Roy Jones ponders future

LAS VEGAS: Roy Jones will ponder his heavyweight future after making history in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

American Jones became the first former middleweight champion to win a version of the world heavyweight title in 106 years when he outpointed WBA champion John Ruiz. Jones — still the reigning world light-heavyweight king — must decide whether to continue to risk his reputation against heavier men. Jones said: “I was just here to make history for the fans and I will go back now and look at it.” It is inconceivable that Jones will ever fight Lennox Lewis, who was an interested ringside observer and who is himself considering his fighting future. The size disparity between Jones and Lewis is just too great but there are plenty of viable alternatives for Jones, including reigning IBF king Chris Byrd or even an ageing Evander Holyfield. Lewis himself saw a potential match against Ruiz fall flat and is fast running out of credible options, particularly with Mike Tyson reportedly showing little interest in their projected June rematch. Wladimir Klitschko remains the only realistic challenger to Lewis’ elevated status but the champion — mindful that a match with the Ukrainian would garner him only a fraction of the purses to which he has become accustomed — is in the habit of deriding the WBO champion.