Roy Jones vs Nigel Benn: why didnt this fight happen?

In September of '95 Jones dispatched Tony Thornton with somethig like 25 unanswered punches, Jones made a suitably bizarre dedication:

"This is for everyone in the chicken business!"

But he also had a bit to say about Nigel Benn.

"You go tell Don King i'll take that fight [Benn] anytime! Nigel Benn is a great warrior and that's why I want to fight him!"


The problem was that Benn was with King. King wanted Jones to sign a "winning options" clause. Though Jones was happy to work with King for the right amount of dollar, he, and perhaps to an even greater degree, Stanley Levin (something to do with Roy's management team - don't know his exact role, he seems to be mostly labelled as a "advisor"?) did not want any part of Don long term, and you absolutley cannot blame them for that. Furthermore, King was determined that a fight this big should be on Showtime, Jones was connected to HBO.

Later, Jones was inerviewed by Claude Abrahams for Boxing News:

"I hear about King offring $25m for me and Benn. Instead, he can come up with $10m apiece and we can fight [without giving up long-term control]. I want a three fight package!"

Jones's "three fight package" wasn't a long-term deal for King, but rather an idea whereby he would come to England but not alone.

"My bros must go with me. I must have some cover if I go to another country. Bruno-[Alfred] Cole would be a good fight. Let's make it a great night. I've seen Hamed. He's a pretty good fighter but [Derek] Gainer watched the fight against Robinson, he says he can beat him. Derrick don't turn no-one down. Bruno can punch but Cole has more skill. That will balance it out into a good fight. Me and Benn - enough said. I like Benn and that's why I want to fight him. It's a sportsman's challenge. But they can't speak for themselves. They can't make their own decisions without King. They can't make their own decisions. We can. They don't have the power. They are denying the public some great fights. I really like the big challanges. When I fought Toney it was a project. Benn is a project because he is a warrior and it will be a test for me. I really believe Benn wants to fight me. I respect him."

Several things strike me about this. Firstly, I believe Roy was up for this. That strikes me. Do you? Or just bombast? Secondly, he really seems bored with the Sosas of this world. I think it screams of the page that he wants to be challenged. Thirdly, Jones shows real give. He doesn't make problems. Read between the lines. He's talking about coming to the UK AND taking a pay cut in this passage. I don't think you can hold it against him that he didn't want to sell his soul to the devil.

Of course it never came off. After the Sosa fight Jones said: "Boxing isnt a challenge for me no more. The only challenge is Benn and he don't return my phone calls." You can see the boredom.


Benn, for his part, was probably not the problem. After the Nardiello fight talking to Ian Darke: "Roy Jones...I don't mind being second to Roy Jones. I think he's a class act. I'd really like to fight him. He'll frighten me. That's what I need - somebody to really frighten me. I'd be up for that fight like a mother...so please, God, Don King, Frank Warren HBO, if you can get that fight i'll fight him in his - no, my back yard. Roy Jones is the only one who's gonna give me that real fear. He's going to put the fear of God up me."


**** Don King.


Has anyone got a link or a quote attributed to Jones saying he didn't want to fight Benn because of the Gerald McClellan thing? I never heard him say that, but you run into it a fair bit in General.