Which boxers from history would have the best chance of beating prime Roy Jones Jr?

No one. Certainly not Robinson who Jones would have weight advantage in the ring

You ideally need a huge southpaw big punching LHW

 

No one. His toughest opponent is Monzon but I still think Roy wins 8/10

 

160:

Hagler
Hearns
Nunn

168

Liles
Gerald

175:

Spinks
Foster
Charles
Moore

 

Charles, Moore, Bivins, and maybe Foster. These are all maybes...Roy was legit at his best. Charles and Moore def have the tools and Bivins is underrated at his best imo.

 

That settles it. Marvin Johnson KOs Roy Jones.

My picks are Hagler, Monzón, Greb, Robinson and possibly a couple others at 160. No-one at 168, although McClellan has the best shot. Charles, Spinks, Moore, Lewis and Foster at 175.

 

Charles should be the safest choice.

I think that Fitzsimmons would find a way to beat Roy.

 

Foster would be a nightmare matchup for Jones at 175 imo and I’d heavily favour him. Same story with Spinks. Qawi and EMM on a good night are threats. Stylistically I think Jones is a bad match for Archie Moore despite Archie being the greater fighter. I haven’t seen Ezzard Charles fight at 175 but going by his track record he has to be given favouritism too.

Hagler is a definite threat at 160 and I wouldn’t discount Tommy Hearns either. Robinson is a given.

At 168 no one really springs to mind.

Nice to see isolation had done nothing to dim Marks obsession with RJJ though.

 

Langford
Greb
Moore
Charles
Robinson
Leonard
Hagler
Hearns

 

I think Foster is a great matchup for Roy. Roy's too fast and unpredictable for Foster needs his rhythm to jab and keep you in range to set up the big cross. I could see Roy folding him with a body shot but even if he didnt I think he wins on the cards

Spinks was a guy who always had the speed advantage and relied on it heavily I dont think he would do well vs Roy being the much much slower man

Hagler is not a threat, too small and struggled a bit vs speed

Hearns goes down on the first big punch. Thats an easy fight for Roy.

 

I think you’re under selling Hagler here. He was a complete technician, with chin and power himself. Jones didn’t look amazing against a timid Hopkins at 160 and I think peak Hagler was streets better than that. It’d be close.

Foster with that all time great jab, height, range and crushing two handed power is a nightmare for Roy. Roy would have to play a dangerous game to get in and out with Bob and Foster had innate timing which can negate Jones’s speed advantage.

Spinks is just too big, skilled robust and powerful for Roy at 175. I actually think Spinks bizzare rhythm might befuddle Jones and leave him vulnerable himself. Spinks was a tricky guy to time and had a devastating punch that I doubt Roy takes at 175.

 

Hopkins would beat Hagler as well. Hagler is too small and Hopkins easily frustrates him on the inside imposing his physicality.

I dont think Spinks and Foster are any bigger than the biggest guys Roy fought: Harding, Tarver, Gonzalez and Woods. I think both Spinks and Foster have trouble getting anything going offensively vs Roy. Roy qouls put them on the defensive early

 

I think Spinks and Foster are significantly better than those men though and of those Tarver and Harding gave Jones problems (admittedly Jones was past it completely for Tarver).

I’m a big Jones fan and was in awe of his talent in his prime. I think he was beatable by the very best at Lt Heavy because he wasn’t a big man and was often giving away height and reach there. In fact his only difficult fights before he was shot were at 175 only. He got away with it because he was so good but I think he struggles against the all time elite at Lt Heavy purely due to the size differences along with the greats being pretty darn good themselves.