Where Does Roy Jones Jr Rank Amongst the ATGs?

[winac]

i did exaggerate it, but i think he would have beaten Jones in a decision. But if he caught him, it could have been a Knock Out.

In the first fight, many try to make it seem like Jones schooled Hopkins in the fight. I watched it, and it wasn't nothing like that. If was a chest match, and Jones didn't manhandle Hopkins at all. Hopkins in the last couple rounds figured out Jones.
That fight made Hopkins into what he is today. A Beast on a mission. He fought harder, smarter, and trained harder. Thats why Jones didn't want non of him.

It's just testimony to Old Popkins that he is even mentioned in the same breath as Roy Jones let alone the fact there is a very strong argument for him being the greater fighter considering Roy beat him

[Abaris]

I can't rank Roy inside the top ten all-time because he didn't have one of the main attributes I associate with all-time greats; the ability to adapt with age.

Prime Roy is a match for anyone in boxing history but a boxer is never going to be in their prime forever and Roy rather foolishly didn't prepare himself for the latter stages of his career.
Good but unexceptional boxers like Tarver and Johnson shouldn't be knocking fighters of Roy's calibre out. The other two greats of his career, Calzaghe and Hopkins, both adapted with age because they knew that if they wanted to stay at the top of the sport they would have to: Calzaghe adopted a higher work-rate to compensate for his hand-injury induced lack of power and Hopkins evolved into one of the greatest counter-punchers boxing has ever known. Consequently they both ended their careers as the two best fighters across three weight divisions, neither having ever suffered a knock-out loss.

A fighter can not be in their prime forever but they have a responsibility to themselves to prolong their prime by adapting and Roy didn't.

[!! Shawn]

That's why its so hard to place him. His resume is weak when you look at his skills and dominance, so it is far from clear cut. I've got him somewhere between 40-50.

LOL! If you can name 40 fighters better than Roy I will sign over the title to my car.

[Dan...]

Whitaker clearly achieved more than Jones and had the more impressive career (basis enough to be ranked well above him)

and i always thought he was the better pound-for-pound fighter too

I can see a very legitimate argument for ranking Pea over Roy. I would think they are pretty close but I might give an edge to Whitaker there.

I think that any "who is the better fighter p4p" argument is just always way too difficult. Both of those guys were great, great fighters though, no doubt.

As far as Whitaker "clearly achieving more than Jones", well I am not sure you have sufficient basis to say "clearly" although if you do I would like to hear it.

[Benny Leonard]

It's just testimony to Old Popkins that he is even mentioned in the same breath as Roy Jones let alone the fact there is a very strong argument for him being the greater fighter considering Roy beat him

let me finish your line:


with one hand"

[Benny Leonard]

Jones is Overatted and HOpkins is greater. If he fought Roy Jones again he would have ***** Slapped him around.

Hopkins never wanted Roy again and I'm a Hopkins fan from his home-town.

The only chance Hopkins had to beat Roy was after Roy came back down from HW {Ruiz} and destroyed his body.

[winac]

let me finish your line:


with one hand"

that makes no difference to my point

[Benny Leonard]

i did exaggerate it, but i think he would have beaten Jones in a decision. But if he caught him, it could have been a Knock Out.

In the first fight, many try to make it seem like Jones schooled Hopkins in the fight. I watched it, and it wasn't nothing like that. If was a chest match, and Jones didn't manhandle Hopkins at all. Hopkins in the last couple rounds figured out Jones.
That fight made Hopkins into what he is today. A Beast on a mission. He fought harder, smarter, and trained harder. Thats why Jones didn't want non of him.

Hopkins knocks out Jones?

Maybe the version that came back down from HW who was never the same.

Roy's chin and ability to absorb punches went with his health of his body. Just like Chris Byrd shattered like Glass when he made the move down to LH and was taken down by Shaun George despite being able to take big punches from fighters like Tua, Klitschkos, Ibeabuchi, etc. when he was healthy at HW.
Roy doesn't have Byrd's chin but hopefully you get my point.

[crold1]

let me finish your line:


with one hand"

Says who? Roy YEARS later? Looked like he was throwing both to me. I've watched the fight again over the years. That claim was possibly BS for negotiating purposes when, pre-2001 tourney, Jones offered BHop a rematch IF BHop would agree that, if he won, Roy got an 80-20 split for the rubber match.

[Benny Leonard]

Says who? Roy YEARS later? Looked like he was throwing both to me. I've watched the fight again over the years. That claim was possibly BS for negotiating purposes when, pre-2001 tourney, Jones offered BHop a rematch IF BHop would agree that, if he won, Roy got an 80-20 split for the rubber match.

You can throw both and still have one hand hurt. You need to throw both actually or you let your opponent know that one hand is hurt. The best way to tell would be to see how much force is he throwing into his punch from that hand and how often. And also comparing how often he throws it when healthy compared to when it is supposedly hurt.

could he be lying: sure, but was he, not so sure. Wonder if he had a Doctor's note.

Let's just go by this footage first. What do you see?




I do think Roy saw the talent of Hopkins in that fight and had respect for his ability. But for the rematch, that's all on Hopkins for never taking the fight.