Could Roy Jones beat James Toney at Heavyweight in 2003?

You're still harping on the weight drained exuse.

Toney beat Charles Williams at 168 lbs only a month or two before he lost to Jones.

If he was dumb enough to blow up knowing the Jones fight was right around the corner, than its all on him.

Now Williams having to get down to 168 after fighting his whole career at 175 is someone who could use the weight drained exuse.

 

Spot on!

 

Roy's mobility and reflexes were on point during his only HW contest against John Ruiz. He looked just as good as he did at 175 and appeared to look even stronger at Heavyweight. His chin was never an issue; the drop in weight is what caused his poor punch resistance, much like Chris Byrd when he dropped down in weight.

Roy left the Heavyweight division, not because he was on the way down, career wise, but because as the WBA Champ, his options were limited; the only safe/winnable fights around was against IBF Champion Chris Byrd and that wasn't commercially viable.

Public demand was for a Roy Jones vs Mike Tyson fight or a Roy Jones vs Lennox Lewis fight, both of which gave Jones reasons to reassess his heavyweight endeavor. After Jones priced himself out of a Tyson and Lewis fight he decided to drop down in weight and defend his LHW titles against Tarver.

 

And what an inspiring choice that turned out to be. Haha. Should have taken the Tyson or Lewis fight for more money.

 

It may have been his fault but he was still weight drained.Well then. Williams went a heck of a pace for being weight drained.

 

To me, Roy almost fought scared against Ruiz. Him winning that fight had a lot to do with his reputation.His chin was never an issue because Roy was so good in his prime. When his reflexes began to slow, it became a different story.

 

Nah, it's a myth that Jones had always had a weak chin but in his prime was never hit because of his super reflexes. Even at his best, he still got hit but never once really shaken or wobbled. Even Toney in their fight hit him hard quite a few times but had not really had much effect. Ruiz got through a few times as well. No I think the biggest effect on his body on coming back down from heavyweight was his punch resistance and after the Tarver ko, once it's was gone, it was never the same again.

 

RJ confidence and aura of near invincibility was sky high after the Ruiz fight. He was like Fenech and Tyson before these suffered ko losses. Jones Jr nothing to fear from Toney as he had beaten him before and does the same at HW.

 

Excellent Post.

Roy was riding the same wave that Floyd Mayweather was riding now; the only division where is was conceivable for Roy to lose was the Heavyweight division, by a bonafide heavyweight top flight Heavyweight at that. Toney would have lost the one advantage that he had over Holyfield, Peter, Rahman, Guinn, etc. He would have been the slower man in the ring.

Toney needed this fight more than Jones, but even if Roy took it, I just don't see how Toney wins.

 

You are talking about the 1st Tarver fight, but Roy went the distance in that one. Look, Roy had no weight issue in the Tarver II fight or Johnson fight, his abilities just declined.

 

Yeah, he had beaten him 10 years before, 40 pounds ago and a weight drained version too. Look, Roy was knocked out shortly after Ruiz fight a few times. He would have to stand more in front of Toney. I do not rule out Roy winning but I would favour Toney in that one. In their prime I think Roy beats Toney from 160-175 pounds although in a more competitive fight (as Toney was weight drained).