"IF I'm able to hold it together, it's going to be total destruction and chaos on October 1!"

GL: How has training been going Roy? "It was going pretty good up until last week. Last week I hurt my left hand pretty bad. I ain't fitting to pull out or nothing, I got to do what I got to do. I worked like this before with my left hand so it's all good. You know where I'm coming from? I'm ready."

GL: You're training with your father again after many years with Alton Merkerson. How much of a difference has that made?

Roy Jones Jr: "First thing, I'm still with Coach Merk. I'm still with Alton Merkerson. My father said he wanted to come in and help out, he did do that, and if that's what he wants to do, I'm not going to deny him that because he is my dad, he's the one who got me into this and he understands me better than anybody. It has made a little bit of difference him being there because it's brought out some of the older that I used to do that I pretty much don't do no more. Bringing pops back to the corner has been good, but I'm still with Coach Merk."

GL: After two setbacks in a row why would you want to come back against Antonio Tarver?

Roy Jones Jr: "If I can't beat the best I don't want to be in there. If everybody wants to know how I truly feel in my heart...did you see Brett Favre yesterday and they asked Brett Favre why he's still doing this?

GL: I make it my business to catch NFL tonight so I saw what he said.

Roy Jones Jr: "When I heard him talking yesterday, I was like damn he sounds like me. What he said is how I feel. If anybody wants to know how I feel they just need to listen to what Brett Favre said. Win, lose, or draw, you deal, so if you're a competitor and a champion that's how you're supposed to feel and what he said yesterday that was coming from a true damn champion."

GL: Tell us more about this injury, how did it happen and how serious is it?

Roy Jones Jr: "It happens. That's why I don't like to spar too much because I know I hit too hard and I start to swell up all my shit. One thing that hand injury let me know is I'm throwing my shit right because the hand would have never gotten hurt if I wasn't throwing my shit right. It's been a long time since I hurt my hand like this, but it's been a long time since I've done some of these things in training. Getting back to some things and having my dad back around, I don't know but I know I'm throwing my shit right."

GL: You've always been one to exude confidence, but do you truly believe you've got your swagger back? Can we expect to see the best in Roy Jones Jr on October 1?

Roy Jones Jr: "Let me tell you something, if I hold this hand together until then it's going to be total destruction and chaos. Remember I told you that."

GL: How do you feel about bringing a fight of this magnitude to your home state?

Roy Jones Jr: "You said it exactly right, we're going to be in his hometown, but this is my home state. And if I'm going to defend my state, I'm going to be able to stop him whatever city it's in and take care of that. If I hold this left hand up all hell is going to break loose on October 1, you already know."

GL: And how is your right hand?

Roy Jones Jr: "I don't gotta worry about that one. The left one is the most effective one at times and I just got to get it back right. It's going to take a little time but I think we're going to get it right. It's pretty bad, but even if I have to get a cortisone shot or something to bring it down, I don't know. But we're going to do everything we can to make this happen."

GL: Will you be able to deal with Tarver's pressure if he comes out as aggressively as Glen Johnson did?

Roy Jones Jr: "Just watch on October 1. Whatever anyone thinks I'm not ready for, I'm just begging them to watch what happens on October 1."

GL: Last week Boxingtalk broke the news that you're interested in signing the  Marquez brothers, what can you tell us about that?

Roy Jones Jr: "I love having the Marquez's, I think they're two great fighters and I love being able to get them signed to Square Ring. I'm looking forward to a lot of big things for both of them and Andre (Ward) and I still got my Bey brothers and I can't wait to get them back on. I just had to take this slight detour, but after I'm done with this business here, I'm going to be putting a lot of focus on my fighters."

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