Because Tunney had four inches in reach, power, near equal speed, a much better chin and a ton of experience over him. Jones is very overrated at 175. His prime was middle and super middle. Gene Tunney was for real. I think he’d stop Roy.
I’m just questioning what seemed to be a comment by you that equated skin color and boxing ability. There is no such relationship. I don’t look at a fighters skin color or race...do you? Sugar was more a side show barker than anything else. I’ve never read any book be wrote as he could not teach me anything. Jones had a glass chin. He was also all ROIDED up. I’m sure Tunney would have rough spots early but he was very tough. Eventually Tunney lands. Then what?
Tunney may not have fought black fighters but at least he did not feast on a steady supply of postmen and janitors.
Archie Moore, Gene Tunney, Mike Spinks, Bob Foster and Ezzard Charles would have a lot to say about that. RJJ was certainly one of the greatest LHW ever, and you could argue he might beat all of the others, and put up a decent argument doing so. But its not clear cut at all.
1980 Ring Champs, after the Color Bar was gone, after Civil Rights in US, when an even playing field had arrived... Holmes, Muhammad. Hagler, Kabule, Leonard, Pryor, Kenty, Uehara, Sanchez, Gomez, Chandler, Qguma.
I just don't think of Roy as a great light heavyweight, I don't think he'd hurt Tunney very much, but when Tunney clips him? Either Roy avoids big shots and takes a UD, or he gets Ko'ed anywhere from 10 -15. I lean towards Tunney, he beat Jack Dempsey, Roy beat John Ruiz?
RJJ would be probably the single best opponent Dempsey ever set foot in a ring with, save Tunney. And RJJ had enough punching power to hurt Dempsey and more than enough speed to make him work. So I don't think Jones would go quietly.