Better overall skills: Roy Jones jr or Sugar Ray Leonard

Over 12 rounds, I think you are absolutely right.

BOTH Leonard-Hearns fights show us that Tommy is in deep trouble over 15. He's fragile, and 15 rounds is a long time to stay away from a guy like Leonard.

 

Yeah, over 15 rounds I got Leonard winning that one about 8/10. Had they rematched soon after their first fight I think he well have gotten the job done quicker with the knowledge at hand.

 

agree fully, those kind of things do normally materialise

 

I'd sort of agree with you on both counts there, but Norris utterly dominated Leonard. Now I rate Norris much higher than most, but you could ask 'why couldn't Leonard adapt' to make it close at least? Why did Norris completely dominate him?

You make some fair points but Roy's style. But he looked horribly faded in Tarver 1, breathing through his mouth early, looking bad at the weigh in, clearly not the same fighter but pulling out the UD. His style while being physically more demanding rarely saw him lose rounds in his prime. Tarver was also naturally a bigger man

 

Jones like Ali was fundamentally flawed, he relied on his natural athleticism but that caught up with him. I think in Leonard's prime he had the better competition, lets face it a 71-1 Duran and Undefeated Hit Man Hearns and Hagler ...I think a fight that I wanted to see was Darius M. because I had a friend that sparred with him and said he could stop you cold with a jab...Roy had skills over him but he felt the type of pressure Darius would have put on Jones would have been a real test...I don't think the Hopkins Jones fought the 1st time was a great fighter, B-Hop got better with age and the light heavyweight Toney was not anything great at that weight or time..... Jones had skills but Leonard had them fast hands and feet, excellent power and speed but real killer instinct as well.

 

1. Still though even if you drop the level to the Benitez, Kalule, Mayweather, Geraldo level, Leonard was hit more. And they certainly aren't above Hopkins, Toney, Hill, Reggie J, Harding

2. Have to disagree, Leonard, better at circling, if anything head movement and punch slipping was a weakness imo, Jones it was a big strength

3. Again, while Leonard is great, I think his ability to slip punches isn't that great

4. I think we'd both agree there isn't much in that

5. Leonard does have a better jab but an inferior defence imo. I thought FMS was having the better of the early going. Granted Jones hasn't faced the MW/LHW equivilent of a Hearns in his time. However I think he'd be much more dominant against MW/SMW versions of Benitez, Mayweather, Kalule.

 

1-Fair points........especially the Kalule fight, when Leonard was hit a bit too much to my taste.......
But Hopkins, Toney, Hill, Reggie J and Harding weren´t offensive forces, they weren´t the best to push his defensive abilities.......but know what ? It shows how great was Roy´s offense actually, because it´s not easy to be so dominant and hit so much cleanly, against guys with so good defensive skills like all these opponents....Even Harding I would call a good defensive fighter......Not sure if I explained this correctly, but my point is : Leonard faced much more offensive fighters.....so, my comparison actually is not simply who was hit more......but who was hit more with a comparison not only because of the opposition level, but the style of the opposition......

2- Well, I think SRL slips against the jab was really great....

3- Okay with that.....

4- Yes....definitely PP.....

5- Yeah.......although I´m not sure if he would be that dominant against Calzaghe for example....

 

Jones might do well on punches and certain variables, but the one which Ray wins out on is boxing instinct and heart. And that is why he is so much greater than Roy.

 

My only question is how is Benitez on the level of Mayweather and Gerardo. Wilfred was a great fighter.

 

SRL not even close RJJ over rated and not in same league with SRL.

 

I think PP was comparing Benitez with Toney and Hopkins actually......

 

Leonard.

 

Oh. nevermind...

 

For what it's worth, I think Leonard beats Tommy easier if they had met immediately after the first fight. He had that fight figured out by then, and would know what to do right from the opening bell. I don't think he necessarily even needs the full 15 rounds to get it done.

He had the better fundamentals as compared to Roy, as well. Just more versatile in general.

 

Leonard