Roy Jones Jr.'s Big 5: The First Touch With The Championship Belt

Roy Jones Jr.'s Big 5: The First Touch With The Championship Belt

The boxer's first title came after a dramatic clash with Bernard Hopkins

Most of Roy Jones Jr.'s matches in the professional boxing ring are extremely interesting. The style of this competitor attracts the audience and remains in history as unique. With nearly 50 knockout victories, "Superman", as he is nicknamed, is among the most successful and attractive boxers of the late last century and the beginning of this century. In five parts, we recall his most memorable fights. We already told you about the fight against the veteran Virgil Hill, in which Roy defends his world light heavyweight title.

At number four in our ranking is a battle that took place almost five years earlier. A clash pitting Jones against Bernard Hopkins. And the prize is the belt of the International Boxing Federation in the middle category. Before the fight, Hopkins was the higher ranked of the two boxers, but only by one place, occupying the top position. The vacant title awaits its new owner, and the match is definitely one of the most memorable in the entire history of the division.

On May 22, 1993, two competitors of the same weight and almost no difference in height gave nearly 9,000 spectators in Washington, DC, the spectacle they expected. Hopkins and Roy enter contention for their first world title from almost equal positions, although according to the experts Bernard, who is 4 years older, is slightly more favored.

In the first rounds, however, Roy Jones won on points over all three judges. The first three parts ended in his favor in two of the three judges' cards. And in the fourth and fifth rounds, the Florida-born boxer is even more convincing. However, a slight relaxation follows, and at least for a moment, Hopkins manages to get back into the fight. But in the next four rounds, between the 7th and the 10th, Roy is again far superior and is clearly gaining an advantage over his opponent. The vacant title is just two parts, or six minutes, away from Jones, who will finally make history.

In search of greater aggression and knockout, Hopkins embarks on furious attacks, and his markedly more aggressive style brings him success, but only on points. Clearly, there's no way he'll be able to pull off success. After the final gong, the result is clear. Roy Jones Jr. is the new holder of the IBF middleweight belt, he is the new world champion in the division after success with a unanimous decision - 116:112 points.

This victory is the beginning of a truly great career that offers us many more exciting matches. However, only three of them stand out more. We will reminisce about them in the next three parts of the best games of Roy Jones.