Will Roy Jones Make Omar Sheika like a Polaroid Picture?

In a word, yes.
Saturday, March 21st, 2009, Superman will return to his Fortress of Solitude in Pensacola, FL. But a lot has changed since 1999 when he walked over an over-matched Richard Frazier. I can still hear Jim Lampley saying, “Down goes Frazier” as Roy walked through another opponent with the slightest of ease. He was on top of the world, entering the prime of his career, steamrolling over every opponent and eventually capturing a share of the legitimate heavyweight crown in March of 2003. Yes, life was VERY good for Roy Jones, Jr.

We all know the story at this point, so there is no need to re-cap Jones-Tarver II, Jones-Johnson or Jones-Tarver III. Those fights are long gone and we heard enough about the “weight loss” factor or any other reason why the losses occurred. The saying is jaded by now, but I still believe you’re only as good as your last fight. That is probably why I and a few other “experts” picked Roy Jones to find one more night of magic against Super Joe Calzaghe on November 8th, 2008 at Madison Square Garden. I thought that Roy showed enough of his former self against Trinidad that he would be able to pull out a win against Calzaghe. Stylistically, I thought he would be more than Calzaghe could handle. As I cupped my hands over my face to protect myself from the blood pouring out of Roy’s left eye, I knew I was wrong. I don’t know how much Dr. Richard Lucey was paid to stitch up Roy, but I know that if I were able to get a needle and thread through MSG security, I could have done a much better job.

It was a sad sight to see Roy Jones take such a consistent and thorough beating. For a man who used to laugh and pound his own stomach when fighters attempted to hurt his body, it was sad to see him exhausted by Calzaghe’s relentless body attack and ridiculous work rate. As Calzaghe stood in front of Roy and mocked him, shaking his hips with his hands at his side, I could hear myself and the other RJ fans in attendance pleading, “JUST HIT HIM! THROW A PUNCH, DO SOMETHING!” But Superman didn’t throw any punches; much like his opponents bowed to his antics during the 90s and early 2000s, Roy could only watch, fearing what would happen if he missed the punch that wasn’t thrown.

With all that said, Superman is flying home on March 21st. He will not be fighting Tarver, Johnson, or Calzaghe. No, Roy Jones will be fighting Omar Sheika, a man who will someday be most famous for having lost to Roy Jones Jr. in Pensacola, FL. Roy will win, soundly. And I’d be willing to bet that he’ll look great doing it, and will even have a lot of fun humiliating Sheika in the process. He’ll do his version of the Ali Shuffle, he’ll do the gamecock scratch and strut. Hell, this is Pensacola, we might even see him knock Sheika out with his hands behind his back (sorry Glen Kelly). When the fight is said and done, Sheika will be happy that he was in the same ring with a first-ballot hall of famer, the crowd will be ecstatic to see Roy put on such a show, and people will forget what Calzaghe did to him. There will be talks of a rematch with Hopkins, Glen Johnson’s name will be thrown into the hat, along with Tarver for a 4th and unnecessary fight for both fighters. I’d probably even pick Roy to win all of those fights. But there is one opponent out there who’s never been beaten. Many have tried, and ALL have eventually failed. Time.

I think Roy can retire looking great, if he does it correctly. I think this is a smart fight for him. But I also think this should be just about it for him. The mind is willing but the body is weak. Put on a show, have a great homecoming, give back something to the fans that have always had your back, and then think. Think long. Think hard. You’ve done it all, there’s nothing left to prove. When it’s all done, Roy, no one will remember your losses to Tarver, Johnson or Calzaghe (let’s not count Griffin I). All we’ll remember are the countless moments throughout your career when you did the impossible, repeatedly, with the slightest of ease. I daresay, there’s never been a bigger Roy Jones fan than yours truly, so this is a difficult note to write, but here it goes.

Roy, enjoy your night on March 21st. Then enjoy a happy life. Superman, you’ve done more than your share. It’s time for someone else to watch over Metropolis.

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