But could Murad's PPV proposal foil those plans?

GL: The grapevine, which always flows fluently through Boxingtalk has informed me that Showtime is interested in featuring Roy Jones Jr on July 9 or on June 2. I also hear that Anthony Hanshaw is the frontrunner to be your opponent. What can you tell us about this situation? "It sounds like a pretty good situation, but Hanshaw is a pretty rough customer so they're not giving me nothing easy for my first fight on Showtime. I ain't never fought on Showtime so it is kind of interesting, but with Roy Jones it's always like this, the best deal on the table is the one I'm going to take, you know what I mean? I'm eager to fight a young fighter like Anthony Hanshaw, but at the same I'm not stupid and I ain't no spring chicken. I'm looking to a Jermain Taylor fight in the fall so I may as well get used to it by fighting an up and coming tiger right now, I might as well get used to whooping these youngsters. I've got to see what it looks like. If it's looking right I'll make it happen if it isn't, I'll move on to something else."

GL: We're talking about June or July and we're already in the end of March. I imagine this means you're staying ready to keep from getting ready.

Roy Jones Jr: "You got to know that. I told you I stay ready just in case. I know there's a lot of young people who call my name and don't really mean it, but I stay ready because when these youngsters call your name they mean it. They feel they can whoop you and I stay ready for guys like that. There's always other options, Murad has a nice PPV deal on the table and it makes sense, so whichever makes the best sense is the one I'll take."

GL: As it stands right now do you consider the Showtime offer to be the most realistic offer on the table?

RJJ: "No. Murad has a very realistic offer on the table. It's a very realistic offer and right now it's sounding just as good or a little better than the Showtime offer."

GL: Although I know you've never had such a problem with Murad, I almost feel obligated to point out some of the difficulties following his Holyfield promotion as it related to paying the fighters in a timely manner.

RJJ: "Nah, never had such problems with Murad. The way I do busines with Murad is different. If he comes up with a better deal we'll see what happens. We have a long history and I know how to deal with Murad and he knows that I work in a way that most people don't."

GL: When can we expect a final decision?

RJJ: "Before the end of this week. I'd really like to fight Hanshaw because I want to take on a younger fighter. I really like that and the fact that I never fought on Showtime is really intriguing to me. That would be a blast because I have to leave a real impression when I make my first appearance somewhere. If I need to show that I'm still the man I'm going to do that. That's what I need to get me hyped up and get me back on point."

GL: Lou DiBella is the man brokering any potential Showtime fight for you. Have you received assurances that should you fight on Showtime in June or July and Jermain Taylor defeat Cory Spinks on May 19, that the two of you would mix it up in your next fights?

RJJ: "That fight has already been accepted and it's going to happen if both of us are victorious in our next fights."

GL: Is that more of an incentive to fight on National TV since you already know you're next fight will be on PPV?

RJJ: "Most definitely. Anthony Hanshaw is a much better person for me to want to fight before a fight like that, most definitely."

GL: It sounds likes you've got some thinking to do and then we're going to have another update before the end of the week.

RJJ: "Yeah, another Jonesomatic moment."

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