Jones bout out of MGM

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 | 10:16 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Popular light heavyweight boxing champion Roy Jones Jr., apparently won't be making his return to Las Vegas any time soon.

The MGM Grand -- which was to have hosted a June 5 unification bout between Jones, the WBA and WBC champion, and IBF 175-pound titlist Reggie Johnson -- said it is no longer part of the promotion, due to a conflict involving Jones' promoter Murad Muhammad.

Muhammad apparently did not re-apply for a Nevada promoter's license until last Friday. It generally takes 90-120 days for an application to be processed so when the Jones camp learned that, it opted to take the Johnson fight to Biloxi, Miss.

"It is unfortunate that we must disassociate ourselves with the Roy Jones Jr., title fight in June," MGM president Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement. "We have been informed that Murad Muhammad is unable to be re-licensed in the time allocated to present this event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. As a result, he elected to take the fight to another city."

Jones, considered one of boxing's best "pound-for-pound" fighters, hasn't fought in Las Vegas since 1994.

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