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I know roy isnt what he used to be.
I know his legs dont move like they used to move, and that his lateral movement isnt quite there anymore... which is why I give credit to a veteran fighter for switching his style up this late in the game... Hold your hands up winky style.. so you can see all the punches coming in, using your still intact hand eye coordination to block those punches and look for quick counters, instead of using slowed reflexes to move out of the way with your chin hanging out there...
It takes a lot for someone whose been fighting one way there entire career to switch things up, because they realize they cant quite do it like they used to do it. With that said, lets look at the abilities...
Work Rate: Will absolutely goto Joe... If theres one thing Joe Calzaghe is known for its his work rate. He throws lots of punches, and you better keep up, or your going to lose.
But what Bernard showed is that a great counter puncher will slow anyones work rate down.
Hand speed, Accuracy, and Power: all go to Roy... Hand speed is the only CLOSE candidate, as Joes hands arent exactly slow... AT ALL... But I think the conensus around here would agree Roy still has the hand speed advantage.... and this is what off sets Joe's workrate... Fast hard hands that can hit you at any time, is a problem for a volume puncher. Volumes of punches, leaves volumes of openings. I think accuracy and power are no brainers, as Roy only shoots shots off when he sees openings, and his power is also a no brainer.
Chin: I would give this edge to Joe... obviously with Joe coming up in weight, hes going to have bigger more powerful guys hitting him... and it showed that in the Bernard fight... although I realize it was a flash knockdown... So im not too concerned about Joe's chin, I know he has a great chin... Roys chin.. well, we all know that story... I personally feel the "china chinned" Jones has been slightly exaggerated... People tend to think if a piece of paper hit him in the face he would go into convulsions... Its simply not the case... And Joe doesnt quite hit like an Antonio Tarver, and Roy knows this full well.
Stamina: This edge also goes to Joe.. as hes used to going full 12 rounds always throwing punches... In Roys last 3 fights... Knowing full well none of his last 3 fights are the equivelent of a Joe Calzaghe, But Roy has shown little fatigue in his fights... even with his fight against Hanshaw, where he fought off the ropes for 3/4 of the fight... if you actually watch the fight... his defense was in practice, and he was countering right back all 12 rounds, dropping him in the 11th. Stamina... still goes to Joe, Hands down. But I think Roy has about twice the stamina Bernard has, as Bernard slowed down by the 4 - 5th rounds, and Roys hands stay fully effective all 12 rounds.
Interest: Why is this fight interesting? For me... its more on the Roy side... not because im a fan of his... but more to see, does he still have one more big fight in him... what if he wins? what if he does? what will that do to his career? will it erase some of the sour taste we were left with from 2004-2005? Where will it place him as an ATG? Roy back on the p4p List?!?! what?!
My Personal reason for thinking Roy can win: If theres one thing that we saw in the Bernard fight, that worked against Joe... it was the straight right hand. The only problem was, after 4 or 5 rounds, Bernard lost his speed and his pop... I believe Roy can throw Faster, more accurate, and more powerful straight right hands, an entire 12 rounds.. with the same pop. Also, Bernard didnt throw ANY combinations.. it was ONE straight right hand, and clinch... EVen this old dicrepid cane walking senior citizen roy... still throws combinations, there still fast, still accurate, and still powerful... Should be interesting... and Im definitely going to the fight... anyone else?!??!?!
Joe has the edge in the fight, Roy is the underdog...
Roy should lose this fight...
I know his legs dont move like they used to move, and that his lateral movement isnt quite there anymore... which is why I give credit to a veteran fighter for switching his style up this late in the game... Hold your hands up winky style.. so you can see all the punches coming in, using your still intact hand eye coordination to block those punches and look for quick counters, instead of using slowed reflexes to move out of the way with your chin hanging out there...
It takes a lot for someone whose been fighting one way there entire career to switch things up, because they realize they cant quite do it like they used to do it. With that said, lets look at the abilities...
Work Rate: Will absolutely goto Joe... If theres one thing Joe Calzaghe is known for its his work rate. He throws lots of punches, and you better keep up, or your going to lose.
But what Bernard showed is that a great counter puncher will slow anyones work rate down.
Hand speed, Accuracy, and Power: all go to Roy... Hand speed is the only CLOSE candidate, as Joes hands arent exactly slow... AT ALL... But I think the conensus around here would agree Roy still has the hand speed advantage.... and this is what off sets Joe's workrate... Fast hard hands that can hit you at any time, is a problem for a volume puncher. Volumes of punches, leaves volumes of openings. I think accuracy and power are no brainers, as Roy only shoots shots off when he sees openings, and his power is also a no brainer.
Chin: I would give this edge to Joe... obviously with Joe coming up in weight, hes going to have bigger more powerful guys hitting him... and it showed that in the Bernard fight... although I realize it was a flash knockdown... So im not too concerned about Joe's chin, I know he has a great chin... Roys chin.. well, we all know that story... I personally feel the "china chinned" Jones has been slightly exaggerated... People tend to think if a piece of paper hit him in the face he would go into convulsions... Its simply not the case... And Joe doesnt quite hit like an Antonio Tarver, and Roy knows this full well.
Stamina: This edge also goes to Joe.. as hes used to going full 12 rounds always throwing punches... In Roys last 3 fights... Knowing full well none of his last 3 fights are the equivelent of a Joe Calzaghe, But Roy has shown little fatigue in his fights... even with his fight against Hanshaw, where he fought off the ropes for 3/4 of the fight... if you actually watch the fight... his defense was in practice, and he was countering right back all 12 rounds, dropping him in the 11th. Stamina... still goes to Joe, Hands down. But I think Roy has about twice the stamina Bernard has, as Bernard slowed down by the 4 - 5th rounds, and Roys hands stay fully effective all 12 rounds.
Interest: Why is this fight interesting? For me... its more on the Roy side... not because im a fan of his... but more to see, does he still have one more big fight in him... what if he wins? what if he does? what will that do to his career? will it erase some of the sour taste we were left with from 2004-2005? Where will it place him as an ATG? Roy back on the p4p List?!?! what?!
My Personal reason for thinking Roy can win: If theres one thing that we saw in the Bernard fight, that worked against Joe... it was the straight right hand. The only problem was, after 4 or 5 rounds, Bernard lost his speed and his pop... I believe Roy can throw Faster, more accurate, and more powerful straight right hands, an entire 12 rounds.. with the same pop. Also, Bernard didnt throw ANY combinations.. it was ONE straight right hand, and clinch... EVen this old dicrepid cane walking senior citizen roy... still throws combinations, there still fast, still accurate, and still powerful... Should be interesting... and Im definitely going to the fight... anyone else?!??!?!
Joe has the edge in the fight, Roy is the underdog...
Roy should lose this fight...
But when the bell rings... it doesnt matter what your record is... its the blue corner vs the red corner. ding ding. 
As you said, and I mentioned before the Hopkins fight, the key to beating Joe is to slow down his work rate and make him think and with his faster punches, that quick straight right hand and his combos I think that will be a bit to much for Joe to handle. I'm a big JC fan but RJJ is one of the greatest fighters ever PERIOD even a somewhat faded Jones is better than some can ever dream of.
I do think however that Jones will have to take more punches than Hopkins did and the question is has Joe got the power to hurt him, if he has then if enough get through it could be a late stoppage, but I think Jones will win a decision.
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