Hey Newbie, Calazage never fought at 160, he never beat anyone ranked at 168 until RJJ left the division and was seen as a joke sitting on his WBO strap, by most British fans until he faced Jeff Lacey RJJ beat the best 2 who fought at 160 over the last few decades. Eubank turned RJJ down a few times and then lost. RJJ beat Mallinger who beat Benn RJJ beat about 10-15 (I forget) past, current or future champions and cleaned out 175 except for Darius and that wasnt an easy fight to make RJJ was a champ for 9years, Monzon for 7 Whats more he did all this showing some of the best skills we've ever seen and hardly ever losing a round
I like Jones by decision. As great as Monzon is i think Roy is the one speedster he wouldn't be able chase down and catch enough. Jones also has some big power at this weight.
10-15 former's @ Middleweight? check your fact's again bro. :deal Jones Jr. Only fought at Middleweight like 2-3 years MAX @ Championship level. (Roy fought off and on against a majority of hand picked Jr. Middleweights including 3 fight's at Middleweight sprinkled in there from 89-93, until he faced a live opponent in '93. (Hopkins) Jones Jr. then moved up to Super Middleweight to face Toney and never looked back. Come to think of it, Jones Jr. never faced opponents who were considered "Power Punchers". besides the off balanced Vaca & Castro, and who know's where they dug up those chars. Monzon tho not considered a "Power Puncher" had 59 K.O.'s in his record, he would defo test that precious chin of one Roy Jones Jr. at the Middleweight level. This thread is at Middleweight against arguably the Greatest ever at that weight class. This ain't Lt HW, This ain't SMW, Monzon is defo not John Ruiz...lol
Agree with you here. I don't know which parties are at fault for not getting these fights done, but RJJ's status as an ATG is weakened by not fighting Darius Michalczewski and Graciano Rocchigiani. These were two pretty good contenders that RJJ could have and should have fought at 168. No rematch with Toney or Hopkins doesn't help his case either. Monzon was perhaps one of the best fighters ever that knew when and how to clinch properly in order to set up his own punches. It's not the most admirable trait a fighter can have in his arsenal, but Monzon was one of the best at tying up his opponent's arms and avoiding return shots. As for a match with RJJ, I'll bet my money on Jones to take an early lead, only to get frustrated with Monzon's skills and endurance. Monzon's been 15 rounds plenty of times in his career and RJJ hasn't fought past 12 rounds. Monzon by unanimous decision.
Emile Griffith, Benvenuti and Rodrigo Valdes would give Toney and Hopkins big time problems at middleweight. Emile Griffith, before the Benny Paret tragedy was one of the best middleweights ever. Sure, he got blown out by Ruben Carter, but I'd bet my money on prime Griffith against Toney and Hopkins. Rodrigo Valdes would definitely make Hopkins and Tony respect his power and his overall boxing skills.
Jones would have his moments in the early rounds and even may have had a lead going into the 10th round, but somewhere in the last 4 or 5 things would be very different, and the rough treatment Monzon would have dealt out to Jones would have taken it's toll. Jones would go down in the 13th or 14th, and the referee would stop it. It's impossible for me to believe that within those rounds 11 thru 15 that Jones would have escaped being drilled by the Monzon right. Those who had a chin against Monzon were able to rough it out to the end of the fight, like Valdez, Griffith and Briscoe, but Jone's beard ain't made that way. Tarver and Johnson showed up the glass that jaw is made of. Monzon would deck him and stop him in the 14th, IMO. Monzon was quite a different animal than anyone Jones ever fought, and that includes Toney and Hopkins.
First of all Jones was a great 168 fighter at 160 I don't think he's seasoned enough to handle someone like Monzon... Secondly could Jones have made the weight in Monzon's era? IMO he'd be seriously drained if he did. Jones has the style to beat Carlos I can see why people are picking him but Monzon was a hard man and anyone thinking this is easy is very short sighted. Put them in with the top 20 greatest MWs of all time and Monzon wins more than Jones but in this h2h match up it's intriguing. Like I said though, the weigh in time would be crucial to Jones' success.
The Valdez, Griffth and Benvenuti that Monzon beat would all beat the Hopkins and Toney that Jones beat.
Absolutely. Most of these people that rate Toney and Hopkins so highly have no idea about Benvenuti, Griffith, Briscoe and Valdez.
Benvenuti was a good fighter, but a tad overrated in my book, not on the level of the two guys you mentioned that Jones beat in an overall sense, though Toney was likely not at his best when Jones beat him. Either way, for this matchup, I think Monzon in a head to head sense(among fighters I've seen footage of) is the top dawg at 160 for me, and I think over 15 he'd beat Jones, over 12 the odds are more in Jones's favor, depending on if he decides to fight a more cautious fight.
Jones Jr by comfortable UD. Monzon might win a few rounds with his jab and he'd hang in for the full 12/15 but Jones is too good an athlete for Monzon, too sharp, too quick in terms of movement and handspeed.
Toney at 160 is not better than at least 4 of the fighters Monzon fought. He was drained and extremely inconsistent. And no one predicted what that machine would do for 14 years in an era of belt per champion.
Certainly not. Hopkins would've beaten Benvenuti, and a prime Hop would've beaten Valdez likely. He'd have likely won a series out of the smaller Griffith as well. Toney was also bigger than a guy like Benvenuti and Griffith.