Roy Jones was better than Sugar Ray Robinson

Jones was never kayoed in his prime so again irrelevant

 

Physically Jones was probably the most gifted boxer in history even surpassing the gifts the one and only prime Ali showed the world from 65 to 68. BUT! Unlike the lazy J.Toney , the past prime M.Mccalum, the average T.Tate, or R.Miller or the past prime V.Hill that a well past his prime T.Hearns defeated convincingly almost 7 yrs earlier and was beaten by unanimous dec by Michaleazswisc the previous fight before Jones. I for one think that fighters like R.Robinson, M.Hagler or Monzon, and some of the other great fighters from the history of middleweight boxing would eventually find away to test Jones's chin. They maybe losing the fight up until that point, but they would find away. Esp if its a 15rd fight. We all know Jones for all the dynamic physical gifts that he had, A great chin wasn't one of them. In fact it was below average. So yes if Jones when he slowed down showed the physical toughness and ability to withstand great punching that Ali showed when he slowed down, you would get no argument from me Jones is better than Robinson or any middle in history. But! Now knowing he didn't have a great chin (something you have or don't, because that can't be taught) Is he just lucky that their was no one around to truly test him and expose that during his prime? With that major drawback I can't say with any conviction he was the best ever. Or even close to it. But yes he was something special to watch in his prime.

 

Robinson would have found that chin and Jones would find that familiar pose of his...laying on his back with his legs comfortably crossed, listening to the birdies sing. "Jay1990"? You musta been born in 1990.

 

The idea of Jones being "vastly more consistent" is actually quite hilarious.

Robinson's second defeat came, after he'd gone 129-1-2. Jones Jr's second defeat came at 49-1-0.

I know what that says to me about who was the more consistent - something "vastly" opposite to what you've just stated.

 

What?!?
Vastly more consistent?!?
At the time of his 2nd loss against Randy Turpin Robinson had only lost 1 in a hundred and thirty odd fights! If that's not consistency I don't know what is!
He was 30 years old then and if the truth be told then and for the rest of the decade his gifts were probably on the slide, he lost but was fighting bigger men and he still kept regaining the title.
Even then apart from the heat induced Maxim stoppage nobody could stop him, even as an old man in his later years fighting for next to nothing because he'd blown a fortune.
What happened to Jones when his gifts eroded?

 

The losses to LaMotta, Turpin, and Maxim are all prime losses. You also have draws to Jose Basora and Henry Brimm.

In Robinson's day fighters generally had more fights, it wasn't at all unusual to have more than a hundred fights.

 

Ray was different than any of Jones opponents, Ray would reach that chin and Ray would test that chin

 

I think it's strongly arguable the SRR at 147 lbs was the best fighter in history.

 

Aside from a DQ loss in a fight he was winning, Jones didn't lose until he was 35

 

He also didn't fight 131 times in 11 years, losing only 1.

 

3 times

 

I think Jones at his mid-90s peak was extraordinary. But could he have gone 15 rounds against the middleweight version of Robinson (of the 1951 victory over LaMotta) without Ray landing significant shots that tested Roy like he was never truly tested in his prime? I honestly doubt it.

 

SRR - 131 fights (828 rounds) before his second loss.
Roy - 50 fights (161 rounds) before his second loss.

 

Preach brutha!!

 

Many of those fights were not against top contenders or guys he really had any business fighting. In Robinson's day people simple fought more. Look what Robinson accomplished after losing to Turpin and Maxim, no real evidence he was past his best.