Light Heavy Right for Jones

Roy Jones Jr. wants to be a heavyweight--once.

“One time for the heavyweight championship and that’s it,” said the man considered by many the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.

Until that happens, however, the 29-year-old will continue to campaign as a light heavyweight.

The WBC champion will fight World Boxing Assn. champion Lou Del Valle in a light heavyweight title unification match tonight at Madison Square Garden.

There have been angry words between the two men, who once had an employer-employee relationship. Del Valle, 30, sparred 38 rounds with Jones in 1995 when Jones was preparing for a defense of the International Boxing Federation super middleweight title. Jones also has been IBF middleweight champion.

“Now he knows what to look for, what to run from,” Jones said. “But he can’t get away.”

“I might not be a great fighter, but I have the style to beat Roy Jones,” said Del Valle, a left-handed counterpuncher. Jones also likes to counterpunch, but Del Valle said he expects Jones to attack.

“He’s a good counterpuncher and he’s left-handed,” Jones said. “I have to give him that, but he can’t keep me off of him.”

Jones weighed in Friday at 175 pounds for the 12-round bout that will be televised by HBO.

Del Valle, a 175-pound New Yorker, will be making his first defense of his WBA title. His record is 27-1 with 19 knockouts.

Jones, of Pensacola, Fla., who has twice held the World Boxing Council light heavyweight title, is 36-1 with 31 knockouts.