Has-Been better bet than Never-Was when Jones faces Lacy
By JASON LOGAN

Earlier this week, 37-year-old pitcher Pedro Martinez made his return to the big leagues and proved that even at his age, he still has something left.

Martinez’s performance should serve as motivation for another aging elite athlete, when former pound-for-pound champ Roy Jones Jr. battles not only Jeff Lacy, but Father Time this Saturday night.

The 40-year-old Jones Jr. is a -600 favorite to defeat the former super middleweight champ (+400), who is also scratching to keep his boxing career relevant. Both fighters are in the twilight of their careers, but it is Jones’ name and recent performances that have him favored over a younger opponent.

“Roy Jones Jr. is a dangerous fighter because he still has speed and power,” says renowned boxing oddsmaker Joey Oddessa.

“Jeff Lacy looks to be a shell of the fighter he was in 2006,” he says. “Jones, while eight years older, had some recent success and looks to be the less worn of the two fighters.”

Over the past four years, Jones Jr. has won four of five fights over out-classed opponents and past-their-prime veterans. However, he has displayed his familiar knockdown power in those fights including putting Joe Calzaghe on his back in November 2008.

Jones scored a knockdown in the first round versus the undefeated light heavyweight champ but was then dismantled by a quicker, more aggressive Calzaghe, who went on to win the bout by way of unanimous decision.

Lacy has also felt the wrath of Calzaghe’s left hand. He was demolished by the Welsh fighter when the two met in March 2006.

Lacy, the IBF super middleweight champ at the time, was a -220 favorite coming in but was picked apart by Calzaghe and also lost by unanimous decision. Since that fight, Lacy has defeated four run-of-the-mill opponents and suffered a loss to former middleweight champ Jermain Taylor. The once highly-touted Lacy has fallen short of the expectations boxing fans set for him earlier in his career.

“The fight in Manchester, England against Calzaghe ruined Jeff Lacy,” says Oddessa. “Hindsight being 20/20, Lacy's corner might have been wise to throw in the towel that night.”

Oddessa believes Jones Jr.’s showing against Calzaghe is very telling coming into Saturday’s bout.

Even though Jones was defeated, he showed he still had the power and hand speed to hurt opponents. Lacy has a weakness to quicker hands in recent bouts and hasn’t been the same knockout fighter since suffering a severe shoulder injury in late 2006.

“I'm always hesitant to say any fighter should hang up his gloves, but I think Jeff Lacy's best days are far behind him,” says Oddessa. “Despite this being a decent matchup in name alone, I don't believe Lacy will pose a threat to Roy Jones.”

“Jones should be able to comfortably outwork Lacy and win by decision.”

Saturday’s fight from Biloxi, Mississippi is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET. The round total is set at 9.5 rounds.