A couple of things I wanna point out.
1- People keep saying how Floyd avoided so many fights in 2007 and 2008. Paul Williams, Cotto, Magarito and later on Pacquiao etc.. They were all highly ranked and around his weight. He didn't fight them.
Well, Roy Jones Jr during his MW-SMW-LHW Run had
Michael Nunn
Nigel Benn
Chris Eubank
Julian Jackson
Dariuz M
Gerald Mccellan
and he didn't fight them either. Now could Roy have beaten them all 'h2h'.. everyone thinks so. Well Floyd 'h2h' could also beat Margarito, Williams, Pacquaio and 2007-2008 Cotto... The fact of the matter is.. Floyd actually fought more of his competition than Roy.
Both are ATG'S. No debate should be had from that. But let's call a spade a spade.
2-
Nobody give Margarito credit for beating Martinez, because Martinez was a third year green fighter.. Hopkins was a third year green fighter when Roy beat him as well.
Yet Hopkins win is always talked about.
The Bernard Hopkins that fought Roy was inferior in every way to the Hopkins that emerged later. The defensive mastery, the unique traps, the combinations, and his ability to turn your biggest assets against you all came later on during Hopkin's career. Against Roy, all he had was youth and his reflexes. Roy Jones Jr meanwhile, mostly depend on his reflexes and pure speed to win fights even DURING his prime. Yes Roy was a great trap setter as well, but his MO was the reflexes,speed and sheer athleticism.
Bernard's MO was his defense, and his mastery of the game. All of which only came through experience..
Bernard was not quite as inexperienced as Martinez was at the time he fought Roy, but he sure as hell wasn't far off it.
1- People keep saying how Floyd avoided so many fights in 2007 and 2008. Paul Williams, Cotto, Magarito and later on Pacquiao etc.. They were all highly ranked and around his weight. He didn't fight them.
Well, Roy Jones Jr during his MW-SMW-LHW Run had
Michael Nunn
Nigel Benn
Chris Eubank
Julian Jackson
Dariuz M
Gerald Mccellan
and he didn't fight them either. Now could Roy have beaten them all 'h2h'.. everyone thinks so. Well Floyd 'h2h' could also beat Margarito, Williams, Pacquaio and 2007-2008 Cotto... The fact of the matter is.. Floyd actually fought more of his competition than Roy.
Both are ATG'S. No debate should be had from that. But let's call a spade a spade.
2-
Nobody give Margarito credit for beating Martinez, because Martinez was a third year green fighter.. Hopkins was a third year green fighter when Roy beat him as well.
Yet Hopkins win is always talked about.
The Bernard Hopkins that fought Roy was inferior in every way to the Hopkins that emerged later. The defensive mastery, the unique traps, the combinations, and his ability to turn your biggest assets against you all came later on during Hopkin's career. Against Roy, all he had was youth and his reflexes. Roy Jones Jr meanwhile, mostly depend on his reflexes and pure speed to win fights even DURING his prime. Yes Roy was a great trap setter as well, but his MO was the reflexes,speed and sheer athleticism.
Bernard's MO was his defense, and his mastery of the game. All of which only came through experience..
Bernard was not quite as inexperienced as Martinez was at the time he fought Roy, but he sure as hell wasn't far off it.
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