Who was more athletically gifted: RJJ or Tyson?

Overall jones..

 

For the skillset needed in boxing...

I will take Mike. His combination of speed, power and defense at such a young age made him something like a Mozart of boxing. He was in his fully developed prime from the moment he turned pro.

He was built like a wreaking ball with the speed and inertia of the impact of a wreaking ball whipping into a building.

 

But Roy was far more successful as a boxer?

 

No way was there handspeed equal

 

I honestly answered it based solely who was more athletically gifted.

Your opinion is compelling. Tyson youngest heavyweight champion ever. Three years undisputed reign, 8 title defenses. Mikes competition was generally weak but the best fighters he fought in his prime were at the same level of Roys in his prime.

At the time of the fights not historical ranking

Spinks = Hopkins
Toney = Holmes

I think Roy’s competition was weak as well. When he stepped it up he was beaten up and KOed same as Mike.

Thoughts?

 

There are many young prodigies who are incredibly gifted by never reach the
top because they don't work hard enough and have their talented nurtured.
Both RJ and Tyson both trained like a machine and had proper guidance prime.
Athletically more gifted RJ but more natural fighter Tyson because of his
mindset which was Dempsey like.

 

Jones lost as soon as he stepped up? Roy went from 154 to heavyweight and hardly even challenged until he went up to and then drained back down from heavyweight which happened to be in his mid thirties at which point he lost to a larger, younger very good contender in Tarver. Tyson was beaten in the middle of his prime and never really regained his footing as a dominant force.

I also don't get how an old shot Larry Holmes compares to a 168 pound James Toney who at the time was the #1 or #2 p4p fighter in the world. Spinks was clearly not there to fight Tyson and he wasn't even a legit heavyweight. No comparison to HOF middleweight Hopkins

 

Tyson was extremely athletically gifted, but RJJ has daylight to anyone I've ever seen. Prime Ali as well.

 

Roy chicken fighting Glen Kelly was impressive, but I haven't seen anything close to the aesthetics Mike created against Reggie Gross.
Never seen Roy Jones do this...

This content is protected

 

Tyson was stronger and bigger, so I'll go with him.
Much of the stuff being described in this thread is more from learned and practiced skill, rather than natural "gift". It's intense training and drive that accounts for most the ability you see in the ring.

 

There have been millions of dedicated boxers training their whole lives to compete for a world boxing title over the long history of the sport. There is a reason why you only see a Roy Jones or a Mike Tyson once a generation at best.

 

I looked at both of their records and on paper I am not impressed.

Hopkins was basically green when he fought Roy and Roy was probably green as well, neither was impressive. Toney was is usually considered to have gone into that fight in horrible condition. Again, not that impressive. Those are Roys best name wins.

Neither of these wins are as impressive as knocking out a Hall of Famer and current heavyweight champion in 90 seconds. Nor is any of Roy career as impressive as Tyson’s run up to winning the title. Tyson virtually KOed all of his competition including 2 of the three Heavyweight champions in a combined fight time of 3 rounds.

After ruling the division for 3 years before a stupid loss which he avenge by defeating Razor Ruddock twice. On top of that Mike was in prison almost equal to time of his entire professional career at that point.

All that to say...the despite the lack of great competition...Mike treated his competition them like they were nothing...because his boxing skill set was soooo far beyond what they could handle that he obliterated just about everyone put in front of him.

Getting smoked by Tarver the Johnson is worse that losing to Holyfield and Lewis.

As far as Spink vs Hopkins all time p4p..two wins over Larry Holmes as a natural Light Heavyweight is more impressive than anything Hopkins has done. Does that mean he is greater than Hopkins...I am not sure.

 

Here are some facts for you

Roy Jones first loss came after he was, for a time, the best fighter at 160, 168, 175 and went on to win a heavyweight title. Becoming only the 2nd fighter in the history of the sport to do so

Toney was never lower than #3 p4p as a supermiddle weight until he faced Roy Jones. 9 years after losing to Jones, James Toney was named fighter of the year as a CRUISERWEIGHT

Hopkins was ranked #1 by the IBF at middleweight when he fought Jones and went on to become a dominant champion

Tyson defeated one all time great in his career which was a fat and over 40 year old Larry Holmes

Tyson was knocked out in his prime by Buster Douglass, who went on to do absolutely nothing

Michael Spinks was scared to death entering the ring to fight Tyson as stated by his own manager/promoter. He was champion due to receiving controversial decisions against a shot Larry Holmes and never defended his titles against anyone of note

Mike Tyson lost to the best fighters he faced

 

OK, no problem. I respect your opinion concerning Roys resume. I don’t agree..but I am happy to hear objective points and counterpoints.

I have given criticism of Tyson and Roys resume. I think both were dominate but both have weak resumes. You see Roy resume is clearly superior...I see it as roughly the same. I took up Mikes case because you are basically saying Mike is not worthy of merit.

If that is your final perspective, then of course I respect it.

 

Hand speed even? Shut the **** up, jones was clearly faster