Vitor Belfort would go on to defeat a boxing legend two years after the following article was published. Indeed, Belfort beat 58-year-old Evander Holyfield via R1 TKO last September in an exhibition bout. But in 2019, Belfort wanted to box another former boxing champion, Roy Jones Jr.
You can see how Roy Jones Jr. responded to this challenge in the following article published three years ago today.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago...
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2019, 12:19 PM]
Vitor Belfort is now a member of the ONE Championship roster. "The Phenom" joins the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, and “Super” Sage Northcutt as former UFC stars who recently made the move. The 41-year-old spoke to media recently after the announcement of his signing with ONE.
Belfort revealed that one fight he'd really like to make happen is a boxing fight with legend Roy Jones Jr.:
“One fight that I’d really like, I told Chatri [Sityodtong] I’d really like to put on this fight, is me vs. Roy Jones Jr. So Roy, wherever you are, I want to come challenge you for a boxing match — but with this condition. I’m going to be able to dirty box with you.
“I won’t be able to kick you, but I will be able to dirty box with you. I’m going to be in your face the whole time so it’s going to be a different boxing match. So that would be a very fun thing to do.”
Speaking to TMZ Sports recently, Jones got the chance to respond to Belfort's challenge. Jones said he's down to step into the squared circle with the mixed martial arts (MMA) legend (via Boxing Scene):
"This is what I do for a living. Y'all must've forgot. That's who I am. I love a battle. I love a challenge. So, if that's what you want, that's what you get. Ain't like you gotta ask me twice," Jones said.
Jones then said he'd need at least six weeks of a training camp to "whoop" Belfort, but he'd need eight so he can showboat:
"Well, I would like eight weeks, 'cause I like to get right. I need two extra weeks just to make sure I can showboat. But, six weeks, I can whip you," Jones said.
"I got nothing but the utmost respect for you. You were a helluva MMA fighter. You one of the best of all time. But, when it comes to boxing, this is what I do. I'm the ruler. I'm the king of this thing.
"Ya understand me? Since Muhammad Ali is not on Earth anymore, I don't think there's nothing ever on this Earth as bad as I am with these hands."
What do you think about Jones accepting Belfort's challenge to box?
