I pick Hearns, but mostly because he dared to fight the really dangerous guys. He lost some of those, but at least we know for sure what he was capable of. With Roy you never knew because for the most part his competition paled in comparison to Tommy's.
Jones was a super athlete disguised as a boxer. I can easily envision Jones being a great running back in the NFL, out fielder in baseball, or point guard at a major college in basketball , he was just that gifted. His freak athletic skills hid a plethora of boxing liabilities. Hearns on the other hand was supremely skilled. He set up his offense behind his jab, used the jab defensively, usually had great hand placement too ward off opponents offensive attacks, was successful after his physical peak started declining. (Unlike Jones, who was getting brutally KO'ed by 2nd, and 3rd rate fighters) Hearns was better in the skills department by a mile, Jones was a far better athlete. Note: I'm not saying Hearns would beat Jones prime vs prime. Because Jones did things in the boxing ring against good competition that wasn't seen before, or hasn't been seen since. But personally I do believe prime vs prime Hearns beats Jones.
Jab, threat of the right hand. Also Hearns was no slouch with hand speed. I don't see Jones pressing a fighter as dangerous as Hearns . I see Jones attempting to time Hearns jab from the outside fighter in a defensive minded style. Jones would wait and try to find the perfect counter with minimal risk. That would be a very big mistake against a fighter the caliber of Hearns. Jones never showed the aggressiveness against true world class competition that would be required against a fighter of ATG ability. Not even against a very old Mccalum or out of shape Toney did he press the action. Hearns at or close to prime never loss to anyone who didn't press him.
I feel Jones was faster, much smarter, a better two handed puncher and had better stamina .. both men had questionable chins but Roy's superior reflexes allowed the chink in his armor to stay hidden far longer than Tommy did .. other than a brief knockdown against Lou Del Valle in 98 we never even saw Roy stung in a fifteen year career .. Tommy, as gutsy a warrior as anyone was hurt against Leonard, Hagler, Barkley twice, Roldan, Kitchen and that's just off the top of my head ..
Nah, I see Roy sparking Hearns prime for prime, and probably early. As Hearns moved up to the division Jones dominated in, he lost a lot of the physical advantages he possessed over fighters at 147 and 154. They get more and more nullified as he moves up to 160, 168 and 175. While Jones, was only getting stronger and more dominate during those years. So if anything, Jones would be the clear, and I mean clear favorite at those weights for me.
I agree with this premise.Jones was phenomenaly gifted in terms of speed and reflexes ,but Hearns is definitely the more complete fighter.
Your scenario is a possible, other your claiming it could possibly be early, which in my opinion would be highly unlikely , just basing that on what Jones actually showed in the ring, and not on what he POSSIBLY could do. But my point is would he be aggressive enough to do what your saying? When other than M.Griffin he never showed the type of aggression necessary to do that. We're not talking about a fighter that would absolutely not be a threat to Jones. (Like Griffin) But T.Hearns . Or would he do what he normally did pop shot, wait for countering opportunities? And if he waits for countering opportunities does Hearns's height, reach and jab offset his offensive burst. Plus the threat of Hearns's destructive right hand force Jones to be overly cautious. Jones never showed the aggression to blow out anyone other than 2nd or 3rd rate fighters, and even against those fighters it was usually done off a counter. Him "Sparking out" Hearns is highly unlikely. He could get him off a counter possibly. But it's just as possible he waits, and waits,and waits, for the perfect counter that doesn't come meanwhile Hearns is piling on the points and wins by dec because Jones waited too long.
