After beating Ruiz, he was in Mayweather mode thinking about retirement. He wanted to fight Mike Tyson and hang em up.
And here he is now, almost 40 years old still fighting, still looking to prove something past his best. I think he lost alot of confidence after the Tarver Ko but I think he is revived again. That hunger to add on to his legacy could help him. After all, Boxing is a mental sport. And he is still relatively a healthy guy. A 40 year old specimen. He doesn't smoke or drink or have any bad habits.
It's true that he has slowed down but he is still not that slow.
To quote RJJ from a interview after being asked what's different about him now then 10 years ago.
Jones said, "the only difference is I have to worry about injuries alot more then before. I didn't have to be as careful back then as now. As far as power, speed and boxing ability goes...I don't see much of a difference"
For all those fans who think that Roy would have whiped the floor with Calzaghe when he was in his prime. Have some faith, I think he still has enough to pull it of. And styles make fights. Calzaghe's high workrate style isn't always gonna be an advantage in every fight. Everybody likes to say that. Every difficult akward boxing style has another style out there it can't deal with.
People always make the "Hopkins can't deal with Joe's high workrate" , RJJ can't deal with Joe's workrate". Well what can't Joe deal with???? There has got to be something Certainly he isn't unbeateable? I tell you what.......MULTI-DIMENSIONALISM.
Lacy was a one-dimensional come forward fighter. Kessler was a one-dimensional technical boxer. We saw glimpses of Multi-dimension from Hopkins that Joe couldn't deal with but then he went back into one-dimension All-Defense for the rest of the night.
RJJ is one of the most gifted fighters ever with his combo of speed/power/atheticism and taking into consideration the stuff I wrote in blue above, you have to like Roy's chances of pulling off the upset.
Where is this quote from, is there anymore?
"the only difference is I have to worry about injuries alot more then before. I didn't have to be as careful back then as now. As far as power, speed and boxing ability goes...I don't see much of a difference"
I find that very interesting, and would be intrigued as to Reeds thoughts on this. Roy is not shit talker, if he's saying he can get the power, speed and boxing ability he had back then, surely he's the best to say so!? I do give some credit to the confidence issues, he kinda lost himself, and has adapted his style to suite his physical abilities. Perhaps he can achieve very close to the speed, power and boxing ability he had in his prime.
The point of Joe relying on his speed to win and others not dealing with it, is soo true I have to admit. Roy is the perfect person to not only deal with Joes speed, but turn it into a negative for Joe, and a positive for him, in being faster than him. Joe can't hit hard with his brittle hands. Roys got better ring intelligence and tactics. So what's Joe left with exactly? It confuses me because think Roys to varying degrees, probably still stronger in all of those area's, but I still predict a Calzaghe UD if he's on form.
I pretty much agree on everything except for the red part.
I read in an interview where stated that hes probably slowed down a little... but that he probably hits a little harder now, and he feels hes a lot wiser now, as far as adapting...
Roy is an amazing athlete... is decline was because of the weight loss that had the effect on his body... that was 4 years ago... I think hes healthy, he has no bad habits, hes focused, determined, and i know hes been training this entire time for this fight...
The people that cast the stone of "hes a shell" and "hes shot" do not seem to really study where roy truly is right now...
Is he what he used to be? Absolutely not... but that doesnt mean he can't fight, and it doesn't mean he can't beat you...
Roy does subtle things that spoil you, subtle things that you don't realize until your literally standing across the ring from him....
Joe being a southpaw, standing across from roy.. is going to see... Roys left hand extended out... blocking the site of joes jab... when joe sees the line of site for his jab, all he will see is roys glove extended out, blocking his sight...
Roys right hand will also be ready once joe comes in... roy will be looking to use joes aggressiveness and workrate completely against him... the more joe throws punches, the more he leaves himself open to be hit, and once roy knows he can hit you... he will completely take advantage of it...
We all saw what happens to a high work rate fighter once he fights a technical counter puncher... the work rate completely drops off, because if you come in flurrying and all the sudden get a 90mph fast ball to the face... your gonna be a little more reluctant to flurry.
I cant embed the video but if u watch the first round of this fight... u can see how roy can spoil a southpaw... obviously the second round he got KOed LOL but joe doesnt have the firepower tarver does...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSbctvFoK84
Where is this quote from, is there anymore?
"the only difference is I have to worry about injuries alot more then before. I didn't have to be as careful back then as now. As far as power, speed and boxing ability goes...I don't see much of a difference"
I find that very interesting, and would be intrigued as to Reeds thoughts on this. Roy is not shit talker, if he's saying he can get the power, speed and boxing ability he had back then, surely he's the best to say so!? I do give some credit to the confidence issues, he kinda lost himself, and has adapted his style to suite his physical abilities. Perhaps he can achieve very close to the speed, power and boxing ability he had in his prime.
