RJJ of today vs prime RJJ 1998

Prime Jones would NOT let a guy stick his face in front of him and not do anything about it. That was the most aggravating part of the fight last night. That more then anything, also tells us how far Jones is passed his prime.

 

Jones' "prime" was around 96-97, however he's now in his peak form.

 

Yup that was painful to see. Roy relied entirely on his reflexes. Fundametally he was always flawed from a purest perspective. Because his skills have eroded so badly he couldnt keep up at all and couldnt make Joe pay. Its definitly time for Jones to hang them up.

 

This is true. Average fighters have tagged Calzaghe doing that, and made him cut it out - Roy couldn't. He'd have taken his head off in the past.

 

Prime Roy still has issues with Calzaghe due to the handspeed and awkwardness of Calzaghe.

Roy himself said "I couldn't figure this guy out" - take a look at how Roy interviews, take a look at the analysis and predictions he gives in fights, he is very rarely wrong and has shown himself as someone with very credible intelligence on the art of boxing.

He didn't say "I couldn't match it with this guy" or "This guy hit me too hard" - he said "I couldn't work him out."

RJJ today is 80-85% of what he was 5-6 years ago and for a guy with his style, that could certainly be the difference.

But... Joe Calzaghe is by no shape and form 100% of what he was in 1999-2002... his punching power is completely diminished, he's unable to sit down on his punches. His chin also seems shakier than it was.

With how easily he dominated Roy Jones Jr, even this version of him, you have to admit and give credit that the fight, even in their primes, could have been competitive and much closer than you want to admit.

 

His power hasn't decreased. It's just we haven't seen it because of the other intangibles you've mentioned, like his killer instinct, so we haven't seen him use it as much. Maybe as a result of loss of speed it's decreased slightly, but that is ever so slightly. As they say, the last thing to go is a fighter's punch.

It's ridiculous to suggest his reflexes have decreased that much, they are still there. Same with his footwork, it's still there. They have decreased, but in a rating out of 100 it's absolutely laughable to suggest they would have decreased by 80.

Again with stamina, that's decreased of course, but out of 100 again, to say it's gone down by 77 is ridiculous. Jones has never had that good as good a stamina as you are suggesting. We were used to seeing him take opponents out early, or coming in fit and focused, not trying to boil down to make weight, or lose muscle or energy. And with his speed and power, that's why his stamina appeared to be amazing. The fact is, it wasn't. Although it was good and granted it has decreased, but not by that much.

His killer instinct has decreased a lot, again not as much as you are suggesting. He really went after Hanshaw in the latter stages of their fight, so it's still there.

The main reason that his overall level as a fighter has decreased is obviously a mix of those but as I'm saying, mainly because of his mind-set. After getting knocked out twice in a row, and going on a 3 run losing streak, after being used to having it all his on way throughout his career, that takes a lot out of a fighter. With his age and decrease in critical intangibles that he needs to make his style work, his confidence has suffered. After being knocked out twice, he's not as prepared to go gung-ho and try and knock people out, especially with his decrease in reflexes aswell.

His main problem is his mental game, if Calzaghe can beat him comprehensive in a pyschological battle, that gives him a big, big head-start.

 

Roy 98 vs Roy Today = KO/TKO 4-5th rd

 

Yea it was sad. I mean when Calz put his head right in front of Jones, the old Jones would snap a left uppercut and a double left hook on him in 0.5 seconds, this Jones managed to miss him with three straight ****ing jabs.

 

Exactly. I noticed stuff like that. Old Jones would never let anyone copy him & play around, ask James Toney

 

Yup i saw that too. He threw a few hooks but his timing was completely gone. Jones knows in his head how to put them together but his body is not keeping up. Its completely spent. He never should have come down from 200lbs and i was saying that since the first Tarver fight.

 

Agreed. His body just cant do it more. Jones needs to hang em up

 

Jones would've been way more competitive in his prime against Calzaghe.

 

Shame he couldn't work Tarver x2 or Johnson out either when he was 4 years more youthful. Both outpointed, and then knocked him out. Maybe they both would have run him real close in his prime too, "closer then you would like to admit".

 

err just a bit