Roy Jones Jr vs James Toney - Underrated win for Roy ?

Yes but i think it's possible to say Roy in just four extra fights and 12 months had already moved up another half level again. Or perhaps the freak really was already there. It's crazy but at the 26-27 fight mark Roy was already peak. He had been fighting 6 years tho now i look at it.

It's giving me ideas for a thread.

 

Toney could be very inconsistent. I don't believe Dave Tiberi is his level, even though that was a rough night for him. I can imagine other nights where the fight would be competitive, but as I said Jones might always get the nod just for blowing out Toney, fit or unfit.

I already know your position reading your arguments about SRL-Duran 2. There'd be no need of discussion if all results were so black and white. My "excuse" is that they aren't

 

They don't get more conclusive than the fight they did actually have, when they were ranked #2 and #3 P4P.

Toney wasn't "almost as talented" as Roy, not even close. He was an excellent technician with a rock solid chin. Roy is on a different level as a fighter best for best it's just that simple.

 

Toney had really fast hands and reflexes as well. He can't match Jones' athleticism but as an overall package there wasn't that much between them as far as talent goes.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree. I wouldn't call Toney's hands "really fast", he had great timing and was a superb counter puncher who could put punches together nicely. Also, his feet were like they were cast in cement comparative to Roys. Toney would struggle against top shelf movers and speedsters.

 

But very few fights between the group is the key. Jones Jr. to his credit did face 4 of them

 

Who mentioned Tiberi? He wasn't a common opponent. Sousa, Reggie Jones and Hill were, and Jones did much better against all of them. Plus schooled Toney when they met.

There's a whole lot you have to excuse. But for a Duran fan that's a bit par for the course, so...

 

He had also been honed by Roy Snr since a pup, coupled with the injustice of Seoul and how unparalleled his blend of speed and power was, he was literally ready to beat anyone placed in front of him. There are very few fighters that have been so far ahead of their peers at their peak.

 

Absolutely, possibly the biggest freak during my watching boxing.

 

You also have to take into account Jones broke his hand vs Hopkins.

As Jones liked to say often to taunt Hopkins "I beat the boy easy with one hand".

 

Yeah, I think he stands alone. Probably for all the time we have plentiful of film of (i e post peak SRR more or less).

 

Too bad we never got to see a fight between them in 2002. I think both were a bit removed from their very best at that time (Jones more so), but still good enough for an intruiging fight. Much more so than their actual rematch.

 

Well, if you don't mind excuses, Roy's for that fight was an injured right.

I think it was more down to styles, though. Toney looked at his best against guys like Barkley, who he could counter all night long. Speedy guys with movement made him look much more ordinary, for example Reggie Jones.

Hopkins at that time was actually an aggressive seek and destroyer, but already with excellent fundamentals. So he pressured Jones without leaving a lot of openings, but still won only 4 rounds at maximun mind you.

If you let Jones get off first, he'd just potshot you all night long, no matter how good a counter puncher you were. He was just that insanely fast and accurate in his prime.

 

I think Jones was always a level above Hopkins and would be much too fast for him.

People like to say Hopkins was green in 93 but Jones was also fighting for his first world title aswell.

 

I agree that Jones always would beat him prime for prime, but Jones had boxed since he was a small kid and had competed at the highest amateur level possible, so Hopkins was still playing catch-up in terms of experience.