How good was RJJ at heavyweight?

Instead of Hill it's Douglas. I'd say the heavyweight talk, ambitions, flirting whatever started early in 1996. So before he even fought at 175 (Sosa was catchweight).

 

Far from it.

I merely believe that even that version of Tyson could have taken Jones out completely with one shot from either hand anytime inside the 3 rounds it took him to get bored at that stage of his " career." My money would be on a 1st round stoppage.

I have more faith if you like, in a semi interested Tyson's punch power, than ANY version of Jones' sh it chin., coupled with the fact that ANY version of Tyson was never as slow and plodding as Ruiz.

There is a big difference between a dangerous guy that simply couldn't be bothered after a few rounds, and another guy who could never pose a threat at any time, as was the case with Ruiz.

 

I don't rate Tyson as high as you. I'm sure the reverse can be said about other fighters.

 

Good post.

You may have been right.

I think Mike would have been extremely dangerous for about 3 rounds. But if Roy had've been there beyond that, I think he'd have pot shotted his way to victory. I think Mike would have switched off mentally and just been happy to collect his cheque. Mike had zero motivation at that point. No disrespect to McBride, but he'd have been lucky to have made it to the second round against a pre prison version of Mike.

 

I don't think so mate.

People would have been too fixated on the fact that he'd have swooped in after they'd retired. They'd have concentrated more on what he didn't do, rather than what he did do. That's why nobody gives him credit for the Ruiz win. Because Lennox was 'The Man' and everyone hated Ruiz's style.

I think if Ruiz had been the champ at CW, Roy would have gotten more credit.

 

Hiya mate.

Roy beat McCallum late in 96, and then fought Griffin early in 97. While he was training for Griffin, he gave an interview stating that Hill was in his sights as he was the lineal champ. But Dariusz got to him first, and due to how the first fight with Griffin ended, they had the rematch in August of 97.

After Roy had beaten him, he spoke of wanting Evander. But nothing came of it, and then Michael Nunn became his mandatory. But he didn't like the money what was on offer. Nunn was faded, but was still dangerous and highly motivated. And after Roy had lost out on a purse bid, he would have gotten around $1.8m, whereas he'd been used to fighting much lesser opponents for a lot more money. So he wasn't interested and he started to give serious thought to a huge money fight at HW. In the end, he relinquished his WBC belt late 97/early 98, and went to Atlanta to meet Evander and his attorney - Jim Thomas, to discuss a potential fight. But as noted, Evander wasn't interested at the time.

Then the opportunity to fight Douglas presented itself, for a reported $6m, which was more than 3 times the amount a Michael Nunn fight would have made him. And as far as I'm aware, Roy signed for the fight and set up camp. But after 6 years of no communication with his father, his father suddenly stepped in and told Roy that as his father, he wasn't going to let him go through with it. So he pulled out. Then after he'd pulled out, he fought Hill at a catchweight for $3.5-4.5m that included a bonus from HBO for his contract rolling over.

After his fight with Hill, he then bizzarrely asked the WBC to reinstate him as their champion, even though he'd relinquished his belt, and Nunn and Rochigianni had fought for it. And they ridiculously agreed. Then in the middle of all of that, Dariusz gave up his belts/was stripped, only hanging on to his WBO belt. So Roy ended up fighting Del Valle for the WBA, and would go on to unify the following year after beating Reggie Johnson for the IBF.

Roy had flirted with the idea of fighting a HW, even back in 95. But it was only in 98, when he was 29, that he actually seriously tried to sought out official fights.


:good

 

Patterson still gets credit despite coming along after Rocky.

He wouldn't get credit as a HW great but his p4p greatness would be bigger than it is today.

 

I don't know. You know the hate he gets. I think people would have said that he'd have waited while it was safe then picked his moment carefully. Of course his overall resume would have been stronger, so yes, they'd have to recognise that. But he wouldn't have got much credit for his HW exploits.

 

More credit than fights vs Tarver and Johnson would bring, that's for sure.

 

Nunn would be a tough fight for anyone at 160. Tall, rangy, southpaw who can box.

 

jones shouldda gone down to cruiser instead of LHW, which wouldn't have killed him since he'd not have had to lose any weight, he was cruiser as a HW.

winning that title or unifying at age 34 would have been enough to secure an incredible legacy, marred badly only by PED use at some stage.

 

:good

 

No doubt.

 

It's hindsight.

This CW mission he's on now, is just an excuse to prolong his career.

He was never bothered about it around the time he fought Ruiz. It meant nothing to him.

 

true this is the thing with the new divisions like smw and cw, no one gave a fig about them since they never existed when they were young men, and were completely worthless to them.