Did Roy Jones handpick his opponents?

[paulsinghnl]

i've heard a couple of times that he handpicked his opponents, now i wasnt following boxing back then, but to me it seems that he fought everybody that he could, he was just on a way higher level.

but then, he could've fought Tyson instead of Ruiz too right? this all is getting a little confusing. can someone explain this a little more clearly?

[CarlosG815]

He was talked about back in the day the same way Floyd is now.

A lot of people loved him, but a lot of enthusiasts thought he was a cherry picker but he did beat a prime Bernard Hopkins.

I was never a RJJ fan so I never watched any of his early fights.

and LMAO I just pictured RJJ in the ring with Tyson. That would be brutally nasty. I would hate to see the things Tyson would do to him.

[ИATAS]

A lot of people loved him, but a lot of enthusiasts thought he was a cherry picker but he did beat a prime Bernard Hopkins.

Not a prime hopkins, bhop was still very wet behind the ears. ****, even Jones wasn't quite in his prime yet. But Jones did beat a prime James Toney though or very close to it version.

As far as Tyson, there was a small window of opportunity for that fight to happen, and honestly, looking back now, he may have been able to win cuz tyson was well past it. Obviously Jones wasn't trying to be THE heavyweight champ of the world or he would have tried to fight Lennox Lewis, which obviously he would have got destroyed. So Ruiz was the easiest possible HW fight for Jones to fight, so in that sense it was a bit of cherrypicking, but it's still a good accomplishment since he was a natural LH.

Other than that, I think he pretty much fought everyone he could have.

[CarlosG815]

Not a prime hopkins, bhop was still very wet behind the ears. ****, even Jones wasn't quite in his prime yet. But Jones did beat a prime James Toney though or very close to it version.

As far as Tyson, there was a small window of opportunity for that fight to happen, and honestly, looking back now, he may have been able to win cuz tyson was well past it. Obviously Jones wasn't trying to be THE heavyweight champ of the world or he would have tried to fight Lennox Lewis, which obviously he would have got destroyed. So Ruiz was the easiest possible HW fight for Jones to fight, so in that sense it was a bit of cherrypicking, but it's still a good accomplishment since he was a natural LH.

Other than that, I think he pretty much fought everyone he could have.

B Hop was like 27 or 28 when he fought RJJ and had been boxing for most of his life.

And if you think he had a chance against Tyson at any point in Tyson's career, you're straight delusional or you've never watched the man fight. Tyson isn't the same as he was in the 80's, but he's weighed over 200 lb's since he was a teenager. Just the pure intimidation that RJJ would feel looking across the ring would make him wet his pants and he'd be done before the bell rang.

And honestly, RJJ doesn't throw hard enough to hurt Mike if he did have the balls to get inside.

[paulsinghnl]

Not a prime hopkins, bhop was still very wet behind the ears. ****, even Jones wasn't quite in his prime yet. But Jones did beat a prime James Toney though or very close to it version.

As far as Tyson, there was a small window of opportunity for that fight to happen, and honestly, looking back now, he may have been able to win cuz tyson was well past it. Obviously Jones wasn't trying to be THE heavyweight champ of the world or he would have tried to fight Lennox Lewis, which obviously he would have got destroyed. So Ruiz was the easiest possible HW fight for Jones to fight, so in that sense it was a bit of cherrypicking, but it's still a good accomplishment since he was a natural LH.

Other than that, I think he pretty much fought everyone he could have.

yeah i thought it was something like that..

[tyger]

No, no, no. Jones in the day loved challenges and risks. He fought all comers til his light heavyweight days after he cleaned out the division. The only fight he didn't take in three divisions was Dariusz because he would have to go to Germany to do it. He beat the highly regarded Hopkins, then moved up to face the top lb4lb Toney. Then he unified the light heavy title one belt at a time. Add to that his jump to heavy, I don't know where people get their facts!

[CarlosG815]

Didn't he duck Jermain Taylor? And he also ducked Tarver for a while didn't he?

When he finally had to step up and fight Tarver he got beat. I think that was the fight he cried hysterical afterwards.

[Suckmedry]

It's amusing how everyone on this site loves Roy, but always brings down Floyd, when Roy picked fights and easy opposition more than Floyd ever did.

[jazluvr]

I doubt he "ducked" either of those guys, but I can't say for sure. But he did fight everybody and took all the risks. He cried after the Tarver fight? i saw the fight, but it was a while ago and i don't even remember the fight, never mind the "crying hysterically." I can't even imagine him doing that.

Got a utbue vid of him bawling?

[dd11212]

B Hop was like 27 or 28 when he fought RJJ and had been boxing for most of his life.

And if you think he had a chance against Tyson at any point in Tyson's career, you're straight delusional or you've never watched the man fight. Tyson isn't the same as he was in the 80's, but he's weighed over 200 lb's since he was a teenager. Just the pure intimidation that RJJ would feel looking across the ring would make him wet his pants and he'd be done before the bell rang.

And honestly, RJJ doesn't throw hard enough to hurt Mike if he did have the balls to get inside.

tyson said he wouldn't of fought jones at dat point cuz he was too fast