The point of Joe relying on his speed to win and others not dealing with it, is soo true I have to admit. Roy is the perfect person to not only deal with Joes speed, but turn it into a negative for Joe, and a positive for him, in being faster than him. Joe can't hit hard with his brittle hands. Roys got better ring intelligence and tactics. So what's Joe left with exactly? It confuses me because think Roys to varying degrees, probably still stronger in all of those area's, but I still predict a Calzaghe UD if he's on form.
I read in an interview where stated that hes probably slowed down a little... but that he probably hits a little harder now, and he feels hes a lot wiser now, as far as adapting...
Roy is an amazing athlete... is decline was because of the weight loss that had the effect on his body... that was 4 years ago... I think hes healthy, he has no bad habits, hes focused, determined, and i know hes been training this entire time for this fight...
The people that cast the stone of "hes a shell" and "hes shot" do not seem to really study where roy truly is right now...
Is he what he used to be? Absolutely not... but that doesnt mean he can't fight, and it doesn't mean he can't beat you...
Roy does subtle things that spoil you, subtle things that you don't realize until your literally standing across the ring from him....
Joe being a southpaw, standing across from roy.. is going to see... Roys left hand extended out... blocking the site of joes jab... when joe sees the line of site for his jab, all he will see is roys glove extended out, blocking his sight...
Roys right hand will also be ready once joe comes in... roy will be looking to use joes aggressiveness and workrate completely against him... the more joe throws punches, the more he leaves himself open to be hit, and once roy knows he can hit you... he will completely take advantage of it...
We all saw what happens to a high work rate fighter once he fights a technical counter puncher... the work rate completely drops off, because if you come in flurrying and all the sudden get a 90mph fast ball to the face... your gonna be a little more reluctant to flurry.
Where is this quote from, is there anymore?
"the only difference is I have to worry about injuries alot more then before. I didn't have to be as careful back then as now. As far as power, speed and boxing ability goes...I don't see much of a difference"
I find that very interesting, and would be intrigued as to Reeds thoughts on this. Roy is not shit talker, if he's saying he can get the power, speed and boxing ability he had back then, surely he's the best to say so!? I do give some credit to the confidence issues, he kinda lost himself, and has adapted his style to suite his physical abilities. Perhaps he can achieve very close to the speed, power and boxing ability he had in his prime.
The point of Joe relying on his speed to win and others not dealing with it, is soo true I have to admit. Roy is the perfect person to not only deal with Joes speed, but turn it into a negative for Joe, and a positive for him, in being faster than him. Joe can't hit hard with his brittle hands. Roys got better ring intelligence and tactics. So what's Joe left with exactly? It confuses me because think Roys to varying degrees, probably still stronger in all of those area's, but I still predict a Calzaghe UD if he's on form.
no, it was after he came down from heavyweight and at 35...
he took FLUSH right hands from a 235 pound heavyweight
BuT jOhN rUiZ lulzz
But really, Roys chin was good he took shots from Ruiz. It was only when he was drained that his chin became "china"
As is Calzaghe.
And at this stage, it's about equal.
Joe would probably have lost to Roy in his prime, but Roy was hiding a slightly suspect chin under all that flash and handspeed, and it was only when he slowed down so fighters could catch him that it was shown.
Joe was one of a very select few who had the speed to do this in his prime.
Whether he would is different story altogether, but Roy would have never "whiped" the floor with Joe as the thread starter likes to suggest.
"Hiding" a suspect chin? Yeah, it took 50 something fights - over twenty something of them of the championship variety - before he got hit on it, right?
As is Calzaghe.
And at this stage, it's about equal.
Joe would probably have lost to Roy in his prime, but Roy was hiding a slightly suspect chin under all that flash and handspeed, and it was only when he slowed down so fighters could catch him that it was shown.
Joe was one of a very select few who had the speed to do this in his prime.
Whether he would is different story altogether, but Roy would have never "whiped" the floor with Joe as the thread starter likes to suggest.
no, it was after he came down from heavyweight and at 35...
he took FLUSH right hands from a 235 pound heavyweight
Hes also a highly underated technician
As is Calzaghe.
And at this stage, it's about equal.
Joe would probably have lost to Roy in his prime, but Roy was hiding a slightly suspect chin under all that flash and handspeed, and it was only when he slowed down so fighters could catch him that it was shown.
