The ESB British Forum Encyclopedia

Nah, that's the only below average contribution thus far IMO.

Make up for it, input another one about someone else, if you know anything about anyone else :good

 

Name: Roy Jones Jr

Height:: 5 ft. 11in (180cm)

Birth: 1969-01-16

Boxing record
Total fights 61
Wins 54
KO's 40
Losses 7 (3)

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Blessed with arguably the most unbelievable physical attributes in the history of the sport, Roy Jones was an absolute freak during the 1990's. Mocking 'Elite' opposition with his speed and Alien-esque reflexes, Roy Jones Jr was literally untouchable for the best part of his career, spanning 160lbs to Heavyweight at the top.

Semi-Final; Olympics Vs Richie Woodhall

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-TnU1VuNSU[/ame]

Controversial Final

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdzVSMFpm6w&feature=related[/ame]


Famously robbed of Olympic Gold in Seoul, Jones had a meteoric rise to the top. He blew away mid-level opposition before beating a fairly green Bernard Hopkins, largely with one hand. Hopkins however, was subsequently undefeated until meeting Jermain Taylor, cementing himself as an ATG middleweight whilst Jones continued his rise through the weights with similar success.

Wins over top contenders Malinga and Thomas Tate (who had given Julian Jackson a good argument) comprised the rest of his unremarkable Middleweight tenure; he did display unbelievable talent during this reign.

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

Moving up in weight to challenge the arguable P4P no.1 James Toney (who had beaten Michael Nunn, who himself was seemingly on a Roy Jones-esque rise to the top based on unmeasurable talent) was little bother for Jones. Toney, struggling with the weight, was soundly beaten, his defensive radar bamboozled by Jones' lack of rhythm, handspeed, timing, and ability to land and disappear without leaving himself open to sharp counters.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsMP1Iqyj_0[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNvQ9oBsDJU&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2TezRk1uU&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm4TfeDysAs&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQUdjgYbb_Y&feature=related[/ame]

Jones' most aesthetically pleasing performance arguably came against Vinny Pazienza, undoubtedly a tough cookie but no doubt a natural lightweight! An impressive victory in the manner Roy achieved it, but not a top-notch opponent IMO. Pazienza tried bullying Jones, but still found him hard to hit. Roys combination punching, speed and power were freakish, beating the naturally smaller around and terrorising him with sharp punching.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS1rUHK30as[/ame]

Jones then got an opportunity to face one of his heroes, Mike McCallum. Jones essentially carried the veteran and won a decision. Not even McCallums' unlimited ring smarts and savvy could see him make the fight that competitive. Jones was still on another level, his handspeed, combinations and ability to slip punches and counter were truly insurmountable even for the cleverest of technicians.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-enYWiYorU[/ame]

Montell Griffin, a top light heavyweight contender of the time, gave Jones serious problems until Roy 'turned it on'. Stressed and frustrated at his lack of success throughout the fight, Roy hit Griffin whilst he was still on the deck and was disqualified. He avenged this 'defeat' by decimating Griffin in the rematch, with terrifying ferocity.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Khbw82qUM[/ame]

Jones then beat an arguably ATG in Virgil Hill next, brutally laying waste to him with a single body shot, early on in the contest.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nKE8LME4sQ[/ame]

Reggie Johnson was more notable as a middleweight, but mixed with decent wins over top contenders Gonzalez, Woods and Eric Harding saw Roy round off a dominant reign at 175lbs (despite not facing Dariusz Michalewski, arguably the biggest threat to his supremacy but in the same position as say, Sergei Drinzsuruk was until recently, a European fighter staying at home and not chasing the big fights in the U.S) and in need of a bigger challenge to really force him to fight.

