He is bad, he is talked about, he is hated, he is revered. He boxes, he fights, he raps, he dazzles, he astounds. He is arguably the most talented fighter who has ever walked the planet, P4P #1 boss. In case you haven't figured it out yet, we are talking about Roy Jones, Jr., undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world, now on a quest to cement his boxing legacy and shut down all the critics by seeking the WBO version of the heavyweight division from John "The Quietman" Ruiz.

Rumors have abounded that the fight is on, off, and everywhere in between. Advisors and publicists have gone on record to say that RJJ is not returning calls, not saying a word to them. Don King set up a mega press conference to announce Jones vs Ruiz, and less than 24 hours prior, RJJ released his own statement saying the fight wasn't etched in stone, not just yet anyway.

Jones explained that he would examine the contract and make sure all the legalesse was to his liking before any official announcements were made. He also said that was all he had to say about Ruiz and anyone else, adding that he didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Well, we ran into RJJ at the Waterfront Theater this past Thursday night, and solicited a statement from him, prefacing the request with the obligatory "we know you said you didn't want to talk about this anymore, but..." As always, Roy was gracious and accomodating, and amidst the throng of fans who were mobbing him for pictures and autographs, he answered these questions:

BRC: Is your fight with John Ruiz on or off?

RJJ: The fight is on! You can tell the readers that, the fight is on!

BRC: Roy, is the weight issue a concern to you? I mean, it seems like you are going to have to put on a lot of weight in such a short period of time... Is that safe? Are you ok with it?

RJJ: Don't be concerned about that, because I am not going to put on a lot of weight for the fight.

BRC: So much is being said, so many people wish they could get in your head, understand your logic behind this fight. What is your motivation, RJJ?

RJJ: It's what the people want to see, that's my motivation. It's what the people want to see, and I am going to give it to them.

Not wanting to push our envelope anymore than we already had, we thanked the champion and let him return to the adulation of his fans, who kept pulling out T-shirts, boxing gloves, pictures, CDs and other memorabilia for him to autograph.

So, from the horse's mouth, the fight is on... Hmmm... But wait, if it's on, why isn't the contract signed? What was it he said again? Oh hell, read it yourself and arrive at your own conclusions, I can't keep up!

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