Ooh, this be a fight that gets FOTY. But I have to go with RJJ because of his speed. Saad might think he's getting jumped by a group of guys. But Saad would fight a good fight.
I just don't think MSM will hit Jones enough to be competitive. RJJ by very easy decision if not late TKO. When I say easy decision I don't mean the fight will be easy for Jones. I just mean that it will be a wide decision, perhaps 12 rounds to three, 147-138.
I'd favor Jones by decision as he certainly wouldn't be getting into the sort of war Saad loves so much. He'd have to stay on his game all fight tho as Saad was a big hitter and could turn the tables if given an opportunity.
I would favor Jones. Faster, craftier, more consistent and better rounded. But Saad poses a very real threat
I will probably be the only one to say this, but if this is a 15 rounder, and it goes late, I'm going with Saad. I think Roy establishes a huge lead, but in the championship rounds, Saad gonna get him. Probably around the 14th.
Roy was nowhere as elusive at 175 as he was at 160 or 168. I wouldn't be surprised if Matt caught him.
This fight would resemble Matthew Saad Muhammad's title defense against challenger John Conteh, who jumped to a good sized lead because of his boxing skill and speed early on in the 15 round contest on August 18 1979, then came round 14 when Saad Muhammad landed a booming right hand that deposited Conteh on the seat of his trunks, not once but twice, those two knockdowns retained Saad Muhammad's title for him by unanimous 15 round decision. It's very possible that a fantasy bout between Roy Jones Jr and Matthew Saad Muhammad turns out the very same way.
Saad Muhammad will make him fight; he won't be at all intimidated by Jones and his response to hand speed will be to push harder. Maybe RJJ will blast him and hurt him early but this ain't Richard Hall. Saad Muhammad will keep punching for as long as the fight lasts and he will make RJJ fight him. I know what kind of heart Saad Muhammad had in a fight. I have never felt that RJJ had the heart for a fight, especially after what happened to McClellan.
Maybe Marvin (Pops) Johnson was not a Roy Jones Jr, but he and Matthew Saad Muhammad waged war against each other, not once but twice. Saad Muhammad was a fighter that could not be intimidated by another fighter's strength, in this case the speed of Jones Jr.
Jones never showed the ability to recover from a knockdown or being hurt like Conteh, so I'm not going to assume Jones could do it simply because Conteth did.
Roy would take away Saad's jab and then it would be all one way traffic. Easy win for Roy. RJJ would be more bothered if Saad were a southpaw.