Prime Roy Jones Jr. in today's MW-LHW division.

I always think that I think that RJJ was so good because of nostalgia. Then I rewatch his fights and realize that he was actually better than what I remembered.

 

The thread question was about prime Roy Jones. To your point, prime Roy Jones didn't get beat by anybody and had no losses to a great fighters for almost a decade until his prime ended with Antonio Tarver beating him. The best of today's fighters in that weight group, Alvarez, Golovkin, Bivol and Beterbiev would really struggle to have a chance to beat Jones. Beterbiev is too slow, Alvarez too small and Golovkin too old. Bivol may have the best chance if he used his boxing ability to it's fullest advantage.

My comments are not era-favoritism related. I'm pretty old, my era would actually be 1965 through 1985 and I think Roy beats all the middies and light heavies from that era with the possible exception of Carlos Monzon. Even at that, I think he would have beaten Monzon 7 of 10.

I have RJJ on my post World War 2 boxing Mount Rushmore. He was that good.

 

I watched those fights a day after they happened on British TV and British commentators were dissapointed in Jones performance v B-hop, Frank Maloney (or Kelly Maloney) was in the studio after that fight was shown on the unddercard of Bowe v Holy too and he mentioned that he and Lewis swere complelety unimpressed with Jones up to that point and didn`t get all the fuss.

 

But Roy's wins at light heavy aren't really that impressive

 

Well roids would make you that good and why did his prime end when he lost how come he can't be in his prime and jus get beat by the better fighter?

The fact tarver caught him clean and kod him yet people think bertibiev or bivol couldn't land on him is baffling

 

It's a bit like Floyd fights...I remember them not being great to watch but it's difficult to fight someone that dominant. I fancied Tony to win his fight but he didn't really do that much and Hopkins was still a bit Green. It doesn't change the fact that Roy was pretty special I only really liked him after the first Tarver fight because for the first time he looked human and had to dog it out.

 

Your being dense. Roy was damaged goods after coming back down from heavy. Learn to read the thread title you tit.
PRIME.

 

You tit he had fought tarver to a bull**** MD before getting banged out in the rematch his chin was fine Roy himself said he was worse in the first fight than in the rematch so that a lame excuse....

 

Prime you dribbling fanny....

 

Hard to look past a Prime Jones beating all of them,Prime Jones was a special talent .

 

glen johnson knocked him out stiff and was outboxing roy, jermall can do it who is way faster and sharper than a washed up glen johnson

 

Hard to pick these contemporary titlists with one or two truly notable wins against a legendary fighter like Jones. Im sure if he fought the ten biggest threats of today in that weight range that one or two beat him but to single one out and give the edge doesnt feel right. Have to wait for their careers to be over.

 

Prime Roy beats them all with wide scores except for Prime GGG.

Clenelo would be saved by his corner. I'm not sure if Bivol and Beterbiev see the final bell.

GGG could make things interesting at MW. Surreal punching power, shotgun jab, straight compact punches, and perfect ability to cut off the ring... RJJ wins but he would have to fight so cautiously that it might be boring at times. Pins and needles kinda fight.

 

That's a fair question and a valid point. A lot of times it can be tough to know when a boxer's prime is done until you can look back at their complete career. With Jones, however, that was not the case.

He was 47-1 when he lost to Tarver with his only defeat coming on a disqualification for hitting Montell Griffin who was kneeling on the canvas. In the two fights before Tarver beat him, Jones had lost an average of three rounds on the judges scorecards when he won the heavyweight title against John Ruiz and he followed that with a majority decision win over Tarver. Such was Jones' greatness that the lack of dominance in those wins already had many people saying he was past his prime before he lost to Tarver. If you want to say the loss to Tarver isn't proof then you only have to look at his next fight when Glen Johnson knocked him out to prove it.

It's not like Jones was a young guy. He had been a pro for 15 years and a champ for 11 years when Tarver beat him. All in all, it is very reasonable to think that, at the very latest, Jones' prime ended with the Johnson fight.

 

Clearly he was still in his dad's scrotum sac apparently lol.