The way i'm looking at this is Roy Jones Jr moved up to Heavyweight and beat John Ruiz becoming the first middleweight Champ to win a Heavyweight title in 106 years.
When Mike Tyson fought Michael Spinks, Spinks was the first Light-Heavyweight titlist since Tommy Burns in 1908 to win a Heavyweight title. See where i'm coming from? Though Spinks lost to Tyson.
So that's why I decided to make this poll. If the Roy Jones Jr that beat John Ruiz fought prime Mike Tyson (1986-1989) who'd win?
Tyson and Jones both were 2 of the greatest boxers who have ever lived!
I never understood why Americans are so adamant in promoting nut bag mythology to save face today when they can quite easily turn to guys like Roy and Mike who would obviously be top competitors and champ in our time!
In fact not only Tyson, but Roy too, could have defeated EVERY single boxer who ever fought prior to 1980!!
Anyway I love Roy, he was one of the most special talents the sport has seen and possibly the best ever lb for lb (there's a fairly strong case anyway).
This morning, I watched the Tyson vs Williams fight which Tyson lost near the end of his career. I was STILL impressed, despite most people claiming this Tyson sucked. I also know a lot of people haven't exactly watched the fight to know how destructive Tyson still was and how hard Williams fought and in fact it was only through resilience and a lot of luck too that Williams was in the end able to win.
Enough of the rambling...
THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT ANY VERSION OF ROY JONES THAT EVER EXISTED, COULD EVER HAVE BEATEN OR SURVIVED ANY VERSION OF TYSON THAT EVER EXISTED! NOT EVEN THE MOST ABORTED OR DRUG ADDICTED VERSION!
That is just a cold hard fact!
A better matchup is the 2003 Tyson vs the 2003 Jones.
Matching Jones up against the 86-89 Tyson is a mismatch.
Jones would fare about as well as the other great LHW champ who faced Tyson during 1988. And Spinks was also bigger and more proven at HW than Jones.
Spinks and Jones were great fighters, but just too small. Big difference between John Ruiz, Steffan Tangstad, and even an aging Larry Holmes to a peak Tyson.
Tyson carried more speed in his youth than the bloated, blown-up Roy Jones that fought John Ruiz possessed.
Even a washed up Tyson would have stood a good chance at starching that version of Jones.
One good thing came out of this thread , i rewatched 1 hour of tyson fights , the guy was a BEAST in his prime , i wish we get another animal like that again , so much power speed and technique , was fun.
Jones is really a great light heavyweight regardless of his adventure with mediocre heavyweight champ Ruiz. The prime Tyson was a real monster. He had 220 pounds of rock hard muscle on his short,stocky 5ft 11 inch body and he had great speed and power in both hands. He took Spinks out in about a minute of the first round and Spinks had been a great light heavyweight. I doubt Jones would last much longer than Spinks did against Tyson.
Not sure if you really asking , but you should go watch Prime tyson fights , ppl usually remember the later time in his carrer when he was done mentally , but when he was prime.... RJJ will be in a hospital before the 3rd round.
The way i'm looking at this is Roy Jones Jr moved up to Heavyweight and beat John Ruiz becoming the first middleweight Champ to win a Heavyweight title in 106 years.
When Mike Tyson fought Michael Spinks, Spinks was the first Light-Heavyweight titlist since Tommy Burns in 1908 to win a Heavyweight title. See where i'm coming from? Though Spinks lost to Tyson.
So that's why I decided to make this poll. If the Roy Jones Jr that beat John Ruiz fought prime Mike Tyson (1986-1989) who'd win?
You didn't watch the Michael Spinks fight did you ? same results
If Tyson lands within the first 4 rounds, I'd go for Tyson by KO. If it went past 6, Roy Jones by UD or late TKO.
Tyson was a great heavyweight but past the 6th he was a shadow of himself. Jones could last 12 but only if he boxed smart and moved the first 6 trying to get Tyson tired. Jones wouldn't have the size to tie him up and frustrate him like Holyfield did but he could move.