Prime RJJ vs. Prime JC WOULD be Competitive

I gr0w tired of hearing all the sore RJJ fans yelling "if this had happend years ago!"

Point is it didnt and RJJ is only 3 years older than JC. JC gets criticized for his "slapping" and leaving himself open, but he knows how to adapt to his opponents and knows how to win fights, even if it is ugly. He fought Hokpins to a victory, even if it was a draw, he was the busier fighter and beat a man who possess as good a boxing intellect as any ATG.

RJJ fought and won by his speed. Even if he was prime, he still faces the situation of trying to adapt to Calzaghe style. I cannot imagine him doing better when he was younger at somehow "figuring out" Joes style. Fighters usually get more adaptable as they get older and more experienced. The trick is then to apply to their skills. RJJ relied on "speed kills". No more. He was never and has never been a "boxer". He relied on his hand, foot, reflexes to beat his opponents. And when his legs were gone he became nothing more than fighter with very fast hands that. He never did box, even in his Prime.

If RJJ had shown signs in even a few of the rounds that he was able to get the better of Calzaghe but lets say didnt have the energy, I wouldnt be making this point, but RJJ didnt. He got outclassed and I honestly thought he looked confused at times, as if he simply didnt know what to do. Much as Kessler did in the later rounds (not comparing RJJ to Kesseler) but Kesseler also had a look upon his face of "I seriously dont know how how to be effective against this guy". There wasnt anything RJJ had that he thought would work against JC.

So what happens when he is younger with less fights and is more cocky? He just dodges EVERYTHING Calzaghe throws? He dances out of the way and potshots? And JC just stands there and gets hit?

Calzaghe is a boxer, he knows how to change his strategy to beat an opponent and has done it times before. Even if he loses against Prime RJJ, he would find something, be it countering and timing, having to force him to mix it up, being more defensively oriented, but he would make it a competitive fight.

RJJ TKO 6! is simply irrational. Based on what? JC having a bad chin? The man got knocked down and came back roaring after all of his knockdowns, including this one. RJJ didnt even seriously hurt him, and had he lunged in JC would have likely gone toe to toe with him trading shots. You really want to argue that RJJ's chin is gonna outlast JC's in a slugfest? Unlikely.

Its a competitive fight and a 60/40 one at best for RJJ. Likely it would be the most even and competitive fight of his career had it happened.



You all may attack now and rip everything to shreds in your claim of RJJ's demigod status

 

Based on what. Because he would just throw more punches? That doesnt win you a fight.

 

RJJ would not do any better in terms of being able to decipher Calzaghes style. That was my point. If he could not do it now to any degree he could not do it then. It has nothing to do with his physical abilities, but his mental aptitude. Joe has him beat in that area. I did not make myself clear on that point.

The PRime would be more competitive due to RJJ's athletic ability. Not his boxing ability.

 

RJJ close UD. Raw talent is raw talent, but RJJ would be facing for the first in his career a fighter with speed to match his and with similar reflexes. In terms of overall athleticism he has JC beat, but he you cannot simply say he destroys him or easily beats him. RJJ never fought any comparable to Calzaghe to make such a comparison. And yes JC never fought anyone like RJJ, but he sure has hell has had better longevity into his career, something RJJ has not, and has demonstrated the fortitude to apply and modify a strategy as needed. RJJ has not. JC applys his natural abilities using an actual stratagem. RJJ simply used them as he had them with no real comprehensive application and when they began to diminish he was left with nothing. All he has left now is quick hands.