Roy Jones Jr. vs. Bryant Brannon, billed as Charity Bash, was a professional boxing match contested on October 4, 1996 for the IBF super middleweight title.
Background In early September 1996, it was announced that Roy Jones Jr., the reigning IBF super middleweight champion and The Ring magazine's top ranked pound-for-pound fighter, would face Bryant Brannon, the IBF's number-one ranked super middleweight challenger, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden the following month. Jones and Brannon would headline a boxing card dubbed the Charity Bash, named as such because Jones, with help from cable network HBO, would donate the proceeds earned from the gate to three non-profit organizations; the New York City Police Foundation, the NYPD Self Support Group and the Congress of Racial Equality, as well as former boxer Gerald McClellan, who had been severely injured the previous year in a bout against Nigel Benn. The Jones–Brannon bout was supplemented with a WBA welterweight title fight featuring champion Ike Quartey defending against challenger Oba Carr. Jones explained that his decision to hold the event was because "people are always talking about athletes being selfish. I want people to understand we're not robots; we're human beings".Jones to Put Title on the Line at the Garden, N.Y. Times article, 1996-09-06, Retrieved on 2024-12-31Jones Puts Purpose In Punches, N.Y. Times article, 1996-10-04, Retrieved on 2024-12-31
Brief portions of the fight can be seen in the 1997 horror film The Devil's Advocate starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves., Retrieved on 2024-12-31
The Fight From the opening bell, Brannon charged Jones, backing him into the ropes for the first minute plus of the first round as he threw a bevy of punches in a vain attempt to penetrate Jones' defense. Finally, roughly midway through the round, Jones landed a left hook which wobble Brannon and sent him on the defensive for the first time. Jones would proceed to land several punches to Brannon's head, ending with a left hook that dropped Brannon to the canvas. Brannon stumbled back to his feet and was allowed to continue the fight by referee Ron Lipton. Jones then spent the remainder of the round landing numerous combinations, though Brannon was able make it through to the end of the round. Jones started off the second round rather tentatively, as Brannon tried to engage Jones but continued to get past Jones defense. Just past the midway point of the second round, Jones dropped Brannon for the second time with another left hook. Though Brannon was clearly dazed, he was able to get back up and was again allowed to continue, though Jones quickly backed him into a corner and landed numerous unanswered punches before a right-left combination sent Brannon down again. Lipton immediately stopped the fight and Jones was declared the winner by technical knockout at 2:23 of the second round.Brannon Charges, Straight Into Jones's Punishing Left Hook, N.Y. Times article, 1996-10-05 Retrieved on 2024-12-31
Fight card Confirmed bouts: Weight Class Weight vs. Method Round NotesSuper Middleweight168 lbs.Roy Jones Jr. (c)def.Bryant BrannonTKO2/12Welterweight147 lbs.Ike Quartey (c)def.Oba CarrMD12/12Light Middleweight154 lbs.Darrell Woods (c)def.Keith MullingsSD12/12Super Middleweight168 lbs.Troy Watson (c)def.Billy LewisUD12/12Featherweight126 lbs.Derrick Gainerdef.Patrick SimeonTKO2/12Light Heavyweight175 lbs.Charles Brewerdef.Fermin ChirinoUD8/8Lightweight135 lbs.Lemuel Nelsondef.Roberto SierraUD4/4Welterweight147 lbs.Victor McKinnisdef.Dezi FordUD4/4Welterweight147 lbs.Zab Judahdef.Pablo TejadaTKO4/4
Broadcasting Country Broadcaster HBO
References