Struggling to place Roy Jones Jr...

I don't know whether or not you're interested, but there was a truly great article that was written on Roy, in Sports Illustrated magazine, back in 1995. I've just tried to post you the link, but unfortunately I've not been able to.

Type into Google: Roy Jones Jr, One Tough Bird, Sports Illustrated.

You'll see it straight away.

If you've not read it before, I guarantee you you'll not be disappointed.

 

What other fights was he getting 5 mil for? According to Boxrec he received 4 for Hill and Harmon, and the rest are mostly in the 1,5-2,5 range.

He let going to Germany getting in the way of getting his biggest purse at LHW and the chance to cement himself as the unquestionable champion at LHW. He also had an even better chance of getting at least one more belt at SMW, but didn't take it.

Had he beat Hopkins in 2002 it would have been his best victory together with the one over Toney. And it would also in all likelihood been his best pay-day even with a 50-50 split.

It's ludicrous to make this into some insurmountable obstacles. He turned down two of his best pay-days and best legacy fights because he couldn't have it all his way. That is not the actions of someone who prioritizes his legacy. If he did it would in all likelihood have been better. (The same criticism goes for DM and Hopkins too btw, perhaps even more so).

 

Let's say Benn faces Roy instead of McClellan in 1995 and Roy easily beats him. Roy then emphatically wins the WBA belt from Liles before moving up. In 2000 he beats DM without any fuss and then Hopkins in 2002 by clear decision in a somewhat competitive fight. Other than that his career pans out in the same way.

Would there then be any good argument against having RJJ in the top 10 p4p?

 

Not, if he blew them away like he did most other opponents. Which was very likely to happen.

 

In that case he'd be a unified champion of both SMW and LHW (who gives a F about WBO) to go along with belts at MW and HW and the distinction to have beaten two nr 1 p4p fighters. Seeing how superior he was in most of those fight, yes, it should be enough for top 10, I think.

 

The titles would be meaningless for the critics, they'd still claim the fighters he met were overrated 2nd-3rd raters. There were plenty of examples in history when a boxer looked great against anyone he fought, then he met someone who was simply a class above, and he looked like a novice who just put on boxing gloves for the first time in his life, and all a sudden he's not that good in the first place, despite dozens and dozens of excellent wins before and after that? I'm trying to say Jones' opponents shouldn't be judged based on the way they looked vs him, they should be judged based on fights vs "regular", non-super-human opponents.

 

This. The true Top level GOAT guys made incredible fighters look ordinary or sub-par at their peak. SRR made Graziano and Fullmer look like glass chinned fools. Roy made Toney and Hopkins look nothing more than average, and they were average when dealing with a guy who was just head and shoulder better than anyone else. I say that as a degenerate Toney and Hopkins nuthugger. At the time they looked totally overmatched, but facing anyone not named Roy Jones they were undoubted ATG's who put on masterclass performances against world title level competition.

 

It is not his fault but it takes a little away from his victory. Might still be his career best win though

 

I hear you, but to make James look that silly takes immense talent.

There is James under performing, and then there is James looking like he has never laced up a glove before.

Roy's victory signifies the latter.

 

I remember reading that the Trinidad fight was his biggest payday at like 8 mil

 

For Roy?! When both were that past it? In any case, that wasn't at LHW and long after DM was in the running. At LHW at the time DM seems to have been the biggest payday and the biggest legacy booster.

 

You know who arguably beat both Benn and Eubank, Sugar boy Malinga but the Roy haters and casuals will tell you he's a bum. Ditto for Julio Cesar Gonzalez who beat Dariusz

My point is there is no real argument against Roy being the GOAT of his era. People have to create silly narratives

 

I certainly agree he's the GOAT of his era.

 

But casuals and Roy haters have guys like Floyd and Pernell ahead of hime