This thread isn't about his resume or "ducking" or anything like that. I just am amazed at his athletic ability in the ring. It has been awhile since I watched some of his old fights and he was just something else. He would throw wild looping punches and MISS but he was so fast, no one could capitalize on his mistakes. He had so many technical errors that were irrelevant due to his reflexes, speed and power in both hands. I look at him and Mayweather (two skill sets I respect), and have to say I just enjoyed watching RJJ much more (and I love technical fighters much better like mayweather, toney, sweet peat). He just was a different class of athlete. Another thing I noticed was his honesty in post fight talks. Even when he beat Toney (first time I watched RJJ), he discussed how he knew Toney was coming in weight drained and that he could capitalize on that. Hardly any fighters would acknowledge weaknesses their opponents had. He did the same thing with Tarver after the third fight in, "He would give me problems at any point in my career" (not quite those words). I completely disagree and Max Kellerman also did as Roy was only a shell after he won the HW title. His reflexes (his main defense) were gone. After two brutal KO's, usually neurological issues arise and fighters are never the same. It is really a sad state Roy is in because he really is a "pitbull" and just doesn't know when to quit....he happily fights to the death...just like his pitbulls. When it is all said and done, I don't think he will be remembered for his post fight losses (if he will freaking retire for good). He will be remembered for pure athleticism which has not been seen at that level in boxing. He took a sport that has a very specific skill set to get to the top and completley destroyed that skill set. Truly an amazing athlete. Blog done I guess.
While I agree with the rest of your post, this is where you go WAY off track. I remember watching the third Jones Tarver fight. At some point in the latter stages of the fight, Jones has Tarver hurt - BAD. IIRC, Tarver was there for the taking. However, Jones lacked the HEART to go in for the kill. There's no doubt in my mind that Jones could have KO'ed Tarver in the third fight - if he was willing to take the risk to get the reward. He wasn't. That fight reminded me of a quote George Foreman made while calling a Jones fight when he was still in his prime. George says something to the effect of Jones being so good and so fast that the guys he's fighting can't provide a test. He then says something about when Jones slows down, we'll get to see what he's made of. Well, we saw what Jones was made of in the latter rounds of the Jones Tarver rubbermatch...
I get what you are saying and understand why you misread what I meant. I didn't mean to talk about heart and what not. I just meant he cannot "quit" like pitbulls in a fight. He got to hang it up. He was a LION...but his time came in 2003. Like Kellerman said after the rubbermatch you were talking about: "Even the shell of RJJ without reflexes, with less speed and power, was still able to go the distance with one of the best light heavyweights in the world. That is impressive to me." I completely agree. I just wish he hung them up after those two losses. Many fighters lose their last few matches and just hang them up (Sugar Ray Leonard, Ali, and the list goes on). RJJ just seems to want to rack up a LOT of losses to punctuate his career. I just hope he doesn't punctuate it by......:dead
