Roy Jones v. 1919 Jess Willard

Somebody the size of Jones beating Willard while he was a local level fighter, or in a local level fight that he took at short notice, does not translate into the likelihood of Jones beating him in a title fight.

If you argue that, you are somewhat overlooking the circumstances of the era.

The reality is that all being equal, fighters like Jones do not beat superheavyweights.

Tommy Loughran was the best technician of his era, but it did not get him anywhere against Primo Carnera.

James Toney was the best boxer in the heavyweight division, but he still kept coming up short against big limited fighters.

Power is the key equalizer that you need to prevail in matches like this, and even the most brilliant technicians are doomed to fail without it.

 

Willard had fought 10 lackluster rounds in FOUR YEARS!

How does that make him better than when he was a local level fighter who was somewhat active?

 

Willard in 1919 looks no slower than a current Deontay Wilder.

 

HUH? Dont see that. Must be the film speed.

RJJ COULD beat 1919 Willard. Or he COULD lose. To deny either could happen is stupid. I give Jones a slightly greater chance of victory.

 

demps never drew the shyte line

 

Did that stop Maske from coming back?

 

Such a different echelon of greatness, we are talking about a different sport entirely.

 

My honest and sincere opinion is that fighters lose to very different kinds of opponent before their primes, and when they are not being prepared properly.

Here are our problems in terms of precedence:

Jones is not just a former light heavyweight, he is a former middleweight!

He has basically got to do something that has never been done before.

Jones has a very thin resume at heavyweight, so he is perhaps not the best candidate to be first.

My best guess is that Jones would not even take the fight.

 

Would you assume that a novice Vitally Klitschko, who had never beaten anybody world class, was better than the version that beat Sam Peter?

Names are not everything, you have to factor in context.

 

Roy Jones has no margin for error here. He might have the lead for a while, but I think he would be very cautious, and would have a tough time reaching Willard.

The Ring size and the number of rounds here are key factors. Smaller ring, and 15 rounds or more, I'll take Willard.

Large Ring and 10 rounds or less I'd go with Jones.

 

Hide, who had only lost to Bowe, was not world class? Larry Donald, with losses only to Bowe and Johnson, wasn't world class? Kirk Johnson and Danny Williams, at the time, weren't world class?

 

I did not specify an exact version of Vitally Klitschko.

Lets say pre Hide for the sake of argument.