10 fighters that would beat a Prime Roy Jones jr

A prime RJJ was a great fighter a sight to behold, lighten reflexes, dazzling combinations, unorthodox punches from unorthodox angles and big power in both hands.

But here are 10 fighters from middleweight to light heavyweight that would beat a prime Roy Jones jr.



Gene Tunney:
The Fighting Marine, maybe the best light-heavy ever, beat the Heavyweight Champ Jack Dempsey Twice, only ever lost 1 fight, on a decision.

Archie Moore:
The Old Mongoose, one of the first to use the shoulder roll, huge power stopped a lot of heavyweights and no other boxer has had as many KOs as him

Harry Greb:
The Human Windmill, never stopped punching never got out your face, would hit you with fists, elbow and head, one tough S.O.B.

Sugar Ray Robinson:
Considered the greatest boxer ever by many, SRR had it all, fast hand, footwork, power, chin, heart, he has many HOFs on his record.

Carlos Monzon:
They say the way to beat speed is to have a good jab, they were too many that had better than Monzon, granite chin and would walk you down and make you pay.

Marvin Hagler:
Much like Monzon Hagler just kept on coming forward, but had more intensity but didn't have the jab of Monzon.

Ezzard Charles:
The Cincinnati Cobra, slick and skillful, threw accurate punches and had great defensive skill and had to move up to heavyweight to get titles shot.

Bob Fitzsimmons:
RJJ emulated him by winning the middleweight and heavyweight title but unlike Roy, Bob beat the man rather than a paper champion.

Michael Spinks:
Considered by many to be the one of the greatest light-heavies of all time a pure boxer with great technical skills handed Holmes his first defeat and stopped him equaling Marciano's record.


Dwight Muhammad Qawi:
Only started boxing at 25, stood only 5 ft 5½ in but was a natural and had great slick skills took Holyfield to a SD over 15 rounds.



Anyone else that you would pick to beat a prime Roy Jones jr.

People always go on about fighters of yesteryear. IMO they were not that good. Often sending a letter via carrier pidgeon before throwing a punch.

RJJ would have given Hagler fits before Marvin wins on points of late KO. SRR beats him but not without a struggle as SRR was not a big middleweight and RJJ was just as fast as him.

RJJ schools Monzon.

Bon Foster would have been a good fight and one punch from him would have put RJJ to sleep.

Thats a decent initial list D4.
The best RJJ is a handfull for anyone
He beats Qawi and Spinks for me
Probably too quick and a bit big for Marvin and Monzon.Close fights though
Bob Foster is a good call.Drops his hands against Bob and its all over
Charles ,SRR and Tunney are the only ones I would put money on to win against him for sure.
Might sneak Ray Leonard in there as the most gifted all rounder I have seen and Toney to beat him in a re-match.

At LHW:
Bivins, Charles and Moore certainly. Could make a reasonable argument for Foster too. Oh and Slapsie Rosenbloom.

RJJ looked good against slow boxers. He had dynamite in his fists but all of the above had a chin to match and he wouldn't connect that often. Moore did all that Hopkins does now and more. Any version of RJJ would struggle with the current Hopkins. So how would he do with Hopkins-plus? RJJ didn't use his own jab much - and the range would be controlled by Charles and Foster.

And RJJ's chin wasn't that great. So how does he avoid getting hit by any of the above?

Any other fighters that should be thrown into the mix?

I should say - I reckon Roy is a great great fighter. One of the best of the "colour TV" era.

Head to head, however - who else beats him?

Just at light heavyweight are we talking?

Meh. The HW list is too long. And SMW is being discussed elsewhere so I didn't want to steal a thread. His MW reign was pretty short. But if you want to throw some other weights into the mix Atom, go for it!

Where do I start

MW: Hagler, Monzon, Robinson, Cerdan, Greb (I assume), Burley, Fitzsimmons and a few others

LHW: Moore, Charles, Rosenbloom, Spinks, Foster, Saad Muhammad

For the cherry on top Tunney absolutely destroys hims

I just don't rate the block

Greb, Ketchel...

Tucker Pudwill also.

I could name at least 50 probably, some believable and some based on pure fantasy

I'm a big RJJ fan but he did have flaws that have already been pointed out above.

IMO he would have been beaten by:

MW- Robinson, Monzon, Greb, Hagler, La Motta

LHW- Moore, Charles, Rosenbloom & Tunney

oxring wrote:At LHW:
Bivins, Charles and Moore certainly. Could make a reasonable argument for Foster too. Oh and Slapsie Rosenbloom.

