NEW ORLEANS -- Boxing promoter Murad Muhammad likes to point out that Roy Jones Jr. doesn't get in shape for a fight. He stays in shape.

It's a good thing or he might be in trouble Saturday night when he meets Eric Harding in a light heavyweight title match.

In addition to getting ready to box, Jones has had to spend time promoting the bout.

While Harding (19-0-1) will earn $600,000 for the fight, the payday for Jones (42-1) will be decided by the gate and the pay-per-view audience, promoter Mural Muhammad said.

"There is no purse for him as such," Muhammad said. "Roy has chosen to invest in himself in this fight."

Jones' take will be based on what's left after expenses, which Muhammad listed at $3.5 million.

Because of the arrangement, Jones has put in long hours promoting the fight, making appearances on radio and television shows, doing extra interviews.

"I normally don't do nothing, because I don't have to. For this fight, I had to go to L.A. a couple of times," Jones said. "I've been to New York two or three times. I've been traveling so much it gets hard on me. Now I know why I usually don't do that. Because I usually don't feel I can prepare myself and do that, but this time I had to make that sacrifice."

Whatever Jones makes on the fight, he's sure of one thing: When it's over, he will no longer be under contract to Time Warner, parent company of HBO and its pay-per-view branch TVKO.

"I'm fighting to be free for a change," said Jones. "I like the comfort of a contract, but I'm happy for once that I can renegotiate and do things the way I want to do it. Money isn't always the main thing. Power is."

Jones' contract with Time Warner called for one more pay-per-view fight. His match with Harding fulfills that.

Time Warner's Seth Abraham said he would like to sign Jones again. No progress has been made on a contract, Abraham said, but the company is lobbying to sign Jones to a multi-fight contract. If Jones does not re-sign, Abraham said, Time Warner would look at each fight individually.

Oddsmakers give Harding next to no chance to beat Jones, but Jones is taking no chances.

"He's got a lot of heart, and he beats people he's not supposed to beat," Jones said. "He reminds me of what I was like when I was coming up. He takes whatever you put in front of him and he deals with it."

Jones admits Saturday's bout is not what he calls a "showdown fight," a match that has him geared up to prove he can beat the best. He won't lose focus or be unprepared, however.

"I don't get as excited, I can't really tell you I do," Jones said. "But sometimes when you look at it, there are other things in life. I didn't really want to get ready to fight this kid, but my kids are going to be watching me. How am I going to tell them to give it their all if they don't see me giving my all."

And giving his all will give those watching their money's worth, Jones said.

"It's a Roy Jones type fight," he said. "Roy will be the show."