Jones Jr. KOs Lacy, keeps light heavyweight title

Associated Press

Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009 | 10:30 p.m.

BILOXI, Miss. — Roy Jones Jr. toyed with the crowd and with Jeff Lacy, stopping the overmatched opponent after the 10th round Saturday night to retain the NABO light heavyweight championship title.

Jones (54-5, 39 KOs) used a left hook to cut Lacy’s right eye in the third round, and both of Lacy’s eyes were swelling by the seventh. Lacy didn’t answer the bell for the 11th round and the referee stopped the bout.

Jones joked when asked when he thought the bout was in his hands.

“When they gave me the gloves,” Jones said. “My hands are still as fast as ever. I’ve got the quickest speed in the game.”

Lacy’s strategy for the faster Jones was apparent from the outset. Lacy tried to pin Jones on the ropes throughout the fight. Jones was unaffected by the tactic and seemed more worried about playing to the crowd than about Lacy’s punches.

As Lacy tried to tussle with Jones in the corners, Jones told the Mississippi Coast Coliseum crowd “Watch this” on several occasions. He followed with fast combinations that eventually took their toll on Lacy (25-3).

“I’ve got to give the crowd what they want,” Jones said. “The crowd asked for it so I gave them what they wanted. I still love what I do.”

All three judges had Jones, an eight-time world champion in four weight classes, far ahead on their scorecards before the match was stopped before the 11th round.

“(Lacy) could do whatever he wanted to do. I trained for everything,” Jones said. “If that’s the kind of fight he wanted, that’s what I’ll give them.”

Jones said his next fight will be Nov. 21 in Australia against newly crowned IBO cruiserweight champ Danny Green. Green stopped Julio Cesar Dominguez on the undercard Saturday night.