MEMPHIS, 27 September 2004 — Jamaican-born Glen Johnson knocked out American Roy Jones Jr. in the ninth round on Saturday to retain his International Boxing Federation light heavyweight title.
The unfancied Johnson, who won the vacant title in February with a victory over Clinton Woods in Sheffield, England, was leading on all three judges’ cards when, at 48 seconds of the ninth, he nailed Jones with a right cross to the head, and followed up with a left hook to the shoulder as Jones was already crashing to the canvas.
Johnson improved to 41-9-2, with 28 knock-outs, while Jones suffered the third defeat of his career against 49 victories.
It was also the second straight knockout of Jones, who lost his World Boxing Council light heavyweight crown when he was knocked out by Antonio Tarver in the second round on May 15.
Jones, who captured titles in four weight divisions to lay claim to the title of best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, came into this bout without a title for the first time in nearly 10 years after the stunning loss to Tarver. His trainer, Alton Merkerson, acknowledged the knockout could spell the end of Jones’s career. Johnson, who was just 8-8-2 in his previous 18 fights, said his aim throughout was to stay close enough to Jones to give himself a chance.
To that end, Johnson pressed forward from the opening bell and continued throughout to take the fight to Jones. When Jones finally responded in the third round with a series of combinations, the champion kept coming.
The pro-Jones crowd at Memphis’s new FedEx Forum fell silent as Jones went down, the back of his head smacking the canvas. He remained still on the canvas for some moments before his eyes opened and, while still not moving, he was able to talk to his handlers.
