Roy Jones vs Billy Conn (resume and p4p standing)

[JAB5239]

Very simple, who had the better resume and who rates higher p4p all time?

Jones came from an extensive amateur background that culminated in being robbed at the 1988 Olympics. As a pro he is in my opinion the most naturally gifted fighter to ever lace on a pair of gloves. The 10 best fighters he faced (in my opinion) are...

Hopkins (will go to the HOF)
Toney (will go to the HOF)
McCallum (HOF)
Griffin
Hill (will probably get in the HOF)
Johnson
Gonzalez
Ruiz
Tarver (has a slight chance to make the HOF)
Trinidad (will go to the HOF)

Billy Conn turned pro with no amateur background instead choosing to instead learn at the school of hard knocks. He is without a doubt one of the toughest, most durable and determined men to ever step foot in the ring. The 10 best fighters he faced (in my opinion) are...

Zivic (HOF)
Dundee
Yarosz (HOF)
Corbett III (HOF)
Krieger
Apostoli
Bettina
Lesnivich
Louis (HOF)
Zale (HOF)

These fighters for each are to just give a rough idea on their resumes, it is not a guideline of what you have to choose from. Their entire resumes should be looked at in detail.

I've felt for a very long time that these two greats are and will always be very close together historically in a p4p sense. I slightly lean toward Conn as the greater of the two because of his great first fight with Louis, which I consider more impressive than any of Jones wins, and because of how well he learned his trade with no amateur background. That is just my opinion though and have heard compelling arguments in the past as to why Jones should rank higher.

Vote and discuss. Poll is multiple choice.

[Sugarj]

Very simple, who had the better resume and who rates higher p4p all time?

Jones came from an extensive amateur background that culminated in being robbed at the 1988 Olympics. As a pro he is in my opinion the most naturally gifted fighter to ever lace on a pair of gloves. The 10 best fighters he faced (in my opinion) are...

Hopkins (will go to the HOF)
Toney (will go to the HOF)
McCallum (HOF)
Griffin
Hill (will probably get in the HOF)
Johnson
Gonzalez
Ruiz
Tarver (has a slight chance to make the HOF)
Trinidad (will go to the HOF)

Billy Conn turned pro with no amateur background instead choosing to instead learn at the school of hard knocks. He is without a doubt one of the toughest, most durable and determined men to ever step foot in the ring. The 10 best fighters he faced (in my opinion) are...

Zivic (HOF)
Dundee
Yarosz (HOF)
Corbett III (HOF)
Krieger
Apostoli
Bettina
Lesnivich
Louis (HOF)
Zale (HOF)

These fighters for each are to just give a rough idea on their resumes, it is not a guideline of what you have to choose from. Their entire resumes should be looked at in detail.

I've felt for a very long time that these two greats are and will always be very close together historically in a p4p sense. I slightly lean toward Conn as the greater of the two because of his great first fight with Louis, which I consider more impressive than any of Jones wins, and because of how well he learned his trade with no amateur background. That is just my opinion though and have heard compelling arguments in the past as to why Jones should rank higher.

Vote and discuss. Poll is multiple choice.

It is pretty close isn't it? I do edge Jones but I wouldn't argue it.

I've got a feeling that Jones would do at least as well as Conn against 'that' version of Louis. Poor Joe seemed to be having a rough day at the office that night, I gather that he dieted and didn't hydrate well before the fight because he didn't want Conn to look too small in there with him.

Granted Jones might have got knocked out late too, but he was rather more safety conscious than Conn; who bless him, decided to trade with Louis (!!!) in the final two rounds of their fight.

As for resumes it is tit for tat. I sway to Jones because he was considered pound for pound number one for the best of a decade. Conn would have been considered behind Louis in the pound for pound stakes.

[Greatest1942]

Very simple, who had the better resume and who rates higher p4p all time?

Jones came from an extensive amateur background that culminated in being robbed at the 1988 Olympics. As a pro he is in my opinion the most naturally gifted fighter to ever lace on a pair of gloves. The 10 best fighters he faced (in my opinion) are...

Hopkins (will go to the HOF)
Toney (will go to the HOF)
McCallum (HOF)
Griffin
Hill (will probably get in the HOF)
Johnson
Gonzalez
Ruiz
Tarver (has a slight chance to make the HOF)
Trinidad (will go to the HOF)

Billy Conn turned pro with no amateur background instead choosing to instead learn at the school of hard knocks. He is without a doubt one of the toughest, most durable and determined men to ever step foot in the ring. The 10 best fighters he faced (in my opinion) are...

Zivic (HOF)
Dundee
Yarosz (HOF)
Corbett III (HOF)
Krieger
Apostoli
Bettina
Lesnivich
Louis (HOF)
Zale (HOF)

These fighters for each are to just give a rough idea on their resumes, it is not a guideline of what you have to choose from. Their entire resumes should be looked at in detail.

