How come RJJ never recovered...

Roy didn't train his lower body properly and that caught up with him as he aged. He ran a lot and did leg extensions, the two worst things you can do for your knees. That's why he had knee issues as early as his super middle days, and why he lost his legs prematurely.
He's basically a cripple, that's why he has poor balance and can't take a punch.
Losing muscle is another thing that really ages you, hence the drop off after the Tarver.
Roy could've lasted a lot longer if he trained more intelligently.

 

How should you train your lower body?

 

deal

Yes....I think this is the primary reason for his decline. Has never been the same since. When you get to a certain level, after years of training, things are in a balance. To suddenly go up or down in weight screws that hard won balance up and it is very difficult to restore...if possible. big mistake on his part especially at that age.

 

By strengthening them and making them more powerful, rather than jarring joints against the ground while getting weaker. Especially a fast twitch athlete like Jones, your genetics only allow you to get away with poor training for so long. It's the fast twitch fibres that go first as you age.

 

So you mean squats and deadlifts?
Spin bike?

 

Those and other things, periodised appropriately. Basically training like a proper athlete. Boxing is a sport that has trouble letting go of antiquated training practices.

 

One of the real reasons he never recovered, and one even Jones himself has alluded to having a detrimental effect upon him, was returning to the ring too soon after that concussive knockout, and suffering another concussion when he should have been out of the ring.

He said himself that his balance was never the same.

 

Roy was 35 when he was KO'd for the 1st time. His body had already been through a lot, and was already burnt out. The years and number of fights (amateur and pro) took a toll on him, as did the decades of training, sparring, and basketball. Roy was a gym rat since he was a little kid. Once KO'd his punch resistance would never be the same. He was damaged. This, coupled with his declining ability and age, was a disastrous combination for the all time great fighter. Unfortunately, you cant beat age, and you can't undo brain damage. And yes, Roy has brain damage. Most professional fighters do, to some degree. His inability to absorb hard shots after getting KO'd as an older fighter, shouldn't be held against him any more than an old fighter who has bad knees or cuts easily. In this case Roy has been injury prone for a decade, and that injury manifested as traumatic brain injury. If Jordan blew out his knee at 35, had mobility problems, and played for another 10 years- only to get embarrassed on the court, would that erase everything that he had previously accomplished? Absolutely not. the same is true for Roy. What he accomplished in boxing during his best years, is what he should be remembered for. Lets not forget, he was the fighter of the decade and p4p #1 fighter in the world for 10 straight years. I'm sure if he could do it all again, he would have walked away after the Ruiz or first Tarver fight, but hanging around after that only hurts his health, not his true legacy. If anything, the myth of Jones' invincibility was debunked, but after all, a myth is only just that.

 

Totaly agree.

You can't suffer a concussions againt Tarver in May and be in the ring 4 months later against Johnson.

just look the beginning of the fight with Johnson....Jones is simply not there...no energy..nothing = effect of concussion

Jones should have taken at least 8 months between those 2 fights.

after his second concussions vs Jhonson..he was done.

+ that his knees was done also at 35...he had no movement anymore