He stepped up to Heavyweight, taking a while to figure out how his body would hold up at the weight. Sensing an easier stylistic matchup, he widely outpointed a game, but basic John Ruiz.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d5RML6uCBU[/ame]

It's after reaching these heights (in terms of acclaim as well as weight) that Jones started to lose his vaunted reflexes. Dragged back down two weight classes to face brash and cocky contender Antonio Tarver, Jones squeeked past him to win via controversial decision. Alarm bells were ringing for fans of Roy, as he didn't appear his old self. He found it harder to stay out of range against an essentially average fighter, the sort of which he was making fun of just a year earlier. In the rematch, Jones was sparked in the 2nd round, unable to move out of the way of a big left hand. Roy Jones the phenom, was over, after 11 years amongst the top P4P fighters in the sport. A crushing K.O loss against tough old-timer Glencoffe Johnson was the final nail in the coffin for Roy at the top of the game.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LchpACY7ZVY&feature=related[/ame]

Since then, Jones has participated in glorified exhibitions, sometimes against 'Elite' opposition (Hopkins, Calzaghe) and losing on points, a 'super fight' exhibition with Felix Trinidad and sometimes in supposed 'warm-up' fights against Jeff Lacy (durable, Jones was the first man to stop him) and Danny Green (a light heavyweight, stopped Jones in a catchweight 'Cruiserweight' bout. Still having enough to beat lesser opponents with relative ease, but in survival mode against dangerous opposition. Jones' has always retained most of his handspeed, and it's his legs, for so long able to keep the fight where Roy wanted it to be, that failed him post-Ruiz.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-8IS94GFyY[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAb6nkvYgOk[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfkXMFUuWm8[/ame]

Roy Jones still plies his trade as of the 17th March 2011. Most fans prefer to remember him in all his pomp as the best boxer in the game, and arguably the most naturally talented fighter of all time. Not even a steroid allegation could really ruin the mans reputation. Not even performance enhancing drugs could explain just how phenomenal Roy Jones Jr was at his peak.

 

Intentionally omitted, but not widely known about:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp7h37fMneg[/ame]

One of Jones' worst defences at 175 IMO, this guy appears incredibly padded. Roy coasted too much and showed he was human; suffering a flash knockdown!

Del Valle had lost to previous 175lb kingpin Virgil Hill on points; Hill was quality, but I'm interested to see if anyone has seen that fight and can give me a better gauge of just how good this Valle was....because from the Jones fight he appears shite (bar the KD of course :yep)

 

Antculls Galindez piece and Wallets Frazier bio are my two faves thus far :good

 

Cheers :thumbsup

You gotta do a MSM piece soon ya know :deal

 

Monday :deal

 

Cheers. :good

Some good additions recently, the RJJ and Tapia ones especially.

 

:good

 

I expect a Paup Snith bio on Monday as well Flea. :good

 

:rofl :rofl :rofl

 

brilliant!

roy jones will always be one of my all time favourite boxers ever.

 

:good Roy Jones got me into boxing as a kid, he will always be one of my favourite fighters. He's an old timer, and to this day the best fighter I have ever seen, even if he fell short of being truly one of the greatest fighters there ever was.

I have him anywhere between 36-45 most of the time.

 

Name: Michael 'Manitas de Piedra' Carbajal

Birth Date: 17th September 1967

Birth Place: Phoenix, Arizona

Final Career Record: 49(33) - 4

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A 5 time World Champion in the Light Flyweight division, Michael Carbajal spent his whole 10 year, 54 fight career, campaigning in the weight class and is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the divisions history.

Carbajal was a decorated amateur star, winning the Silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games before representing the USA in the 1988 Seoul Olympics where he earned himself a Silver Medal, losing out to the Bulgarian representative in the final. Footage from his Olympic fight with Canada's Scott Olson, whom he also faced and beat in the professional ranks, can be seen below:

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

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6tgA4d4i4M[/ame]


Further to his Olympic games campaign, Carbajal turned professional in February 1989, fighting his debut on the undercard of the famous fight between his hero Roberto Duran (Carbajal took his 'Manitas De Piedra' moniker, meaning 'Little Hands of Stone' from Duran) v Iran Barkley for the Middleweight title in Atlantic City, winning a 4 round decision against Will Grigsby.

A series of victories against fairly poor opposition followed until Carbajal took his first big step up in a match against the NABF champion Tony DeLuca in his 12th fight. Carbajal would win nearly every round and took a wide decision victory in his first 12 round fight.

Two fights later and only 17 months after his professional debut, Carbajal would challenge for his first World Title against the undefeated IBF Champion, Muangchai Kittikasem. The fight was aired on ABC in America and Carbajal went on to put in a wonderful performance, flooring the Thai fighter 4 times en route to a 7th round stoppage:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h4G9iAzbgY[/ame]

After winning the IBF title, Carbajal went on to make a string of impressive defences over the course of 2 years, before a fight was arranged between himself and Mexico's WBC champion, Humberto 'Chiquita' Gonzalez, who himself had also been on a tear up through the divisions best fighters. By the time their fight was announced, there was huge anticipation for the fight and it would be the first ever Light Flyweight fight to headline a PPV event.

The fight itself would go on to be fairly bori...... Nah i'm joking, it was an absolute classic, both men going back and forth in an all action brawl that was awarded with RING magazines fight of the year for 1993. Carbajal was knocked down twice and whilst Gonzalez suffered a bad cut to his eye, he was winning the fight before Carbajal rallied in the 7th and stopped him in dramatic fashion. Carbajal would also be awarded RING Magazines fighter of the year for 1993.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Carbajal_vs._Humberto_Gonzalez_I

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TO5QLkNDGc[/ame]

After this fight, Carbajal was a certified superstar, however he was plagued by personal problems. 2 routine defences of his titles were fought before he rematched Gonzalez in February 1994. The rematch, whilst fairly entertaining, failed to live up to the fireworks of their first bout and Gonzalez claimed a split decision victory, taking Carbajal's titles and handing him his first professional defeat.

Carbajal would rebound well from the Gonzalez defeat and claimed the WBO title from Josue Camacho with a shut out victory in July 1994, which set up the rubber match between himself and Chiquita. The fight took place in November 1994, but it again failed to live up to the first fight and Gonzalez once again claimed a decision victory, this time via a majority.

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

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hARKz5MEfoY[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tlPOzJIpu8[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUH9fQl5pnE[/ame]

After this second defeat, Carbajal would go on to take a string of lower key bouts, winning 7 on the bounce before he was given a shot at the vacant IBF trinket against the experienced Melchor Cob Castro whom he would defeat by a unanimous decision, making Carbajal a 4 time world champion.

A handful of defences followed before he was defeated for the third time in his professional career, this time by the undefeated Mauricio Pastrana. Carbajal's decline was now very noticable, and whilst he had enough in the tank to defeat former amateur rival Scott Olson in his next fight for the lightly regared IBA title, he was then delivered a heavy beating and the first stoppage defeat of his career by the tough South African, Jacob 'Baby Jake' Matlala. The defeat signalled to Carbajal that his career was over and he announced his retirement in the aftermath of the fight:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGXmb0cv9Ls&feature=related[/ame]

Carbajal's retirement lasted 19 months, when he made his return in February 1999 against former WBA and WBO champion, Jose De Jesus. He would imprees in the fight and stopped De Jesus in the 7th round. Two more victories would occur before Carbajal had his final fight, and perhaps his crowning moment.

Jorge Arce was the young WBO titlist with a big future ahead of him and Carbajal was expected by most people to be cannon fodder for the champion and nothing more than a past it, big name to look good on his record. For the first 10 rounds, this is exactly how the fight played out, as Arce comfortably handled the older man. Carbajal, however, refused to go down and managed to tough it out. Then, in the 11th round, one big right hand changed the landscape of the fight completely. Carbajal landed a sweet overhand right which shook Arce to his boots, this was followed up by a a barrage of punches to which Arce had no answer for, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight. Carbajal was now a 5 time World Champion and was able to retire happily, after a fitting end for a warrior.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUlpNm6hcWc[/ame]

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

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iilp22jX5ao[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwKr2NpX66U[/ame]

 

Brilliant stuff :good Carbajal no doubt one of the hardest punching light flys of all time, his first fight with Chiquita is a classic.

 

GP's just done a RJJ tribute video :good

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM6yMAvwjkE[/ame]