Mayweather: Hanshaw will defeat Jones in rematch

By Steve Seagle
Posted 7/17/07

BILOXI, Miss. — After Roy Jones Jr. won the IBC title in a unanimous decision, dissension materialized in the Anthony Hanshaw camp over the judges' decision.

After the bout, Hanshaw's trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. said his fighter should have …

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Mayweather: Hanshaw will defeat Jones in rematch

Posted

BILOXI, Miss. — After Roy Jones Jr. won the IBC title in a unanimous decision, dissension materialized in the Anthony Hanshaw camp over the judges' decision.

After the bout, Hanshaw's trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. said his fighter should have won the fight, stating he wants a rematch with the 38-year-old champion.

"I'll tell you the truth — the fight was very, very close," Mayweather said. "If you wanted to, you could have given it to (Hanshaw). There were a lot of rounds where he kept Roy on the ropes but didn't finish him off. That's because I didn't have the time to teach him all the tricks of the trade."

Hanshaw (21-1-1) trains in Las Vegas, Nev., but Mayweather joined the 'Tyger' camp just one month ago. The loss was the first of Hanshaw's professional career and first under Mayweather.

"It takes you a month just to get the feel of somebody," he said. "I wasn't able to get that in-depth."

At the weigh-in on Friday, Mayweather stated he had a plan for Jones in the sixth and seventh round, but the plan was spoiled early on.

Hanshaw forced Jones into the ropes during the early rounds landing a barrage of punches that proved ineffective. The Ohio native is a known counter-puncher, but Jones forced a strategic change by staying close to the ropes.

“When (Jones Jr.) was looping some of his punches, I wanted (Hanshaw) to throw straight shots down the middle, and he didn't," Mayweather said. "That's because he didn't have the time with me he needed. I think he could have hurt Roy, but he smothered a lot of his punches."

While fighting against the ropes in the fourth, Jones started taunting Hanshaw, which Mayweather felt played a part in the fight.

"A guy doing this right here (imitating Jones' taunting gyrations) ain't hitting nobody," he said. "(Hanshaw) let (Jones) get into his head. I told him don't worry about that. Focus on the fight."

In the 11th round Jones landed a quick jab that freed the former heavyweight champion from the ropes. After tagging Hanshaw with a left-right combo, Jones appeared to push Hanshaw to the mat.

"He stunned me," Hanshaw said. "I don't think it was a knockdown. It was a push. I was focused and I was ready to go right after."

Hanshaw felt the round should have been scored 10-9 rather than the judges' 10-8 decision. Mayweather didn't question the knockdown but said, "It didn't determine the fight."

Mayweather's comments went full circle, guaranteeing a win in Hanshaw's next fight after stating he wants a rematch with Jones.

"Next time we fight he'll have a month-and-a-half to two months with me, and he will win his next fight," Mayweather said. "No fighter stays with me two months and doesn't win a fight. Give me two months and we'll fight Roy again."