The Top 25 Light Heavyweights of All-Time – Top Ten

[crold1]

Of course the fact that Jones lost 2 out of 3 to the most competent opponent he ever fought at 175 doesn't help his ranking either. Tarver has a comparable resume at LHW with wins over Jones himself, Montell Griffin, Eric Harding, Reggie Johnson, Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods yet you hardly ever seen him make the top 10 ATG light heavies do you?

Tarver can certainly be underrated and had one hell of a run. He's a fascinating what if as well. Given his late start, what happens if we see a Tarver whose physical prime could have matched his skill level? In other words, what if he had a start of just a few years earlier all other things equal? Would have been interesting.

[Dave Rado]

Well I don't know about since if there was only one belt more than likely Dariusz M would of had. And, Roy reluctance to fight in German and Dariusz not wanting to fight out of Germany. Makes it hard for me to believe Roy would of had the belt.

And, what makes you think that Roy could beat Ezzard Charles? Archie Moore? Sam Langford? Michael Spinks? Bob Foster? Cuz he beat Derrick Harmon? Or cuz he beat Eric Harding? Or was cuz he beat an 80yr old Mike McCallum? Or a passed prime Virgil Hill? Cuz he beat those guys makes you think he Could beat some ATG's? Come on now bro...

Really I thought Cliff was being generous ranking Roy that high. Harold Johnson should be ahead of Roy honestly. Roy should not be so ahead of Virgil Hill. Really 12 is kinda high for Roy.

Dariusz did try to get a fight with Roy in the US at one point, but for whatever reason it didn't happen. I do think that was a big mistake on Roy's part, legacy-wise. But HBO is also partly to blame for not putting up any money to make the fight happen.

Based on Light Heavyweight résumé alone, Roy wouldn't get in the top 25. Based on skills alone, a very strong case can be made for him being in the top 5, IMO. But ATG lists are based on both skills and résumé, and on that basis I think Cliff's rating is reasonable.

Roy did things in the ring that no other fighter I know of has ever been able to do. He moved as balletically as Ali and Ray Robinson. Although his Light Heavyweight opponents, before his move to Heavyweight, were mostly of questionable quality, he dominated respectable opponents like Woods and Griffin so completely that it's hard to make a case that he wouldn't also have beaten Tarver and Dariusz if they had fought before his move to Heavyweight. (After he came down from Heavyweight he was never the same fighter again). And at Middleweight and Super Middleweight he completely dominated two ATG fighters, in Hopkins and Toney, which, although not forming part of his Light Heavyweight résumé, does tell you a lot about his quality as a fighter in his prime.

I agree that due to his lack of top rate opposition at Light Heavyweight, it's hard to make a strong case that he would have beaten Charles or Foster or Moore, or Spinks, but I think if it were a purely "who would beat whom" list, you can still make a case that he belongs in the top 5 or so. But ATG lists are not purely "who would beat whom" lists, résumé matters, and because of his weak résumé at Light Heavyweight, I think #12 is fair.

[djtmal]

Of course the fact that Jones lost 2 out of 3 to the most competent opponent he ever fought at 175 doesn't help his ranking either. Tarver has a comparable resume at LHW with wins over Jones himself, Montell Griffin, Eric Harding, Reggie Johnson, Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods yet you hardly ever seen him make the top 10 ATG light heavies do you?

tarver is garbage...

[pheentosh]

What????????

Y'all must've lost your damn minds. Now, I've been around for some time and I could see Ezzard Charles being # 1. But Foster at 7? Jones at 12? Man get real.

[TheGreatA]

tarver is garbage...

If Tarver is garbage then what does that make Roy Jones?

Sure you can make excuses about Roy Jones's weight loss and all that, but imagine the excuses that can be made for all the 11 fighters rated above him. But there's no need to.

The fact is that Roy's LHW reign wasn't that impressive, certainly not enough to put him in the top 5, top 3 or even number 1 like some people are arguing. However it's just one of the 4 divisions that Roy Jones fought at in his prime and his overall career was indeed very impressive.

[mr incredible]

wow

This is the most obsurd article I've ever read. In life. Who in there right mind would share your opinion with your picks. Boxingscene should remove you from their staff. Absolutely obsurd. Roy Jones #12? Bananas fella. You should be embarrassed. Seriously.

[ThePlugInBabies]

No, if you think Roy should be 12th all time, you go kill yourself.

ANYONE WITH ANY REAL BOXING SENSE KNOWS ROY BEATS ANYONE ON THAT LIST BEST FOR BEST.

He may not be the best resume' wise because of the alphabet titles during his reign, but believe me.......if there were only one title like there was during most of the other fighters in the top tens careers, Roy would have had it and defended it more than any one of them. Only about a hand full of guys on that list should even be mentioned along side Roy Jones as all time great LHW's.

typical roy jones fanboy defence. coulda, woulda, shoulda.

based purely on what he could and 'would' of done against everyone else. not what he actually 'achieved' in the division.

i'd of hated to be the man on the night who had to clear up the glass once bob foster connected on roy's jaw.

[Brassangel]

Exactly how many Hall of Fame Light Heavyweights did he beat again?

How many LHW titles did Tunney win again?

That's just it; semantics aside, Jones was easily the most talented LHW to ever set foot in the ring.

In his prime, he would absolutely destroy everyone on that list. Believe me, I'm all for the good ol' days of boxing, but this guy allows his hard-on for the old school to overrule logic and reason.

People seem to forget that, after going up to heavyweight (and winning), he weight-drained 25 pounds to fight Tarver; then the most talented competitor at LHW. And Jones won. People only remember his uninspired losses, and his ridiculous attempts to return since then. At his best, he was the best. Period.

A resume argument never works, because it's not Jones' fault who was available to him. He fought the top contenders and reigned for 5 years before jumping to HW. He did it with basically one arm behind his back too.

[tuxtucis]

Tunney should be first...
Archie Moore, as usual, overrated...

[tuxtucis]

Ludicrous not to find Jack Dillon in top 10, if not top 5