MOSCOW -- Vladimir ***** has given Russian citizenship to former world heavyweight boxing champion Roy Jones Jr.
Jones asked ***** for citizenship in August over a cup of tea when they met in Crimea -- the territory annexed by Russia last year -- saying it would make doing business in the country much easier.
***** said it would be possible if Jones planned to spend a significant part of his life in Russia, while the boxer said he hoped sport could help "build a bridge" between the United States and Russia.
"I want to speak so well in Russian that people understand me without any problems," Jones said. "I think that'll take about a year. I hope that next year I'll already be speaking like a Russian."
Jones added that he wanted to "earn 2 or 3 billion dollars," open boxing schools in Russia and develop his rap career.
Jones asked ***** for citizenship in August over a cup of tea when they met in Crimea -- the territory annexed by Russia last year -- saying it would make doing business in the country much easier.
***** said it would be possible if Jones planned to spend a significant part of his life in Russia, while the boxer said he hoped sport could help "build a bridge" between the United States and Russia.
"I want to speak so well in Russian that people understand me without any problems," Jones said. "I think that'll take about a year. I hope that next year I'll already be speaking like a Russian."
Jones added that he wanted to "earn 2 or 3 billion dollars," open boxing schools in Russia and develop his rap career.
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