Roy Jones Jr. - "Who is Greater? Me or Bernard Hopkins?"

[JWPearce3]

The whole problem with this debate is Roy's 25+ lbs muscle loss to get back to light heavy. Even the biggest Roy hater has to acknowledge the fact that he barely lost rounds pre-Tarver 1. Roy has said as of late that he should have taken no less than 2 years off after the Tyson fight never materialized to get back down to light heavy.
So how about let's compare Hopkins' pre-Taylor and Jones' pre-Tarver? Being a Jones fan, I'm going to go with Roy. He made good fighters look like they were nothing. On the flip side, Hopkins reign as middleweight champ is very impressive as well. Hopkins has looked better as of late but has Roy even looked like Roy since the muscle loss? Nope.
This may just be to hype up a rematch but Roy must get past Joe C. first. If he wins and wins decisively, Jones-Hopkins 2 would be the biggest fight in 2009. If he loses to Calzaghe, it'll be time to hang them up.
That being said, here's to Roy pulling off the upset but I wouldn't be surprised if he loses.

[j.razor]

Bernard is greater because he can say that he hasn't been knocked the "F" out

LOL...maybe?

[El Dominicano]

B-Hop is the better fighter, with the better legacy
RJJ is the better athlete, slightly behind B-Hop in resume

All in all, they'll both go down as ATG'z and if RJJ beatz Calzaghe (Which I know he will) They're a tie

[NoFear24]

There no doubt in my mind that Hopkins will take less cut if Jones beat Joe. The thing is Hopkins is probably better fighter now than Jones is at this stage of his career, but there is no doubt that Hopkins will know this and take the less cut to prove he is the better fighter than Jones. But you can't judge the Jones of now with the then when he dominated hopkins pretty easy. Hopkins was a very smart fighter back then, but the difference is he was more aggressive and had little patience when fighting Jones the first time. This time he will be able to be more patience against the faded much slower Jones.

The more conventional fighter will always have an advantage at an older age, Jones relied on his reflexes, hand speed (which came with alot of power back then ) as well as his foot speed and smarts ( still has just can't react to punches as fast).

Overall for their entire career Jones is the better fighter. He's done more things then anyone of the middle weights of today can say. That includes Hopkins, Joe, or anyone you want to name. Theres no one that did what he did by fighting a Bhop, then later p4p 1 at the time Toney, damn near cleaned out the light heavyweight division.

And then moving up to Heavweight going up 200 pounds of muscle and winning the a Heavy weight Championship. Then actually having to lose like 25-30 pounds of muscle which was a very dangerous for any fighter with a 5% body fat and actually making the weight. His body when he went back down to light heavy did not look right. It was very drained and deformed looking. To fight one of the best Light heavy again at the time Tarver and win a Light heavy weight title again, thats just an amazing feature to do.

You won't find a middle weight fighter doing that again for another 50 years or so. Nobody can go all the way up to heavy win a title and drop 25-30 pounds of pure muscle and expect to win another title at 175. Just doesn't happen and Jones is one of the rare ones to ever achieved this.

Jones Overall is a better fighter and has achieved more than any of the former middle weights to ever fight in the game. Judging Jones now even at this stage of his career, hes not that bad, but hes far from what he used to be. He can still hang with the top dogs even with his faded speed and reflexes, and it will show on NOV 7.
Take nothing away from Bhop though, he himself is also a great fighter. Both accomplished great things and B hops durability is amazing to be fighting at still at the age of 43. But Jones has accomplished more in less time in his career. I guess he knew if he got to old his reflexes won't be there to help him achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a heavyweight Champion.

[FLY TY]

The whole problem with this debate is Roy's 25+ lbs muscle loss to get back to light heavy. Even the biggest Roy hater has to acknowledge the fact that he barely lost rounds pre-Tarver 1. Roy has said as of late that he should have taken no less than 2 years off after the Tyson fight never materialized to get back down to light heavy.
So how about let's compare Hopkins' pre-Taylor and Jones' pre-Tarver? Being a Jones fan, I'm going to go with Roy. He made good fighters look like they were nothing. On the flip side, Hopkins reign as middleweight champ is very impressive as well. Hopkins has looked better as of late but has Roy even looked like Roy since the muscle loss? Nope.
This may just be to hype up a rematch but Roy must get past Joe C. first. If he wins and wins decisively, Jones-Hopkins 2 would be the biggest fight in 2009. If he loses to Calzaghe, it'll be time to hang them up.
That being said, here's to Roy pulling off the upset but I wouldn't be surprised if he loses.

