Jones gets pep talk from Boxing legend

In Cardiff to help promote the Calzaghe v Manfredo fight at the Millennium Stadium on April 7th, Sugar Ray offered Jones and his team mates a few words of encouragement before they go into battle against the Scots at Murrayfield on Saturday. Jones got the call whilst checking in at Cardiff Wales Airport ahead of his side’s flight to Edinburgh and is all set to use some of Sugar Ray’s inspirational words in his team talk this weekend.

“Sugar Ray truly is a sporting legend. I found him really humble and down to earth,” said Jones. “He wished us all good luck for the weekend and I’d just like to thank him for speaking to us. He has left all the boys in buoyant mood ahead of the weekend. He also signed some memorabilia for us, which all the boys are really excited and appreciative about.”

Teammate Mike Phillips couldn’t pass up the chance to talk to one of boxing’s greats and made sure he had a few words with Sugar Ray before boarding the plane.

“It was great to speak to him. I come from a boxing family and watched lots of his fights on television when I was growing up – I also have plenty of videos of him in action,” said Phillips. “My brother, Mark, boxed professionally at middleweight level and he will be extremely jealous that I had the chance to speak to him – as will the rest of my family. Sugar Ray fought in a great era for boxing.

“I asked him what his best fight was and he said it had to be against Thomas ‘The Hitman’ Hearns, which would probably have been my call too as a fan.”

Sugar Ray hopes to see the whole Welsh team play when they close their current RBS Six Nations Championship against England at the Millennium Stadium on March 17th – just three weeks before Joe Calzaghe meets Peter Manfredo.

“These rugby guys are really tough and I’d love to see them in action doing what they do at this great venue,” he said. “Rugby is a lot more brutal than boxing, so I don’t think I’d be taking to the field any time soon – I’ll stick to my boxing!”