Roy Jones Jr. has challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. to a official in-ring showdown, reigniting a simmering feud between two of boxing’s most iconic champions. Speaking forward of the Berlanga-Sheeraz card, Jones dismissed the thought of an exhibition and urged Mayweather to fulfill him in a sanctioned fight.

“There ain’t gonna be no exhibition,” Jones instructed Seconds Out. “We both fight for real. What are we gonna play for? We need to make it real.”

Jones, 56, holds a 66-10 (47 KOs) report and is extensively considered probably the most gifted fighters of his era. Mayweather, undefeated at 50-0 (27 KOs), final fought professionally in 2017 however has remained lively in exhibitions. Their disagreement, nonetheless, facilities much less on exercise and extra on legacy.

The battle escalated after Mayweather posted a video evaluating Jones and Muhammad Ali, claiming each relied too closely on their legs for protection. He argued their decline started when age robbed them of their motion—opening the door for losses. Jones fired again, criticizing Mayweather’s self-designation as “The Best Ever,” claiming that title solely applies to his earnings, not his influence.

In response, Mayweather posted spotlight reels of Jones being knocked out by Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson, and Danny Green. The message was clear: Jones had already been uncovered within the ring. Despite the web sparring, no formal talks have occurred between their camps. Still, Jones stays assured a bout may materialize, saying Mayweather’s workforce is aware of tips on how to discover him.

Jones final fought professionally in 2023, shedding a majority choice to former UFC champion Anthony Pettis. Before that, he notched just a few victories over lesser-known opponents however hadn’t scored a serious win since 2011. Mayweather, in the meantime, has stayed within the public eye via exhibition bouts towards influencers and MMA fighters, sustaining his celeb whereas avoiding actual danger.

A struggle between the 2 would current important hurdles. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has by no means fought above 154 kilos, whereas Jones made historical past within the 2000s as a dominant gentle heavyweight who even captured a model of the heavyweight crown. The weight discrepancy and age hole—Jones is eight years older—add additional issues to an already unlikely matchup.

Former pound-for-pound king Andre Ward weighed in, providing a balanced view of the rivalry. “They’re fighters. They’re sensitive about their work and their legacies,” Ward mentioned. “Even if they’re 70, they’re gonna be talking like this.”

Ward declined to take sides, as an alternative noting how widespread it’s for fighters to defend their legacies lengthy after their primes. “I just understand it,” he added.

For now, the rivalry stays rhetorical. But with each males nonetheless enthusiastic about their legacies and keen to have interaction, the door—nonetheless slim—stays open for another high-profile conflict. Whether it occurs contained in the ropes or stays an ongoing verbal battle, the talk over who’s really the best continues to stir boxing’s greatest personalities.