There should be a “no excuses” clause in boxing contracts…..i’m tired of hearing this “muscle loss” as an excuse….if roy wasn’t “right” he should not have fought…period. Hopkins never blames his losses on his age….

The problem with your argument is roy jones was never “technically” great. Roy jones was blessed with great athletic attributes. Once you get “older” and that athleticism leaves, you gotta rely on your ring smarts, and your technical skills. Roy was superior athletically to Hopkins, but Hopkins is unmatched as far as skills and smarts….athleticism only gets you so far. So while roy jones fans want to blame everything on his weight loss dilemma, it could also be said, his athletic skills diminished, and what was left is what we have now…..roy jones will not be able to fight into his forties, in fact, within the next year he’ll be done as an “elite”prizefighter……

I agree this is absolutely hype for a rematch, in the case roy gets past calzaghe…..but roy just has to win, it would be nice to see him KO calzaghe, but any kond of win opens the door for a rematch w/ Hopkins………

[Zocalo]

Jones was the man in the 90s but Hopkins had a greater career in the 00s. Overall I would stil side with Jones.

[JWPearce3]

There should be a “no excuses” clause in boxing contracts…..i’m tired of hearing this “muscle loss” as an excuse….if roy wasn’t “right” he should not have fought…period. Hopkins never blames his losses on his age….

The problem with your argument is roy jones was never “technically” great. Roy jones was blessed with great athletic attributes. Once you get “older” and that athleticism leaves, you gotta rely on your ring smarts, and your technical skills. Roy was superior athletically to Hopkins, but Hopkins is unmatched as far as skills and smarts….athleticism only gets you so far. So while roy jones fans want to blame everything on his weight loss dilemma, it could also be said, his athletic skills diminished, and what was left is what we have now…..roy jones will not be able to fight into his forties, in fact, within the next year he’ll be done as an “elite”prizefighter……

I agree this is absolutely hype for a rematch, in the case roy gets past calzaghe…..but roy just has to win, it would be nice to see him KO calzaghe, but any kond of win opens the door for a rematch w/ Hopkins………

Where in my post did I say Roy was "technically" great? Never said he was technically great. He didn't have to be and unfortunately that is coming back to hurt him now.

[FLY TY]

There no doubt in my mind that Hopkins will take less cut if Jones beat Joe. The thing is Hopkins is probably better fighter now than Jones is at this stage of his career, but there is no doubt that Hopkins will know this and take the less cut to prove he is the better fighter than Jones. But you can't judge the Jones of now with the then when he dominated hopkins pretty easy. Hopkins was a very smart fighter back then, but the difference is he was more aggressive and had little patience when fighting Jones the first time. This time he will be able to be more patience against the faded much slower Jones.

The more conventional fighter will always have an advantage at an older age, Jones relied on his reflexes, hand speed (which came with alot of power back then ) as well as his foot speed and smarts ( still has just can't react to punches as fast).

Overall for their entire career Jones is the better fighter. He's done more things then anyone of the middle weights of today can say. That includes Hopkins, Joe, or anyone you want to name. Theres no one that did what he did by fighting a Bhop, then later p4p 1 at the time Toney, damn near cleaned out the light heavyweight division.

And then moving up to Heavweight going up 200 pounds of muscle and winning the a Heavy weight Championship. Then actually having to lose like 25-30 pounds of muscle which was a very dangerous for any fighter with a 5% body fat and actually making the weight. His body when he went back down to light heavy did not look right. It was very drained and deformed looking. To fight one of the best Light heavy again at the time Tarver and win a Light heavy weight title again, thats just an amazing feature to do.

You won't find a middle weight fighter doing that again for another 50 years or so. Nobody can go all the way up to heavy win a title and drop 25-30 pounds of pure muscle and expect to win another title at 175. Just doesn't happen and Jones is one of the rare ones to ever achieved this.

