Light heavyweight boxing champ Roy Jones Jr. is knockout as a rapper

Jet, March 4, 2002

Roy Jones Jr. is "pound-for-pound" considered to be one of the best boxers that the sport has seen. And he has the WBC, IBF and WBA light heavyweight belts to prove it.

Now the energetic 33-year-old is hitting the music world as a rapper. Already he's packed a potent punch with his debut album, Round One. The project's first single, That Was Then, debuted on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart at No. 2.

"I'm still pinching myself," said Jones of the song's success. "I never dreamed we'd come flying out of the chute and have the second most popular rap song in the entire country."

Jones performed his debut single the day before his fight with Australia's Glen Kelly in Miami. The song was a knockout with the audience. And, well, so was the blow that landed to Kelly's head the following night during the bout.

In one of Jones' most stunning knockouts in years, Jones teased Kelly toward the ropes and hid both gloves behind his back. Just as Kelly was approaching for a possible close exchange, Jones caught him with a right to the head.

Said Kelly of Jones, who defended his undisputed light heavyweight crown, "He's the best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound."