I've heard people say prime RJJ was one of the best fighters ever, and nearly unbeatable. But, did he have any weaknesses?
Strengths aside, RJJ never had the greatest chin even close to his prime- DelValle. Once his supersonic reflexes and foot speed started to go, he became quite hittable and vulnerable- not just Tarver 2, but Glen Johnson as well, who was not a big puncher at 175.
The Del Valle knockdown was a slip. Roy lost his footing on a wet patch in the ring. Although I don't believe he ever had a great chin.
None, really. If he had a weak chin, it was tested very little. He barely got hit. Hall of fame types Bernhard Hopkins and James Toney couldn't even test it. His superior speed and reflexes ruled the day.
This. Del Valle was no flash knockdown. Roy showed that unlike a younger Hearns, he was nonetheless competent at tying his man up and surviving the one crisis situation of his prime. It seems to betray the experience of somebody who had been in that situation during sparring or amateur competition. However, it was Benny Leonard who was quoted as saying the best can take a punch, but don't have to. The latter part of that quote will always be a question mark with RJJ, as it was with Ali until the 1970's. Canzi was also quick enough to get away with his hands down, but we saw early in McLarnin I that he could stand up under bombs after his legs and reflexes had diminished for his final major career win. (He was also smart enough to call it quits as soon as somebody finally did stop him.)
I've finally responded to you on the Roy-Hagler thread. You've made some good points in your above post, but as I've mentioned on the other thread, Roy slipped against Del Valle. Check out the replay. He took the punch, moved back, and then extended his right foot for support, which slipped on a wet part of the canvas, which in turn made him fall face first. It looked as though it was a dramatic knockdown. But really it wasn't. The best view of it is from the overhead camera angle.
Shouldn't the lack of mileage on his chin have left him more durable as he got older compared to the average older fighter?
You have to assume his chin wasn't solid. So his only weakness is being tagged. Hopkins or Toney couldn't time him. No one could out speed him. I think you just have to pressure and stop him with a big shot. I think the smallest people I favour to do that are Rocky, Dempsey, Frazier and Holy.
Roy had a good chin before the weight drop. Toney actually did land some right hands on him and he took them well. Ruiz rocked him early also but Roy shook it off.
Boredom. Putting himself in the ropes. Griffin and Harding were his toughest fights, I'd rewatch those.
Depends on your definition of weaknesses. Chin is very suspect.....durability. Thus if he were ever in a truely tough fight his odds of winning decrease. He was no textbook boxer but instead relied on natural speed and reflexes. He like Ali became a much more hittable fighter once these reflexes began to wane.
Lack of motivation was his worst enemy even during his prime. He could be getting rid of lots of his opponents in the first couple of rounds, but he allowed them to stay far longer.