Mauled in Memphis

Johnson batters favorite Jones before scoring ninth-round knockout

Roy Jones Jr. hits the deck after being knocked out by Glen Johnson in the ninth round. AP

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Glen Johnson knocked out Roy Jones Jr. in the ninth round Saturday night to retain his IBF light heavyweight title and cast more doubt on the future of one of boxing's most storied fighters.

Jones lay on his back moving only slightly for almost four minutes after he was felled by an overhand right, followed by a short left. Trainers filled a towel with ice and slid it under Jones' head as he lay on the canvas, but he had trouble opening his eyes.

Jones, 35, finally walked out of the ring with help from his trainers.

The defeat left Jones' once-impressive career in tatters.

Jones turned pro after the 1988 Olympics, where it was widely perceived he was robbed of the gold medal. He has won titles at classes ranging from middleweight to heavyweight -- last March he won a piece of the heavyweight title by taking the WBA crown from John Ruiz.

Last November, he captured the light heavyweight crown from Antonio Tarver in the first of their two fights. But he was defeated by a crashing left from Tarver in their rematch.

Johnson, 41-9-2, with 28 knockouts, came out the aggressor from the opening bell Saturday night. He threw a total of 437 punches to 270 for Jones and kept the challenger against the ropes for most of the fight.

By the seventh round, the crowd was booing and calling for more action from Jones.

"I beat him at his own game," said Johnson, a native of Jamaica who makes his home in Miami. "A lot of guys try to fight Roy from the outside, but I wanted to stay in on him."

The knockout came in Jones' first fight since Tarver beat him in May. Tarver landed a left that sent Jones sprawling in the second round and unable to continue.

Jones, 49-3, tried to argue then that he could continue the fight against Tarver.

There could be no such claim against Johnson on Saturday.