Roy Jones Jr. enjoyed a career full of highs and lows, but his chances of a ninth title across five divisions were dashed when he fought a man who admired him for years.
Roy Jones Jr. ended his career with a record of 66-10 after an unsuccessful comeback in 2023, five years after his retirement, putting his losses in the double digits.
Jones Jr., who went 1-1 with Bernard Hopkins, is regarded as one of the most successful boxers to have graced the sport, but despite his talent, he was not invincible.
In 2009, Jones lost for just the sixth time in his 60th fight, a fight which took place far from home in his first outing outside of the US.
Danny Green said knocking out Roy Jones Jr. hurt him
Jones Jr. challenged Green for the IBO cruiserweight world title, which Green had won one fight prior. At the time of the fight, Green was 27-3, whilst Jones’ record sat at an impressive 54-5.
In Jones’ 20-year career, this was the first fight of his that took place outside of the US as he travelled to Sydney, Australia to face Green for the belt.
He was unsuccessful, as Green floored Jones after a minute with a right hand. Green continued his onslaught, and stopped Jones in just 122 seconds.
After the fight, according to BoxRec, Green said: “I almost feel bad doing that, that almost hurt me to do that to someone whom I aspire to look up to as a professional fighter inside and outside the ring. He’s a bloody legend.”
Jones, who KO’d a police officer-turned-boxer, made no excuses for the loss, though he later accused Green of excessively using bandage tape when wrapping his hands.
Danny Green went on to defeat Jake Paul’s boxing coach
Three fights after his win over Jones, who was KO’d by Antonio Tarver, Green faced 24-0-1 BJ Flores. Flores was one of Jake Paul‘s coaches early in his boxing career, and is also a former opponent of Tony Bellew.
Flores took his first loss on that night in Australia, years before retiring at the hands of Trevor Bryan, the man Daniel Dubois beat to win his first world title.