BOISE, Idaho -- Roy Jones Jr. says he'll quit boxing if he loses his next fight.

"I doubt it, but if I do lose I'm pretty much going to be calling it a day," Jones said Friday, participating by telephone from Pensacola, Fla., in a news conference to promote his fight here next month with Prince Badi Ajamu.

"I hate to think of it like that," said Ajamu, who called himself a fan of Jones. "But inevitably it's a reality that's going to be faced come July 29."

In the scheduled 12-round bout at Qwest Arena, Jones will end a 10-month layoff and try to take Ajamu's North American Boxing Organization light heavyweight title.

The 37-year-old Jones (49-4) is a former middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight champion. But he's lost his last three fights, two by knockout.

Jones said he's "very motivated because some people think I've lost it."

The 34-year-old Ajamu (25-2-1) has never fought someone of Jones' stature.

The two do have a common opponent of sorts in Antonio Tarver, who holds most of the belts for light heavyweight champion given by various world boxing organizations. Jones fought Tarver in three title fights -- Ajamu faced Tarver as a sparring partner.

"It just shows me I can compete at that level," Ajamu said. "But I know the world hasn't seen that."

Tarver handed Jones two of his last three losses and took all of Jones' championship belts in the process.

ESPN - Associated Press