pensacola estate, he confirms: "I think a lot about Benn. He's the one fighter out there who motivates me.
"If I box again, I want it to be with Benn."
Fritz insists: "There will be a meeting with Warren and Benn while we are in England. But frankly, we are not hopeful.
"As long as King seeks to influence Roy's future, there's nothing more to say."
Benn's admiration for Jones is unstinting. "I don't mind being rated second to him," he says. "I have so much respect."
Yet the Dark Destroyer adds with menace: "If the fight happens, Jones will be tested as never before. We'll see if he can take it, as well as dish it out!"
Jones' passion for basketball would make Benn's job easier. The American has just been diagnosed as having chronic knee trouble, brought on by daily twisting and jumping.
Sparring partners report Roy has cut back on running, and even limps in the ring.
That's why Benn is suddenly an attractive - and maybe final - payday
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http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_19960114/ai_n9700832/?tag=content;col1
Can anyone tell me what happened after this? Who was telling the truth, Warren or Fritz?

cesare-borgia · Oct 20, 2010

was jones really thinking about retirement to play basketball haha, wish he would do it now.

Wiirdo · Oct 20, 2010

He was gonna retire then? Jesus that would have been crazy.

Brickhaus · Oct 20, 2010

cesare-borgia said: ↑

was jones really thinking about retirement to play basketball haha, wish he would do it now.
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He actually did play minor league pro basketball for a while. I remember one time he actually played in a game and then had a fight later the same night, sort of as a stunt (against Lucas I think).

Who the hell knows why the fight didn't happen. Jones was a notoriously tough negotiator back in the day, although what the article says (that Kind wanted options on Jones - he already had Jones, so why would he need options on him - wouldn't he want options on Benn?) didn't make much sense.

Between getting an offer for a title fight vs. Lucas, and not wanting to go overseas because of how bad he was robbed in Korea, and just with both Warren and King being hard guys to negotiate with, it just didn't happen. It sounded like both sides wanted to do it, but only on their terms.

iceman71 · Oct 20, 2010

Brickhaus said: ↑

He actually did play minor league pro basketball for a while. I remember one time he actually played in a game and then had a fight later the same night, sort of as a stunt (against Lucas I think).

Who the hell knows why the fight didn't happen. Jones was a notoriously tough negotiator back in the day, although what the article says (that Kind wanted options on Jones - he already had Jones, so why would he need options on him - wouldn't he want options on Benn?) didn't make much sense.

Between getting an offer for a title fight vs. Lucas, and not wanting to go overseas because of how bad he was robbed in Korea, and just with both Warren and King being hard guys to negotiate with, it just didn't happen. It sounded like both sides wanted to do it, but only on their terms.
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didnt have updates every day via the internet back then....got my news a month late with a magazine...or if a live fight came on that week and it was discussed.....but alot of good fights from the 90s didnt happen
hopkins vs anyone besides roy jones
benn or eubank vs jones or toney
dariuz m vs roy
bowe vs lewis (duck big time by bowe)
the 175 pound tourney they talked about where

wbo champ moorer, WBA champ Hill, IBF champ Prince Charles, WBC champ Andries....that was so dissapointing NONE of those fights happend....they feasted upon each organiztions top 10....

general zod · Oct 21, 2010

Brickhaus said: ↑

Who the hell knows why the fight didn't happen. Jones was a notoriously tough negotiator back in the day, although what the article says (that Kind wanted options on Jones - he already had Jones, so why would he need options on him - wouldn't he want options on Benn?) didn't make much sense.
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Jones wasn't signed with King, that was Benn. Benn gave King another three fight options after his fight with McClellan.

Ilesey · Oct 21, 2010

This would have been an absolute war but Benn would have been out of his depth it pains me to say. I could see Benn getting stopped here but going down swinging. Collins was also chasing this fight down but it didn't happen.

ThePlugInBabies · Oct 21, 2010

at the time this article would appear to of been written (january 1996), benn was just a shell of his former self and about to drop a points decision to malinga before going into a temporary retirement.

benn was finished post g-man.

general zod · Oct 21, 2010

Ilesey said: ↑

This would have been an absolute war but Benn would have been out of his depth it pains me to say. I could see Benn getting stopped here but going down swinging. Collins was also chasing this fight down but it didn't happen.
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DUBLIN, Ireland (Oct 8, 1997 - 16:05 EDT) -- WBC light-heavyweight
champion Roy Jones Jr. wants to fight Ireland's
Steve Collins, who announced his surprise retirement last week.

Collins, the former WBO super-middleweight champ, said he regretted
never having fought the American champion.

Jones' spokesman and publicist, Greg Fritz, said Wednesday the fight can
still happen.

"Roy has wanted to fight Steve for some time and if the money is right
he will," Fritz said. "He wants Steve to come out of
retirement to fight him."

Fritz said Jones would have to get $5 million for the fight.

"We are prepared to come to Dublin, Belfast, Boston, wherever he wants
to fight," Fritz said. "At this moment, I'm just waiting
for his call. The fight can be made."

In the meantime, Fritz said, negotiations are underway for Jones to
fight Germany's WBO light-heavyweight champion Dariusz
Michalczewski.
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http://groups.google.com/group/rec....l=en&lnk=gst&q=benn+vs+jones#d483fe01f9ec9280
I think that is why the fight never happened, Collins would of ended up fighting for free

general zod · Oct 21, 2010

ThePlugInBabies said: ↑

at the time this article would appear to of been written (january 1996), benn was just a shell of his former self and about to drop a points decision to malinga before going into a temporary retirement.

Benn was finished post g-man.
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That is true, he also had a shadow on his brain from that fight as well

Uncle Rico · Oct 21, 2010

I didn't know Roy was having trouble with his knees.

general zod · Oct 21, 2010

I've just found this:

Many boxing fans would also have liked to see Benn take on Roy Jones Jnr - for many the sport's best active pound-for-pound fighter.

A young Jones v Benn in his prime would have caused a stir, and the British boxer, who never dodged anybody, was up for it.

But Benn's 1995 knockout of Gerald McClellan, which left the American fighting for his life, was a factor in why Jones never took the bait.

His friendship with McClellan saw the potential contest receive unsavoury hype as a revenge mission.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1231306.stm

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