, who did you consider to be THE MAN at lightheavyweight from 1997-2003

They had comparable records for majority of that time..at the weight anyway.

Roy was the better fighter quite clearly I reckon but DM was the guy more naturally suited to the weight and unlikely to have been on roids.

I think it is one of situations where you cant say one was more "The man" then the other, to say otherwise would be like the bizarre situation of how Khaosai Galaxy is remembered over his rivals of the same era. And thus unfair.
Not having DM on his resume probably doesnt hurt Roy but would have most likely significantly increased his standing as a lightheavyweight alltime.

As who would have won if they had fought? Roy all day baby.

 

I agree.

from 1997-2003 Roy wins.

 

Jones was in all probability the best LHW at the time, but to be called THE MAN you have to beat the best of the rest and by not fighting DM Jones obviously didn't do that.

 

I voted Roy initially considering him allot better and more proven, but considering both were 1 and 2, NEITHER, there wasn't the unification of 1 and 2 in the division until Jones-Tarver 1

 

I'm from Poland, and big Dariusz Michalczewski fan. But Roy Jones Jr was better than him, and Roy was #1 at that time. Michalczewski was #2.