Fighters whose weaknesses were only exposed when they were past their prime !

I know its a cliche "that shot would have taken anyone out" but the shot Jones was hit with vs Tarver was huge. I honestly don't see many if any light heavies getting up from that. I don't hold that against his chin really. The shot he got hit with vs Johnson on the other hand...that was a little bit weak and the fact he was out for ages is pretty bad. I still think his chin is decent though.

 

u gotta a point i guess

 

The point is that in Roys prime, no one could get close to his chin.
He had the best reflexes and speed of anyone in the history of boxing at LH.

He was shot after he moved back down from his complete dominance of Ruiz at heavweight, and that is the only reason why a nothing fighter like Tarver caught him.

A prime Roy was never there to be hit, so his punch resistance was never ever a factor in deciding his greatness.

 

Freitas's heart and stamina was exposed by Corrales, I wouldnt call him past his prime there, but he definitely was when Juan Diaz recently took it to him.

 

Well, its not like Roy was never hit, he did take hard punches in his career. His knockout losses are exaggerated though IMO, they are his latest fights so one just sees them and forgets all his accomplishments in the ring and that he went like a dozen years without really being hurt or dropped. Roy could take a punch. For example against Montell Griffin in the rematch, he shows absolutely no respect for him at all, Griffin hits a number of times Roy just walks through and destroys his man. Griffin was a decent puncher. I also agree that the Ruiz fight took a bit out of him. Moving up and down in weights takes its toll. Tommy Hearns declined quite a bit just from doing this (up to light heavy, back down to middle, up again etc).

 

Thats a good way to describe it. Against his level of competition it held up, and that includes against fighters like Hopkins and Toney. If Roy Jones was pitted against some of the great Light heavyweights and middles thats where I see his punch resistance failing, e.g. against Michael Spinks or Bob Foster

 

Hopkins and Griffin both tried 'fighting in the pocket'. In the 1st Griffin fight it was Eddie Futch's strategy to keep on Roys chest and make him work. Roy adapted and had turned the tide alot before he was disqualified. Hopkins tried fighting on the inside like he did against his other opponents, Roy kept the jab going and stayed on the outside not being drawn in.

 

Tyson and Holyfield , both used reflexes and pressure , that when they aged slightly were never quite the same.. They were also very hungry, In the last ten years both men were lacking the desire to be the greats they were once striving to be.

 

I definately agree with Tyson. I think his shaky character was what was exposed. Everyone one was aware of the difficulties outside of the ring but he always looked like a machine inside of it. So once he was past his prime, he slowed down and he's reflexes didnt allow him to dispatch people lik he usually did and his frustration would boil over.