Corrie Sanders vs Roy Jones for WBO heavyweight Title in 2003...who wins?

Sanders was not a great heavyweight but its his style which makes this fight hard to call. Sanders was quick, much quicker than Ruiz, he was a southpaw, started fast and had a massive punch, for the first 4 or 5 round RJJ would have to get on his bike, as Sanders would know that would be the best time for him to land a KO punch. id expect jones to realise that aswel though so after a few scary monents early on i see his ability shining through, he'll pick holes in the tiring Corri Sanders' defence and end up running away with it on point.

Good big man may always beat a good lil man, but the good big man rarely beats the legendary lil man.

 

Frankly, I don't consider Corrie Sanders to be a journeyman. Fringe contender maybe, but that's about as low as I'd place him. up until about the age of 43, he had a record of something like 41-3-0-30, or there abouts. He never really Ko'd anyone significant prior to beating Wlad, but certainly cleaned house easily on some of the divisions better veterans and trialhoarses. His loss to Nate Tubbs came early in his career, and the Rahman loss was partially attributed to poor preparation. He had suffered a knee injury in training, which inhibited from running, sparring, jumping rope or doing any major endurance work. All he could do, was basically work the bag and a few other things. The consequence, was him tiring in the mid rounds, leading to Rahman pounding him on the ropes. Prior to that, Sanders was basically kicking his ass. Rahman also went on to becoming a world champion in case anyone has forgotten.

Sanders, though nothing special, was a better fighter than many are giving him credit for

 

Well, as of December of 1989, or January 1990, if I recall, he was not a ring rated fighter, and the only notworthy opponent he had beaten recently was an aging Trevor Berbick, not to mention having career losses to the likes of men like Mike White, David Bey, and Jesse Ferguson. Therefore, I don't think his standing was too much better than Corrie's was quite honestly. One of the alphabet organizations ( which I know you disdain ), had Douglas at #2 going into the Tyson fight, but this was not a rating that I felt was terribly well justified.

The Ring ratings right around January-February of 1990 were something like this, in no exact order. ( Bare with me, as this is all from memory nearly 20 years ago )

1. Mike Tyson- Champion
2. Evander Holyfield
3. Michael Dokes
4. Razor Ruddock
5. Tim Witherspoon
6. Carl Williams
7. Renaldo Snipes
8. Jose Ribalta
9. Frank Bruno
10. Gary Mason

These could be a tad off, but generally I think they are very close to what I remember reading that month. In truth, Orlin Norris was probably in there for a brief period as was probably Alex Stewart. I do not remember seeing Douglas in there prior to the Tyson fight, or at least not in late 89' or early 1990.

 

Well, you didn't necessarily hear that from me, but incidentally I think he could have been a potentially dangerous opponent for anybody on the right night.

While I respect, the ring mag, it is not the end all be all of boxing. It was founded by one of the most biased historians in the sport's history. It is a source, nothing more. I do not buy into its self proclaimed title as " The bible of boxing "

I'm thinking the average opponent Sanders beat was a tad better than the usual 0-0-0 bum that Clark typically fought...

Well, he defeated some very good trial hoarses and journeyman, and of his three losses, two of them were to good fighters. So frankly, I think I'd place him a step above.

So all of a sudden, a fighter can't even lose a single match early in his career, without being subject to scrutiny? A rather contradictory position for a man who steadfastly supports greats of the past don't you think?

Who the hell knows? But suffering an injury that disables a person to the extent of not even being able to train, can lead to a loss against almost anyone.

He had Hasim Rahman against the ropes and hanging on for dear life, before Rahman started getting the better of him. Of course, boxrec doesn't reflect this, and I believe the youtube version only shows the latter half, so you wouldn't know.

Hence, he wasn't as bad as you're making him out to be. Look at your pattern of debating for a minute.

" Lennox Lewis was knocked out by a mediocre Rahman ".

" Corrie Sanders was knocked out by a mediocre Rahman ".

" David Tua drew with a mediocre Rahman "

Gee, maybe its time to stop calling the guy mediocre uh?

 

Very well, Its been nearly 20 years, and I was a tad off. I do recall Norris and Damiani being in there as well.

 

Jones comes in to fight....Sanders' left hand lands on the Supermiddleweight grade chin and that's all she wrote. (based upon observation of post-football game parking lot fights in Texas).

 

Agreed. It would have been seen as the equivalent of Billy Conn being slain by Joe Louis. I think that Sanders, when good, was much more lethal than John Ruiz, and stood a good chance at demolishing Jones, like in one or two rounds, max.

 

Sanders is a former heavyweight titleholder at a moment when there was no clear-cut champion; with Lewis retired, W. Klitschko was the number 1 and had been ranked as #1 contender for more than two years straight. Sanders knocked him out in two rounds.



And what does this have to do with "being lucky"? It doesn't take a mastermind to see that this is a horrible stylistic matchup for Jones. Sanders is a very big heavyweight whom he will have trouble potshotting, and Corrie's fast hands plus unorthodoxness will see to it that that power left hand finds its mark sooner or later. And while i think Jones' chin at 168/175 is fine, i don't think he can take Sanders' punch. Hell, he couldn't take Tarver's punch at the point you are considering this fight to take place.

 

Sanders KO or RJJ UD. RJJ would be on his bike in this 1 and I think he'd pull it off. After the first 2 rounds Sanders will be a punch bag anyway

 

Roy Jones had a chance to take this fight, talked it up then ran. Sanders would have KO'd Jones. His power, size and handspeed were too much.

 

Which Hvywt. fighter was Jones, Jr. thinking about fighting and
Papa Jones said "negatory"?

Jones Jr. delayed his move to heavyweight until Ruiz was the
perfect opponent for him.