I've felt for a very long time that these two greats are and will always be very close together historically in a p4p sense. I slightly lean toward Conn as the greater of the two because of his great first fight with Louis, which I consider more impressive than any of Jones wins, and because of how well he learned his trade with no amateur background. That is just my opinion though and have heard compelling arguments in the past as to why Jones should rank higher.

Vote and discuss. Poll is multiple choice.

Good Thread...

H2H I will go with Conn...Resume wise its near even. You can pick anybody, and I will have no qualms about it.
I do think Conn had the better chin of the two by a margin at LHW.

[Ivansmamma]

I haven´t seen enought of Conn to have an opinion but his fight with Louis was great.

[BigStereotype]

I'm more familiar with the names on Jones' resume, so it's hard for me to really judge there. From the looks of things, they had a pretty equal level of competition in regards to HOF level fighters. But just as far as the eyeball test goes, I'd have to go with Roy. From what I've seen, Conn was a very talented, tough and tricky fighter. But Jesus, Roy was like Superman in his prime. I'd have picked Roy in a head-to-head match and I have to say he has the higher p4p standing.

[Welsh Jon]

Personally I think Conn's resume is far superior to RJJ's.

Conn is best known as a light-heavy, but his resume at middleweight is possibly just as good, despite never holding a world title at the weight. I'd say his resume at middleweight is better than Jones's resume at middleweight and super-middle and by quite a distance.

At light-heavyweight their resumes are quite even. I again have Conn ahead, but I can understand anyonne who ranks RJJ's light-heavy CV ahead of Conn's.

At heavyweight I don't see how RJJ's win over Ruiz can be more impressive than Conn's brave loss to Louis in their 1st meeting.

Jones won world titles in 4 weight classes to Conn's 1. But Conn's middleweight CV is better than Jones', there was no Super-Middleweight division in Conn's eras and Conn didn't have the option of taking on a weaker alphabet titleholder at heavyweight, his only option was to take on a guy who was at worst the 2nd greatest heavyweight of all time.

Conn hands down.

[Greatest1942]

Personally I think Conn's resume is far superior to RJJ's.

Conn is best known as a light-heavy, but his resume at middleweight is possibly just as good, despite never holding a world title at the weight. I'd say his resume at middleweight is better than Jones's resume at middleweight and super-middle and by quite a distance.

At light-heavyweight their resumes are quite even. I again have Conn ahead, but I can understand anyonne who ranks RJJ's light-heavy CV ahead of Conn's.

At heavyweight I don't see how RJJ's win over Ruiz can be more impressive than Conn's brave loss to Louis in their 1st meeting.

Jones won world titles in 4 weight classes to Conn's 1. But Conn's middleweight CV is better than Jones', there was no Super-Middleweight division in Conn's eras and Conn didn't have the option of taking on a weaker alphabet titleholder at heavyweight, his only option was to take on a guy who was at worst the 2nd greatest heavyweight of all time.

Conn hands down.

Agreed, Conn was good at heavy where resume is better. Also was very good at middle, and great at Light Heavy...

I will give him the tick on both resume and H2H vs Roy Jones.

[joseph5620]

Personally I think Conn's resume is far superior to RJJ's.

Conn is best known as a light-heavy, but his resume at middleweight is possibly just as good, despite never holding a world title at the weight. I'd say his resume at middleweight is better than Jones's resume at middleweight and super-middle and by quite a distance.
At light-heavyweight their resumes are quite even. I again have Conn ahead, but I can understand anyonne who ranks RJJ's light-heavy CV ahead of Conn's.

At heavyweight I don't see how RJJ's win over Ruiz can be more impressive than Conn's brave loss to Louis in their 1st meeting.

Jones won world titles in 4 weight classes to Conn's 1. But Conn's middleweight CV is better than Jones', there was no Super-Middleweight division in Conn's eras and Conn didn't have the option of taking on a weaker alphabet titleholder at heavyweight, his only option was to take on a guy who was at worst the 2nd greatest heavyweight of all time.

Conn hands down.

That's interesting. Who did Conn beat at 160 far superior to Bernard Hopkins or James Toney?

[joseph5620]

I'm more familiar with the names on Jones' resume, so it's hard for me to really judge there. From the looks of things, they had a pretty equal level of competition in regards to HOF level fighters. But just as far as the eyeball test goes, I'd have to go with Roy. From what I've seen, Conn was a very talented, tough and tricky fighter. But Jesus, Roy was like Superman in his prime. I'd have picked Roy in a head-to-head match and I have to say he has the higher p4p standing.

That's what I see when looking at both of them fight. When you look at them head to head Jones had more in his arsenal. Along with the blinding speed Jones had power that Conn never had at any weight. Head to head, pound for pound, I would go with Jones.

[JAB5239]

That's interesting. Who did Conn beat at 160 far superior to Bernard Hopkins or James Toney?

Nobody. But his resume between 147.1 and 167.9 has far more depth overall.