RJJ looked good against slow boxers. He had dynamite in his fists but all of the above had a chin to match and he wouldn't connect that often. Moore did all that Hopkins does now and more. Any version of RJJ would struggle with the current Hopkins. So how would he do with Hopkins-plus? RJJ didn't use his own jab much - and the range would be controlled by Charles and Foster.

And RJJ's chin wasn't that great. So how does he avoid getting hit by any of the above?

Any other fighters that should be thrown into the mix?

I should say - I reckon Roy is a great great fighter. One of the best of the "colour TV" era.

Head to head, however - who else beats him?

https://www.606v2.com/t680-10-fighters-that-would-beat-a-prime-roy-jones-jr

D4 when I noticed you had posted on this I feared the worst.

prettyboy1304 wrote:D4 when I noticed you had posted on this I feared the worst.

Pacquiao does beat him at 151lbs also

That's more like it mate

Damn it D4 - sorry matey - I hadn't noticed you'd already done that!.

Merged.

oxring wrote:Damn it D4 - sorry matey - I hadn't noticed you'd already done that!.

Merged.

You were the first to comment on it?

Have your views changed?

oxring wrote:At LHW:

Any version of RJJ would struggle with the current Hopkins.

Sorry but If Jermain Taylor can do it, am sure a prime RRJ would have no problem. Unless you think JT would beat a prime RRJ?

I'd forgotten!

Hey - I'm allowed to go a bit senile aren't I? I found that article on page 9 - that's months back when 606v2 was still young.

Anyway - re: views changing - yes - they have a bit. I'd originally picked RJJ to beat Moore on the grounds that Moore struggled with speed.

However - peak RJJ didn't string that many of his punches together - and Archie had a good chin. Furthermore, great defensive capabilities combined with a dynamite punch.

My theory now runs more that - Moore's defence was better than Hopkins. Hopkins' defence, when he was young and still green gave RJJ problems. RJJ would have had kittens trying to break through when Hopkins was at peak. Moore would have countered him on the way in - and RJJ's chin didn't match Moore's.

I couldn't be bothered to edit my original to include all reasoning. So I deleted it - the salient points are regurgitated here.

I stand by:

RJJ beats Qawi and Spinks.

Greb, Tunney, SRR, Hagler - my money wouldn't be on Roy. Should probably add Monzon to that list.

Oh and Fitzsimmons? Did everything Roy did - but better.

Soldier_Of _Fortune wrote:

oxring wrote:At LHW:

Any version of RJJ would struggle with the current Hopkins.

Sorry but If Jermain Taylor can do it, am sure a prime RRJ would have no problem. Unless you think JT would beat a prime RRJ?

Was that prime Hopkins?

I'd have thought that the Hopkins who broke down and destroyed Trinidad was much closer to prime. By the time of Taylor he was hanging on to his titles. He'd slowed down a bit by then as well; and hadn't fully mastered the "dark arts" that he does now.

Soldier_Of _Fortune wrote:

oxring wrote:At LHW:

Any version of RJJ would struggle with the current Hopkins.

Sorry but If Jermain Taylor can do it, am sure a prime RRJ would have no problem. Unless you think JT would beat a prime RRJ?

The current BHOP is a tricky guy to fight. His ring smarts are unrivalled. I would still pick RJJto beat him but not as easily as you think.

oxring wrote:

Soldier_Of _Fortune wrote:

oxring wrote:At LHW:

Any version of RJJ would struggle with the current Hopkins.

Sorry but If Jermain Taylor can do it, am sure a prime RRJ would have no problem. Unless you think JT would beat a prime RRJ?

Was that prime Hopkins?

I'd have thought that the Hopkins who broke down and destroyed Trinidad was much closer to prime. By the time of Taylor he was hanging on to his titles. He'd slowed down a bit by then as well; and hadn't fully mastered the "dark arts" that he does now.

Erm you didnt say a prime Hopkins you said current. Even so I still think prime RRJ would beat him.

Dart Arts haha you mean cheat

Jones is starting to get criminally underrated.

A mid thirties Robinson, above his best weight, with a patchy record at middle and losses to guys way below Jones talents is favourite to beat him?

manos de piedra wrote:Jones is starting to get criminally underrated.

A mid thirties Robinson, above his best weight, with a patchy record at middle and losses to guys way below Jones talents is favourite to beat him?

Very good point.

MW - Benn
Crusier - Toney

IMO RJJ was at his prime at mw. I don't think their has been 10 mw's that could have beat him I had 5 Robinson, Monzon, Greb, Hagler and La Motta and I keep changing my mind on the last one.