Joe was one of a very select few who had the speed to do this in his prime.
Whether he would is different story altogether, but Roy would have never "whiped" the floor with Joe as the thread starter likes to suggest.
Did you read the whole thing?
I said it's a combination of both mental and physical. His losses to Johnson and Tarver in the third were a mental thing.
Sounds like rationalization to me. I expect Calzaghe to win a clear decision.
I guess it could be argued that Roy is more confident now. But it's easier to be reborn against Prince Badi Ajamu, Anthony Hanshaw and a very fleshy Felix Trinidad. Yet even at that, not in any of the three fights did he go for the kill when it seemed like a knockout was well within reach in all three fights.
I can understand the Ajamu fight - confidence builder after a really bad two-year stretch. But honestly, I thought he still looked a bit shook against Hanshaw, and could've done so much more against Trinidad than was the case.
Roy's certainly a more complete fighter than Jeff Lacy, and is a lot flashier than Kessler - but honestly I'd still pick Kessler to beat him today and in fact give him a greater chance than Calzaghe of hurting Roy. Not to say I give him a better overall shot against Roy than I do Joe - I'm still picking Joe to box his ears off, but just in a less physically imposing manner.
he was also content to go the distance with david telesco in the middle of his prime....
if anyone is known to carry fighters its roy...
in the hanshaw fight, i didnt think he looked shook... it looked like he was workin on the rope a dope way of fighting... and when anthony finally landed a hard right hand... roy gave em a ridiculous combo and knocked him down... and i think he completely carried trinidad
I spoke of their one-dimensionalism. I spoke of Roy's confidence problems which I think he has put behind him. I spoke of Roy's clean lifestyle and that losing to Glen Johnson and Tarver in the third fight was more of a mental thing than a physical one.
And I also said, that he COULD put it all together physically and mentally against Joe Calzaghe and spank that ass...which I believe he will.
I guess it could be argued that Roy is more confident now. But it's easier to be reborn against Prince Badi Ajamu, Anthony Hanshaw and a very fleshy Felix Trinidad. Yet even at that, not in any of the three fights did he go for the kill when it seemed like a knockout was well within reach in all three fights.
I can understand the Ajamu fight - confidence builder after a really bad two-year stretch. But honestly, I thought he still looked a bit shook against Hanshaw, and could've done so much more against Trinidad than was the case.
Roy's certainly a more complete fighter than Jeff Lacy, and is a lot flashier than Kessler - but honestly I'd still pick Kessler to beat him today and in fact give him a greater chance than Calzaghe of hurting Roy. Not to say I give him a better overall shot against Roy than I do Joe - I'm still picking Joe to box his ears off, but just in a less physically imposing manner.
Did you read the whole thing?
I said it's a combination of both mental and physical. His losses to Johnson and Tarver in the third were a mental thing.
Physically he hasn't been the same fighter either.
Being hungry doesn't make him any younger, it would give him good motivation going into the fight though.
Did you read the whole thing?
I said it's a combination of both mental and physical. His losses to Johnson and Tarver in the third were a mental thing.
Odd that you discuss Kessler and Lacy in the past tense, but speak of Roy's skills as if he's still the same fighter he was 10 years ago.
I spoke of their one-dimensionalism. I spoke of Roy's confidence problems which I think he has put behind him. I spoke of Roy's clean lifestyle and that losing to Glen Johnson and Tarver in the third fight was more of a mental thing than a physical one.
And I also said, that he COULD put it all together physically and mentally against Joe Calzaghe and spank that ass...which I believe he will.
At the tail end of his career, Roy probably realizes he coulda done more in his prime than he did. Now he wants to go out wit a bang and take on 1 of the fighters he woulda handily beaten before, but is likely favored to handle him now. I'm dyin to see Roy pull this one last victory out.
Roy could beat Joe definetely.
There is a reason why Frank Warren wanted Pavlik that guy was the epitome of tailor made for Joe Calzaghe.
Joe doesn't hold nearly as many advantages over Roy, even this Roy who obviously has faded but I don't believe he is shot.
This is a great fight,
Odd that you discuss Kessler and Lacy in the past tense, but speak of Roy's skills as if he's still the same fighter he was 10 years ago.
Desperation tends to make you a hungrier fighter. That's the biggest difference between today's Roy and the one that milked every HBO contract to its last drop for years.
That said, the Calzaghe fight is the holy trinity for him. It's the most lucrative fight within his reach, and one where, even if he loses, he most likely won't get knocked out and will have lost to the best or one of the best 2-3 fighters in the world. A no lose situation for Roy, who's legacy was long ago secured.