Where Do You Rate Roy Jones Jr In The All Time Rankings At Light-Heavyweight

He didnt stuggle with Mercado. Things to think about

1. Eubank was getting gifts against
2. Benn was a beast, but technically not as good as Hopkins,
3. GMAN didnt have a defense and couldnt fight on the inside or too mid range
4. Jackson was there for the taking, he had the right hand bomb but dont u think Hopkins figures that out and takes the punch away?
5. Kalambay was done by then
6. Toney would get outworked imo, would be a classic though
7. Nunn would be tricky but we know how well Hopkins was against rangy Lefties
8. McCallum is past prime at this stage and gets outworked/outspeeded by the younger man

 

Neither were any of Jones' LHW opponents.

No, he also had big upset wins over Mate Parlov and Leslie Stewart, and a win over future longtime champ Charles Williams.

Even so, the win over Galindez is much bigger and more impressive than any of the ones most of Jones' opponents have had.

 

Am I disputing that? Was Jones at that point? Could you tell from his 22 fights climbing up the pro ranks that he was? Could you tell that he had the experience and ring savvy to defeat most fighters, and go 12 hard rounds against a 160,168 or 175 pound world champion?
Fact is experience fighting different styles different fighters, going 12 rounds, 10 rounds are all part of improving no matter how naturally gifted you are. Noone enters the pro ranks as a great PRO fighter, its too different. If you watch Jones in the early part of his career, his punches were limited, his jab and combinations were no where near what they became, so yes he improved into a great fighter just like Hopkins did, only difference is that Jones was in fact more naturally talented and had a lot of experience as an amatuer, but I dont want to start pointing out gold medalists that failed as pros against the most limited of opposition, thats a whole thread in itself.

 

Yes but so did Jones. Read my post above. The competition that Great A pointed out wouldnt have made that much of a difference preparing either fighter. A former title challenger? What does that mean? Does that mean he was a good one, a bad one, a late substitute, what? We saw Joe Calzahge fight Will Mcentire when he defended his WBO title. That doesnt change the fact that Will Mcentire couldnt beat me on my worst day of sparring and he was title challenger.
A former welterweight champion? Same goes. Its too hard to say whats what. Look at Mickey Ward and Emanuel Augustus, lots of losses and would look somewhat unstellar on paper, but reality if you were familiar with them they were great tests for up and coming fighters. I dont know enough about their sub title fights to assess them properly, but I do know that B-Hop had some real good experience going rounds, and if the comp was that bad, he would have most likely stopped them before the final bell.

 

I guess I just imagined those two knockdowns. Mercado was never even world class.

Basically you think the green 1993 Bernard Hopkins cleans out the middleweight/super middleweight divisions. I can't see that happening. Hopkins actually looks quite crude in many of his early 1990's fights.

I think even a prime Hopkins would have a lot of trouble going through that kind of opposition with a winning record.

 

Someone who took James Toney's best punches for 12 rounds and smiled yet was KO'd in one by Roy Jones with a bodyshot.

 

The Hopkins that fought Jones just marched forward behind a pawing jab, with no idea how to cut off the ring, or set his shots up consistently against a slick moving target.

He improved a lot technically from that time, where he was more of an aggressive slugger with good offensive technical skills.

 

So Jones KOing him in one round gave him more experience and prepared him better for a title fight as opposed to going 10 rounds for a ranking?

 

I think you imagined seeing the fight because in reality you didnt watch it.

And yes I do Hopkins wasnt green, he was primed and ready to go, most of those fighters were very much post prime 93-94 and never as good as Hops

 

In 1993?

 

Umm no he'd still be outclassed and thats why Hops turned the fight down. Bunce is a ****wit