Named ‘Fighter of the Decade’, the former heavyweight titlist Roy Jones Jr. was knocked out by Russian boxer Denis Lebedev earlier today at the Megasport Arena in Moscow.
With time running out in the final round, Lebedev landed a ferocious barrage of punches before flooring Jones and finishing the spent legend.
“I’m so happy with this win, we put so much into this fight,” the top Russian cruiserweight Lebedev was quoted as saying on ESPN.com. “Jones was everything we expected: quick, strong, cheeky. … But I pulled through.”
Jones, who once was the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer, has now been decisively defeated in four of his last six bouts.
“It was a great shot, I can’t take nothing away from him,” said Jones about the punch that knock him down, “He was a tough competitor.”
Jones is the first former middleweight champ to win a heavyweight crown in more than a century when he defeated John Ruiz by a unanimous decision in 2003.
“I really don’t know what I’m going to do now. I’m going to think about it,” added Jones.
Lebedev is ranked as the world’s preeminent cruiserweight.
Roy Jones Jr vs Denis Lebedev