Roy Jones Jr. states that he will meet UFC executives later this week to discuss fighting Anderson Silva, potentially on a prospective Mayweather vs. McGregor card.
According to The Mac Life, the legendary boxer is scheduled to meet with the UFC in an attempt to broker a deal in fighting the fighter who many call the greatest of all time in MMA. Silva and Jones Jr. have had dialogue in the past regarding a potential matchup, yet nothing materialized:
“Me and Anderson have, for five or six years now, been trying to get a boxing match between us,” Jones Jr. said, speaking with TheMacLife. “We’re two great icons of our sport, two legends, and it’s not often you get to see two legends get in the ring together. That’s been going on for the last five or six years, and if Conor and Floyd does fight, [our addition] would make it a big event.
“I mean to put us on the undercard as the co-main would be a really, really big event. Not only us fighting but people want to see a boxer versus a MMA guy.”
Roy Jones vs Anderson Silva and Mayweather vs McGregor double headline card UFC invasion. Would be biggest event of all time period
— Roy Jones Jr. (@RealRoyJonesJr) February 23, 2017
Both men regard each other as friends and have often discussed the possibility of a match up. Prior to any fight being considered, there are many questions regarding the validity of such a fight happening. For example, it is not clear if a bout between the two would take place inside of a ring or the octagon, and as Jones Jr. has most recently competed at cruiserweight in boxing (200 pounds) what weight would the fight be sanctioned at.
In addition to the particulars being ironed out before a fight is feasible, would fans really want to see to men past their respective primes go toe to toe? Silva is still able to mix it up in MMA to a degree, but he is far from the dominant fighter UFC fans knew prior to his first loss against Chris Weidmann in 2013. Jones Jr. is 48, and a shadow of the all-time great boxer he was once was.
Despite this, Jones Jr. insists that the UFC are interested in what he has to say. In 2013, Dana White was vocal about the potential of arranging a fight between both men, so to say there is some history of the world’s premier MMA organization being open to the fight would be somewhat accurate:
“[2013] was the closest [we got to it],” Jones Jr. said. “Had he not have lost to Weidman, I think it would have happened. … Anderson still wants it, he’s about 40 years old, he’s reaching the end of his career, he’s reaching the end of his prime zone. I’m reaching the end of my primal age, so if we’re gonna make it happen, there’s no better time than now.”
“I’m thinking he’s feeling the way I’m feeling, and I know he’s been wanting to do it, because as soon as I [mentioned it] he came back and said ‘why should a man not be allowed to achieve his dream?’ and his dream is mine, it’s a great situation for both of us that we both want.”
Roy Jones Jr. sees a slot on the Mayweather vs. McGregor card, should it ever come to fruition. The former multi-weight world champion also had some words of encouragement for McGregor, stating that he has a puncher’s chance against “Money”:
“[McGregor is a] wonderful person, smart person, wonderful fighter,” Jones Jr. said. “Love watching him in action, he’s one of my favourite fighters. His vision to use the sport to push him into superstar status, I think he’s a wonderful person.
“It’s a tough situation for McGregor, because McGregor is a MMA guy, not necessarily a boxer first. Floyd’s one of the best — if not the best, he’s one of the best — pound for pound boxers to ever live.
“To come off another sport, when the top guys in the sport can’t really beat him, then it’s hard to see a guy whose not in the sport necessarily to beat him, unless he can land one big shot. [Conor’s] gonna be looking to land the big shot, trying to knock him out, and we’ll see what happens.”
The 48-year-old boxer is confident that a Roy Jones Jr. vs Anderson Silva fight is a prospect which would be even more realistic if the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight happens this year:
“If that fight happens this year, probably.”
