Sugar Ray Robinson vs Roy Jones Jr

In 1951, Robinson weighed in at a little over 155 against LaMotta so he was only just over the modern light-middleweight limit.

I’m not convinced Jones could have made the middleweight limit in the 1950s and if he had, he would have been a different looking fighter to the one we know.

In that era Roy would have been a light heavyweight at least and likely also fought at heavyweight (in old money, pre-cruiserweight). It would be a bit like putting Ray in against Ezzard Charles when Charles was heavyweight champ. On fight night, Ray would probably be giving up 15 pounds - at least - to Jones.

So I can’t see this fight on a level playing field even with the “middleweight” version of Jones that fought there in the first half of the 1990s. I’ve gone for Jones by decision for that reason.

 

Jones by decision or even KO. Robinson is giving up a lot of weight and it's not to 'slapsie maxie' either.

 

A KO isn’t out of the question but Robinson was never kayoed (by a punch) in his career and I think his smarts combined with a measure of caution and respect from Jones (as he showed to McCallum when they met) would see Robinson through to the final bell.

 

I’m inclined to agree with you. Given the permaters set, I’d likely favor Roy Jones unless he had to kill himself to make weight.

 

The RJJ that fought Hopkins would not want to fight Ray Robinson. It would not go well for him, especially if he had to make 160 the afternoon of the fight.

 

How about Roy vs. SRR at light heavyweight in 110-degree heat?

 

Comes down to gap in size or gap in experience. By 1951 SRR was 100+ fights into his career against all sorts of skills and styles whereas RJJ was only making 160 for the initial 3 or so years of his career, spanning 21 fights.

 

Jones, by closer than expected decision.

 

Robinson by a decision in a one-shot deal but RJJ wins one or more times in an extended series.

 

15 rounds is a long time with Sugar Ray Robinson, in a fairly even fight around the 12th round Robinson lands a snapping left hook that drops Roy. He's ko'ed when he rises...

 

Whew! that is a huge disparity in experience and quality of opposition. Roy has great athleticism but he's not going to show Ray anything he's not prepared for. I'm even more solidly in Robinson's corner now,,,nice post.

 

It could affect both men in those climate conditions.

 

Unlike the older past prime version of McCallum , a poorly trained
Toney, or the overrated Hopkins, Ray Robinson had
the skills, power and most importantly the speed to get to Jones Jr.
One thing for sure we would get the answer to the question of was Jones Jr.'s
chin solid, or his mercurial athleticism and reflexes hid
it wasn't .
He would surely get tested by Robinson.
Especially if the fight was same day weigh in.
Jones Jr. should win when considering he was closer to
his prime weight than Robinson, who's best weight was welterweight.
But Robinson was still a dynamic force at middleweight, with
superior speed and power than most fighters in history at
the weight.
I wish we could've seen Jones Jr. truly get pushed at least
once in his prime
as we saw with most fighters considered ATG.
A lot of questions about his determination
and will to fight through adversity will always remain
unanswered. Questions just as important as
his extreme athleticism.