Roy Jones vs Darius Michalczewski

[Humean]

Would beating Darius really have improved his legacy that much? Yes he would have unified the divison, but DM was a pretty average belt holder.

Roy would have won a pretty comfortable decision I'm sure.

Michalczewski was not an average belt holder. Look at Jones jr competition at light heavyweight, who was better than Michalczewski? Virgil Hill? Michalczewski battered him nearly a year before Jones did. McCallum? Maybe but Fabrice Tiozzo edged him out before Jones did. Griffin? Michalczewski ended up battering him like Jones had done earlier. There is surely no doubt that Michalczewski was the man Jones needed to defeat at 175 and that would have enhanced his legacy quite a bit.

[Welsh Jon]

Michalczewski was not an average belt holder. Look at Jones jr competition at light heavyweight, who was better than Michalczewski? Virgil Hill? Michalczewski battered him nearly a year before Jones did. McCallum? Maybe but Fabrice Tiozzo edged him out before Jones did. Griffin? Michalczewski ended up battering him like Jones had done earlier. There is surely no doubt that Michalczewski was the man Jones needed to defeat at 175 and that would have enhanced his legacy quite a bit.

If Roy had beaten Michalczewski, he would have been soon forgotten. Because they never fought everyone says it's a blot on RJJ's resume. When comparing ATG light heavyweight resume, the name Michalczwski in the win column would not have given Jones much extra credit, though I suppose it would have been impressive if he had gone to Germany. But that would never have happened.

[beez721]

How would this fight have gone, and who would have won?

jones would have won handily but he did kinda seem to duck the fight for some reason. I don't think he would have had to worry about it going to the judges but I guess he wasn't as confident in himself

[Humean]

If Roy had beaten Michalczewski, he would have been soon forgotten. Because they never fought everyone says it's a blot on RJJ's resume. When comparing ATG light heavyweight resume, the name Michalczwski in the win column would not have given Jones much extra credit, though I suppose it would have been impressive if he had gone to Germany. But that would never have happened.

There would not be too many light heavyweights that would be better on any so called ATG light heavyweight's resume than Michalczewski. Michalczewski was the best active light heavyweight from around 1996-2004 not named Jones jr. How could defeating him not improve Jones's resume quite substantially?

It is a blot on both men's record that they never fought, it looks worse upon Jones' because of the grandiose claims made at the time and since in regards to his greatness. Michalczewski by contrast has people posting on forums claiming he was a 'pretty average belt holder'. That is the difference. Not for the first time perspectives are skewed. A more accurate appraisal of Michalczewski would see him as a major scalp for Jones and his legacy.

[Welsh Jon]

There would not be too many light heavyweights that would be better on any so called ATG light heavyweight's resume than Michalczewski. Michalczewski was the best active light heavyweight from around 1996-2004 not named Jones jr. How could defeating him not improve Jones's resume quite substantially?

It is a blot on both men's record that they never fought, it looks worse upon Jones' because of the grandiose claims made at the time and since in regards to his greatness. Michalczewski by contrast has people posting on forums claiming he was a 'pretty average belt holder'. That is the difference. Not for the first time perspectives are skewed. A more accurate appraisal of Michalczewski would see him as a major scalp for Jones and his legacy.

Michalczewski was the (distant) second best light heavy of his era. RJJ has a relatively poor light heavy resume and beating Darius wouldn't have really changed that.

[Scott9945]

Michalczewski was the (distant) second best light heavy of his era. RJJ has a relatively poor light heavy resume and beating Darius wouldn't have really changed that.

I can't see how beating your best possible opponent and unifying the titles wouldn't enhance your resume. If nothing else that would have made it easier to dismiss Roy's flagrant ducking of Michael Nunn.

[Welsh Jon]

I can't see how beating your best possible opponent and unifying the titles wouldn't enhance your resume. If nothing else that would have made it easier to dismiss Roy's flagrant ducking of Michael Nunn.

Yeah I get what your saying. DM was the number 2 guy in the divison for a significant time and the number 1 should always fight the number 2. The fact he didn't is a slight knock on RJJ's resume.

But what I'm saying is IF he had beaten DM his light heavy resume would still look pretty weak. Very few people saw him as a serious phreat anyway. I don't have Jones in my top 10 atg light heavies and I still wouldn't if he'd have beaten Darius.

Though I suppose the fact that he kept failing to fight the likes of Michalczewski, Nunn and Benn over the course of his career does mar his p4p rating somewhat.

[Anthony342]

So why did Roy not fight these guys? Did he really think he'd have that much trouble against them. If prime, he could've used his speed and athletic ability to at least win decisions, maybe even stop one of them. I heard with Darius it was that he didn't want to go to Germany and Darius didn't want to fight him in the US, is that true?

[Scott9945]

So why did Roy not fight these guys? Did he really think he'd have that much trouble against them. If prime, he could've used his speed and athletic ability to at least win decisions, maybe even stop one of them. I heard with Darius it was that he didn't want to go to Germany and Darius didn't want to fight him in the US, is that true?

I can only go on what I've read and heard. The Nunn fight supposedly didn't happen because Roy was upset by the purse split that Nunn's mandatory status entitled him to. As for Michalczewski, it appeared that both parties were very reluctant to leave their comfort zones, and HBO never showed very much interest in sweetening the pot to bring them together. The demand for that matchup wasn't exactly on a Mayweather-Pacquiao level either.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I can only go on what I've read and heard. The Nunn fight supposedly didn't happen because Roy was upset by the purse split that Nunn's mandatory status entitled him to. As for Michalczewski, it appeared that both parties were very reluctant to leave their comfort zones, and HBO never showed very much interest in sweetening the pot to bring them together. The demand for that matchup wasn't exactly on a Mayweather-Pacquiao level either.

It's not manny-Floyd
But hbo did do a poll during the middleweight tourney in 2001 asking which PPv fight they wanted to see most and Roy-daruisz won by a landslide.. I think they showed the results during Hopkins-Tito,,
There was a lot of demand for that fight, in spite of daruisz never being showcased on American tv...
It was by far Roy's biggest fight and payday from 98-02, and maybe not a record breaking blockbuster but def would have been a pretty big fight opinion it's own right..