I would call henry hank a puncher. Not a great one but very good. You could argue that he was a middleweight puncher more than at 175 but the same could be said of Roy.
Would favour Bob with that loooong left jab and crippling power. However, if Jones could find a home for that lead left hook of his, then all bets are off.
Jones was dropped, and indeed stopped by 175 lb men who had nothing like the freakish power Foster had. Jones would have to fight off the back foot knowing Bob can switch him off, at any given moment, with that chin.
I dont get all this business about jones being a puncher at 175. He wasnt. He had average power at best at that weight. I doubt he hit harder than zora folley who bob went the distance with or even sone of the lesser hws that bob defeated. If anyone has to worry about getting clipped its jones.
Of course, which I have had no problem acknowledging. If Roy doesn't get to him first, Foster would win. However, it's accurate to state that Roy is the best puncher at 175 Foster has ever fought. And it's not particularly close, either.
Whether Jones is the best puncher at 175 Foster would ever face is of no consequence to me at all. The facts are Foster fought men 20 - 30 lbs heavier than him who hit a dam sight harder than Jones ,and knocked some out, and went the distance with others, but was KO'd himself only by the top drawer men of his day. Ali, Frazier, and Terrell, plus as stated as a late sub for Folley in the Jones fight.
Well, Jones' punches would land much more frequently and precisely than whatever journeymen heavyweights he beat.
Look if you like Foster, pick Foster. No need to make stuff up to solidify the case as it's no stretch whatsoever to pick him. To act like Jones has no chance whatsoever is absurd. The only bigger man worth his salt that didn't knock out Foster was Folley, who was content to coast to a lopsided points win and still stunned Foster at the end. Roy had one fight at Heavyweight and accomplished more at it than Foster. Foster wouldn't beat Ruiz, either.
Ali and Frazier put the science in the "sweet science" Not only did they beat Foster personally, they found a way to apply the transitive property so they could defeat him repeatedly through the fighters they had already beaten. Truly brilliant. Wake me up when today's heavyweights figure out how to win fights by channeling themselves through their leftovers. It just shows how overrated prime Tua was that he couldn't use Ruiz to knock out Roy when they fought.
I was asking the question, not maintaining Jones would do better. Though at HW, given their relative success, I tend to think he would. At least against Foley. Sure I would expect losses against prime Frazier & prime (for the 70's) Ali. Good point about the large gulf in punchers Foster fought, so his actual chin quality is ambiguous.
Speed kills. Roy Jones had it in abundance. And he had enough pop to get the job done, and maybe could score an early knock down. So I say Jones by cautious decision.