Jones Dazzles New Yorkers With Second-Round Knockout

Roy Jones Jr. wanted to dazzle New York fight fans and he did just that Friday night in Madison Square Garden, overwhelming tough Merqui Sosa in a little less than two rounds.

Jones landed punches at will and knocked down Sosa in the second round before stopping him with 24 seconds left in the round.

Although Jones is the IBF super middleweight champion, the scheduled 12-round bout was not a title fight. Jones said he wanted to test the water in the light heavyweight division.

On the undercard, Tim Witherspoon, showing some of the skills that carried him to two world titles a decade ago, didn’t lose a round in his victory over Al “Ice” Cole, a once-beaten cruiserweight trying to make it as a heavyweight.

South African Francois Botha, having tested positive for an anabolic steroid after winning the IBF heavyweight title against Axel Schulz, should be stripped of his title, the German’s manager said. The test is to be futher analyzed.