Jones Overall is a better fighter and has achieved more than any of the former middle weights to ever fight in the game. Judging Jones now even at this stage of his career, hes not that bad, but hes far from what he used to be. He can still hang with the top dogs even with his faded speed and reflexes, and it will show on NOV 7.
Take nothing away from Bhop though, he himself is also a great fighter. Both accomplished great things and B hops durability is amazing to be fighting at still at the age of 43. But Jones has accomplished more in less time in his career. I guess he knew if he got to old his reflexes won't be there to help him achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a heavyweight Champion.

Bruh, if you cant “gauge” either fighter by a fight at this stage, you cant gauge either by the first fight either. Hopkins was clearly not a prime figher…roy jones has had a good career, but he barely took risks….. in fact his career is haunted by rarely if ever taking risks….most of jones’s career story is told by facing mandatories, he has never taken a fight, until this fight, where he was the “underdog.” There is no denying Hopkins has faced the better competition in his career…..bottom line. I applaud roy’s move to HW and back, but other than that, roy’s career has basically been about taking the path of least resistance.

[FLY TY]

Where in my post did I say Roy was "technically" great? Never said he was technically great. He didn't have to be and unfortunately that is coming back to hurt him now.

U didn’t. I did. Just pointing out the fact that roy jones is only more gifted than Bernard physically, but he isn’t the greater fighter. U seem to be agreeing, by the fact u stated “its catching up with him now…”

[Chase8400]

u didnt say it.....your boy asked who was greater....were not talking prime for prime, b/c there's no way to tell. when they fought, roy was in his prime, b-hop was not...FACT.....

You started off all wrong there bro. LOL
A fact is something that can be proven. I like to think that Hopkins was in his prime considering that he was 28 when they fought and that he had more fights.(22) YOU say Jones was in his prime as a fact? @ 21 fights, and being 24 years old, I doubt many would dissagree if I say Jones was still green.

so prime for prime is a matter of opinion....you wanna talk overall careers, including now? b-hop. like i said, was has more physical gifts, is the better showman, hop has more skills period. hop also has longevity. do you think roy jones will be able to fight anyone significant when he's 43? hell no...

u'r talking hyptheticals....im talking overalls, and yes NOW. if they fight, it will be NOW. b-hop won't punk jones, may not KO him, but he beats him convincingly.....roy jones has been scared to engage since he got KTFO, and if he fights bernard at bernads pace, he does get punked.

No, by saying B-hop was in his prime when Jones beat him, is NOT hypothetical. It can be proven to a degree. The sense that you try and pass off is that B-hop could beat Jones, which the opposite already happened. So, who is speaking hypothetically? B-hop beating Jones now is an opinion only , until the fight comes off. I like Jones' chance to win now as well if Calzaghe can beat Bernard. Joe is a weaker, slower but more active Jones. I thought you knew that.

one thing we kno, bernard's power is very underrated, especially when he deicedes to let em go.....he's either knocked down, or hurt every1 he's fought the last few years, w/ the exception of winky wright- which is understandable. when't the last time roy had somebody in "trouble?" saying all that, hopkins WILL touch jones in the fight, and jones's chin is questionable to say the least.....how well will jones be able to touch bernard? even if he does, chances are he won't touch him enough to hurt him.......

Here you go again with a bunch of opinions. And to answer the question about hurting someone: Did you even see Jones' last 3 fights at all? Or are you talking off of hear say? He hurt badi Ajamu to his body so bad that he had to go to the hospital from throwing up blood. He knocked Hanshaw down in the 11th round and could have put a stop to him at any time he wanted, but chose to let him finish the fight.(I was there btw) Also, he knocked Tito down 2 times and could have ended that fight basically at any time. How are you gona even say that? Hell Jones hurt Tarver to the body in the 3rd fight.

i dont care how u look at it, or how much you like roy, hopkins won't "punk" him, as you say....he will 60-40 him tho, then whoop his ass....

tighten up.

I would be willing to bet on Roy beating Bernard again. Remember me when the fight comes off. Jones UD and Bernard will admit he lost to him again.