How good was Roy Jones?

Yes but stylistically I think they were miles apart. Ali had a pretty standard boxer style. A lot of jabs and combos.

Roy was more of a one shot lead guy and counterpuncher.

 

I wasn't speaking specifically about that fight.

 

Yeah. But they both used angles very well in getting in and out. Ali and Jones (in their primes) were perhaps better than anyone I've seen to always leave their opponents literally one step behind. When the opponent were set to punch they were already gone. This was of course in large part due to their speed and reflexes, but also in how they used angles.

 

Everyone mentions the Tarver fight and all the fights after an then question his heart and chin. But I see it this way: He was brutally KOd back to back, most fighters, chamions or would never fight again! Jones very next fight after these two viscious beatings was Tarver. I think that speaks volumes. He could have retired but instead he continues and takes on arguably the best fighters of his career, even though he knows he is past his prime. That doesnt show a guy with no heart.


And anyone that questions his heart or skills in his prime, see his fight with Jorge Castro (A very underrated fighter himself) who was 70-3 at the time and Roy was only 17-0. Although Roy won a clear dec. he was in tough with a guy who was there to give him his first loss and made him use all the tools in his arsenal.

 

Even past his prime he showed plenty of heart and grit in the first Tarver fight

 

He reminds me a bit of Tony Canzoneri.

BS. Plenty of fighters fought again, and successfully, after beeing KOed.


Jones had heart, what he lacked was the will and determination to become one of the boxing gods and thus he isn´t one of them.

 

Most physically gifted fighter in history... best possible combination of hand speed, reflexes and power.

 

Thats not my point, yeah plenty of fighters fought on after being KOd but Roy was brutally KOd and his first fight back he fought one of the guys that KOd him. He could have easily retire of fought lesser opposition after thosze loses, but instead he fought better opposition. I give him credit for that. and I dont recall too many elite fighters in recent years getting KOd in that fashion back to back and still be fighting 6 years later.

 

But it doesent erase the fact,that he didnt have that in his prime it was very clear that he was unwilling to test himself,that alone is why i cant rank him that high or Mayweather.

 

He tested himself against Hopkins, Toney, Hill, McCallum, Ruiz, Tarver amongst 20 other champions

 

It seems we can find some agreement about Jones, after all.

 

Yeah, one think that would count for something.

 

Jones was probably even more unorthodox than Ali, but as an overall technician I'd have him ahead of Ali.

This young cub certainly doesn't lack technical skill:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plQKfAO01eU[/ame]