LaMotta wouldn't beat him IMO.

La Motta? That would be a massacre.

Robinson was an old man at middleweight.

Like I said mate I keep changing my mind thinking he might be able to take what RJJ could hit him with and stop him late on. But then I think RJJ would just beat him up and outwork him for 12.

I think Jones would use his head as a speed bag. La Motta might last the distance alright (although with a modern ref and corner its questionable) but he would be chasing shadows and eating leather all night,

La Motta took a few beatings and still came out on top. I agree that with a modern ref and corner RJJ would win because La Motta would get pulled out. Be interesting if it was under the conditions La Motta fought under. 15 rounds more relaxed refs and could get away with holding a bit more.

prettyboy1304 wrote:IMO RJJ was at his prime at mw. I don't think their has been 10 mw's that could have beat him I had 5 Robinson, Monzon, Greb, Hagler and La Motta and I keep changing my mind on the last one.

LaMotta couldn't live with RJJ. Not a chance in a million years.

To say, with any conviction, that a fighter would definitely beat Jones, who is probably the most talented boxer in the history of the sport, in his prime is ridiculous.

I could write an article saying RJJ beats all ten of them......

Just no way you can picture the styles meshing.

Was Tunney really that much better than Hopkins?????

Hagler that drew with Vito and nearly lost to a lightweight really going to whup Jones butt???

Pretty much left field stuff................

But fairplay....

Was Tunney really that much better than Hopkins?????

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Yes. No comparison Truss, at least in my eyes as you're talking about one of the greatest fighters who ever lived (in the grand scheme of things), and arguably the best ever at LHW. A weight that RJJ was far from his best fighting at as well.

As it's in your eyes I'll look for a second opinion.....

Hoppo is a bonafide great...Never saw Tunney fight.....but I'll be surprised if a guy from that era had all the smarts of an Rjj..

Toney to win in a rematch? Utter guff.

That was one of the most one sided fights between two supposed pound for pounders I have ever seen. Jones had Toney's number; period.

Jones did not achieve all he could with his talent; he should have achieved so much more and will always have to live with that.

But he is one of the 5 most talented fighters to ever lace up a pair of gloves. He could do things in the ring that most fighters could only dream about and might never understand. Yes he was a speed merchant and yes his chin was suspect as he got older. But the truth is, most of the fighters listed would lose to Jones.

They would rank higher on all-time lists and rightly so; he never achieved what he should have done. But I really feel that head to head is an entirely different matter.

RJJ was just to good for Toney. RJJ would beat him every time.

You'd be surprised eh Truss? Why don't you go read up about the old timers then rather than making sweeping statements?

Unless of course modern nutrition has also helped their boxing brains to evolve as well?

I do sometimes wonder about you.

I've read up on the old fighters and I've seen them fight....

Which is why most of them don't impress me.

If you'd read about Tunney you'd come to the conclusion that RJJ gets knowhere near him at LHW.

Please note the "LHW" part as that's pretty key

Say's who......

Greb was a middle and got near him.

Just stop...

Greb is one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.... None of RJJs opponents rank within 20 places of him on the ATG list....

Straws and clutching come to mind old boy

Tunney was excellent; but with Jones' speed, I think it is unfair to count him out in a head to head matchup.

The problem is with this kind of thread; it often leads to an old vs new battle. And to be honest, too many posters are too biased one way or the other to really supply a decent analysis.

Hoppo when he finishes is a top 20 alltime great....Jones didn't lose to him...

Mate look the argument against Jones is that apart from beating Toney/Hoppo etc that his opponents weren't that great.....Not that he wasn't immensely talented..

So just saying Tunney outclasses him because a bunch of scribes from the start of the century say he was good is just laughable...

Maybe he does beat him..maybe he doesn't...

I agree about Hopkins, Truss; I have a feeling he is underrated perhaps currently due to having the wit and charm of a badger fart in a sock.

I have a feeling history may be kinder to him than his contemporaries.

Sammy I'm just pointing out to this guy that Jones is one of the most talented fighters of alltime and to write him off against any oldtimer is silly...

"Because of what I've read about him"

Before this descends into that debate (and last time it kicked off on the old 606) i'm gonna leave it.

Barring it is fair to heavily favour Tunney based on how good he was @ LHW and how RJJ hasn't got a resume to speak of at the weight. IN COMPARISON

People get caught up with how flashy RJJ was and seem to neglect his record at the weight.