DM almost lost to Richard ****ing Hall a while before fighting Gonzalez.. Everyone who knows anything about boxing knows DM was way past his best when he lost to Gonzalez. Only boxrec warriors who follow the sport on boxrec instead of watching the fights dont know that. And by the way nobody said DM would beat RJ. Quite the contrary. Jones would be a heavy fav to win the fight. All i'm saying is that it would be a better fight and a better scalp than manny of the bums Roy feasted on.
Calzaghe and Hopkins are also to blame for the fights not happening earlier. But back then Roy pretty much call the shots, he could have went out of his way and make an effort to make those fights happen but he didnt need those guys cause he had his multi year multi million contract with HBO and was happy with it.
He offered Hopkins peanutts. And Hopkins turned it down and went on to fight DLH for much more money. And was made partner of GBP as bonus.
so true. had he fought and beat (he certainly would have been the favourite vs anybody) dm, X, prime calzaghe, ottke and maybe some quality cruisers like juan carlos gomez or jirov. he would be considered the best ever. people would say, prime jones was the fastest skilled dude ever and his resume was great also, people would easily put him in a top 7 atg list.
A free title shot and 40% is not peanuts. Especially giving Hopkins the chance to avenge a loss. So it's ok for Hopkins to turn down the tougher fight and take the easier fight with oscar, nice double standard :roll:
40% of what? One million? Two Million? Turning down a fight for other in which he would make more money. Isnt the same as turning down a fight for other where you make less money. As it turned out Jones finally gave Hopkins a rematch in a fight that he basically fought for free cause the PPV did shitty numbers.
I'm not absolving Hopkins. Hes always been a stubborn guy. And a guy hard to deal with. The same can be said about Roy. But when you look at it . When Roy had more to lose the fight didnt happened. When Hopkins had more to lose the fight happened.
I have no idea the percentage but it wasn't "Peanuts" like you're making it out to be. Other fighters had no problem taking the lesser, why should Hopkins get special treatment? Jones already owned his ass. If Hopkins wanted it he should have stepped up, not wait for a decade then move up.
By other fighters you mean the nobodies who had no leverage and were just happy to appear on HBO? Hopkins was the undisputed MW Champ and was riding high after winning the MW tourney so why should he make the same as Derrick Harmon or David Telesco for example'
Riding high how? With an inflated self worth? Just because he won the tourney doesn't mean he was making mega paydays against Daniels or Hakkar. Jones already owned his ass. He didn't need Hopkins again, Hopkins ate the **** stick instead and waited far too long to avenge the loss when the fight no longer mattered.
Hopkins was still ranked in the pound for pound rankings. And had put on a clinic against Pavlik two fights before. And went on to beat Pascal after the Jones Fight. Jones wasnt ranked nowhere. And was coming of a first round KO against Danny Green. So pls tell me who had more to lose Hopkins or Jones?
So Hopkins had his P4P status to lose? Big ****ing deal. He had that to lose too when he should have manned up against Jones back in 2003 for a chance at the titles and revenge.
Still took the fight. Where it was basically a lose/lose situation. I guess we have to agree to disagree. Not interested to argue this till exhaustion.