Jones Jr v Golovkin At Middleweight

I think it would be important to distinguish when in Roy's mw tenure he'd be fighting G. I would favor the peaking Roy of the Tate fight over G, but be less confident in backing the greenish Roy of the Castro fight.

 

Here's some guys that punch less hard than Golovkin that knocked Roy out:

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Jones decision

Why did Jones end up fighting younger, bigger men? He didn't even look trained then, like he half-assed it in the gym. Middleweight Jones was cut to shreds. I think his speed is the difference here.

 

Quality

 

I do think Jones wins this, but I'm more hesitant than I was a few years ago during that mega thread. GGG has the jab and footwork to get Jones on the ropes where he's a lot less supernatural, and I think there'd be rounds he wins because of this. My problem is the speed and ring generalship though, because while GGG is trying to force Roy back with the jab, Roy is going to be throwing those ridiculously fast and creative shots and using them to set traps.

I think a Jones decision is the most out likely outcome, but I could see a stoppage either way too.

 

I always thought GGG was a very good fighter but I believe he had the weaknesses that would lead to Roy winning a UD. I mean GGG literally couldn't corner Canelo and Roy is miles quicker and hits harder at 160.
As others have mentioned if GGG cannot land his jab he'll have a terrible time with Roy's speed. I believe it would be an 8-4 type fight.

 

I’m leaning towards jones although I’m not sure middle weight was his best division

 

Don’t encourage him Georgie.

With each passing year, the more he resembles No Neck.

 

I don’t understand you being hesitant.

He has a small reach, with a jab that would never have reached Roy.

He’s very easy to hit, with little head movement.

We saw Brook landing combinations at will.

We have seen him struggle with Derev and Jacobs.

We have seen Canelo’s offense make him cautious.

Now although we can note that he may have been faded there, there is nothing in his history to say that anything would have been different had those fights had happened earlier.

He is completely unproven against elite level fighters in his prime. That wasn’t his fault of course, but that’s the truth.

The stylistic match up would also have favoured Roy.

Roy would have been a significant favourite, with a decision win.

 

It doesn’t matter if GGG had great fundamentals, whereas Roy relied on a highly unorthodox style, based upon his great athleticism.

It’s how they’d have matched up stylistically.

Toney, Hopkins and Hill etc, all had excellent skills. Yet they couldn’t cope with Roy’s speed and style.


Roy took zero punishment for 16 years, where he was incredibly elusive.

You’ve said yourself that GGG has average speed.

So he had average speed and a small reach, where he’d have been fighting a fighter with incredible speed, that other A level fighters couldn’t get near.

GGG was also very easy to hit.

So GGG would have been trying to have tracked him down all night, whilst being countered.


There is nobody specifically like GGG who Roy fought. But we know that he beat fighters of the same calibre. Whereas the only A level guy who GGG fought, was Canelo. A guy who made him cautious.


I couldn’t care less about his title defences. They are completely irrelevant. It means absolutely nothing here. As well as being sarcastic, you aren’t ever able to apply any relevant context.

GGG had many title defences, but none of them were on Roy’s level, or even A level, and he could barely beat guys like Derev and Jacobs.


At the end of the day, there is zero evidence to hand, where you could have made him a legitimate favourite over Roy.

Nothing stylistically or historically.


Roy would have beaten him on U/D.

 

Sure there is.

There are zero fighters that Golovkin was not able to track down and force to exchange with him. His footwork is that good. There are "how to" videos that analyse his footwork so that others can learn. Want to see one? Sure you do:

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There are zero fighters that were able to deter him from his gameplan and zero fighters that ever had him actually hurt. The best you will get is "oooh, I don't think GGG liked that body shot" and Golovkin went straight back to work after it.

Fact is Jones has been hurt multiple times, knocked down and knocked out. He was constitutionally unable to take punishment. Unable to take the punishment dished out by guys that could not punch like GGG could punch. Bu bu but where's the evidence I hear you yammer. Ok here's one clip of RJJ getting sat down by a dude that is not an ATG:

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These are facts, unlike the scenarios that you are dreaming up where RJJ wafts through the ring carried aloft by angels and lands 300 punches to Golovkin's 1 jab. Golovkin furthermore is far less "easy to hit" than you seem to think, and especially not easy to catch clean. His boxing fundamentals are great. There are videos displaying Golovkin's defensive prowess. Want to see one? OK, only because you insist:

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Jones would have to actually

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this one, and I don't think it would end well for him.

 

I'm hesitant because of the ropes and GGGs power. Guys like Sosa, Tarver, Malinga and Hopkins all made Jones look much less supernatural when they had him up against the ropes, and they almost all used some form of jab to get him there. Reach or not, Jones would have to either counter, or retreat from GGGs jab, and GGG has great footwork. He'd wind up with Jones on the ropes a few times and that's dangerous.

I do expect Jones to win a clear decision, based on all the factors you mentioned, but as I said, a stoppage either way wouldn't surprise me.

 

Jones... by A LOT.

 

Depends on how often GGG can get him on the ropes. I've never seen a fighter look so great in the center only to look so bone average when actually pressed back. Roid's inside defense was massively underdeveloped compared to his other abilities. And it's simply impossible to stay off the ropes 100% of the time against GGG. Roid isn't superhuman (unlike what some would like to think). Also, prime GGG would be by far the best man Roid ever fought at 160, with the best jab too.

The Jones Jr fanaticism on here does seem to be picking up again lately, so I am forced to pick GGG by KO. The classic 'Jones stomps' or 'Roid easy' responses with no explanation whatsoever are particularly annoying and must be fought against!

 

GGG was one of the best middleweights ever, a pressure fighter with power, stamina and a great work rate, but I think Roy Jones Jr. in his prime was something untouchable for all the best boxers from 160 pounds to 175 (cruisers and heavyweights are another matter). Roy's reflexes, speed and unorthodox style in my opinion would have gotten the better of even a tough and aggressive fighter like GGG, who would have won a few rounds but lost the match. Roy Jones by UD.