TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Lacy secures bout against Jones

Tribune and AP file photos

St. Petersburg native Jeff Lacy (left) finally got what he wanted - an Aug. 22 date with the eight-time world champion at a site to be determined.

ADVERTISEMENT

By EDDIE DANIELS

edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: May 21, 2009

Updated: 05/21/2009 01:06 am

TAMPA - Last weekend, former IBF super middleweight champion Jeff Lacy said a deal for him to face Roy Jones Jr. this summer was "90 percent done."

That 10-percent gap closed Wednesday as Lacy signed to fight the eight-time world champion, likely Aug. 22 at a site to be determined.

Because no deal could be made with a television network, the fight will be on pay-per-view.

"It's all on ink - now they just have to ring the bell," said Lacy, of St. Petersburg. "This is great. It's my second promotion under my own banner and I get to co-promote a huge fight with me and Roy Jones. Second fight out, it can't get any better than that."

Lacy's Left Hook Promotions will co-promote the fight with Jones' Square Ring Promotions. The bout will be at the light heavyweight division limit of 175 pounds, allowing Lacy (25-2, 17 KOs) to come up from his typical super middleweight class of 168. Lacy said Jones didn't want to come down to 168.

Jones (53-5, 39 KOs) will put up the NABO light heavyweight title he claimed in March with a fifth-round technical knockout of Omar Sheika.

"Styles make fights, and if you can't see yourself in the ring with any of the top guys, you need to try another sport," Lacy said. "I see that Roy Jones is a very good fight for me at this point because he's at the end of his career and he feels he still has something to prove. At the same time, I still have something to prove as well. So that makes this fight a very interesting fight."

Lacy, 32, offered to fight Jones, 40, moments after beating Otis Griffin via majority decision in April at the USF Sun Dome. Jones, who sat ringside for the fight, responded with a grin and a thumbs-up.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 259-7066.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT