The Neutral Corner

It's dangerous to look past an opponent and anyone who looks past Joe Calzaghe could pay a hefty price. We are not suggesting that Roy Jones Jr. is looking beyond Joe to Bernard Hopkins because Roy was simply responding to questions from his conference call. But the answers to these questions are quite telling.

Since B-Hop defeated Kelly Pavlik, there has been discussion that a long-awaited rematch between Jones and Hopkins will take place should Roy beat Calzaghe this week at the Garden. But Roy seems to have other plans on his mind. Here are the questions and his answers:

Why would you not want to fight Bernard Hopkins?

Roy Jones Jr: A – because he does not want to fight me even though he keeps saying he wants to fight me and that’s not going to get it done. I don’t have time to wait for Bernard Hopkins. I already beat Bernard Hopkins so why would I want to fight him again. If he wanted to fight me, that would be one thing, but he’s been saying he’s wanted to fight me for the last five years. Nothing has been done about it but that’s not my fault. That would be like me telling you that I dream of being heavyweight champion but I never do anything about it. So I’m going to sit here and talk about something that is never going to happen. So he can talk about whoever he is going to fight next and I couldn’t care less. I do what I do. I don’t work his career. I work my own. He does what he wants to do and I do what I want to do. And I am happy doing what I want to do. Besides, he has to ask his promoter what he can do. I can do what ever I feel like doing."

Do you feel a need or motivation to one-up Hopkins?

Roy Jones Jr: Hopkins did what he did and that was his goal. My job is to come out of there with a victory. I don’t care what he did or how he does it. He did a smart thing, which was to go in the ring a get a victory before I fought Calzaghe. He can do all he wants to try and tie himself to my career but I am not tied to his career.

Who has had a greater career?

Roy Jones Jr: I had the middleweight title and the heavyweight title. I am the only man living that had the middleweight title and the heavyweight title. So you tell me who is greater. They are going to watch Jones vs. Calzaghe on PPV but they wouldn’t put Hopkins vs. Calzaghe on PPV because the people wouldn’t pay to watch that on PPV. So you tell me who is greater. You tell me who the fans think is greater.

Hopkins is scheduled to address the media on Tuesday. So stay tuned.

-- CASSIDY