So where does RJ rank in the GOAT rankings

[HaglerSteelChin]

Roy never fought the #1 guy in his prime... His fault or not his fault... But, I refuse to believe in his prime in 4 different weightclasses that the #1 guy ducked him. That was not the case...

And, who did Lennox ducked? Fighters ducked him like Bowe for example... I hope you not talking about the Klitschko's? Cuz he beat Vitaly and then retire what you want him to fight till he was a 100?

He ducked Ruiz and that is a fact because Emaneul Steward didnt think he would match well with RUiz bizarre style. As far as Klitchko he won atleast 4 of the 6 rounds against lewis and had an eye cut, and it was a TKO. Lewis promised a rematch and never did it since he knew he would lose. Jones jr did beat Tarver the first fight and still gave a rematch.

[jrosales13]

Sam Langford

Very true about Sam Langford. But, the only reason he didn't win the MW title was cuz Ketchell didn't want to put the the title on the line. And, Langford got robbed for WW title against Walcott. He did KO'd when he went for the HW title.

[jrosales13]

He ducked Ruiz and that is a fact because Emaneul Steward didnt think he would match well with RUiz bizarre style. As far as Klitchko he won atleast 4 of the 6 rounds against lewis and had an eye cut, and it was a TKO. Lewis promised a rematch and never did it since he knew he would lose. Jones jr did beat Tarver the first fight and still gave a rematch.

So what is the excuse for Roy loosing in the rematch?

[Boxingwizard]

Roy Jones best wins

Bernard Hopkins
James Toney
Reggie Johnson
Julio Gonzalez (hey he beat Dariusz Michalczweski)
Antonio Tarver

He's a shoe in for the hall of fame and a top 12 LHW.

[jrosales13]

Do you know how many 'lineal' champions were just 'ok' in the grand scheme of things? Making a case against Roy is going to be tougher than this, my friend. Seriously. There's a reason you're sitting here struggling to make a case against Roy instead of, say...Dariusz Michalczweski. It's because he's great. People aren't debating Dariusz' greatness, because...no one thinks he was one of the GOATs.

Is there inherent value in a lineal championship in this alphabet soup era? Cory Spinks was a lineal champion. Whoopteedo. (Spinks was good, but, was he great just for beating the lineal champ once?)

I am not interested in making a case against Lewis, but yes, he could've fought Klitschko again, or his brother. He also fought an old Tyson. The point is, there are QUESTIONS about some of his decisions, as there may be QUESTIONS about some of Roy's still. And frankly, they're both still all time greats.

I am not talking about Roy only at LHW. But, also at MW, and, SMW. Not one lineal title? He never fought the #1 guy? How can you never fight the #1 guy and still be consider great?

[jrosales13]

Roy Jones best wins

Bernard Hopkins
James Toney
Reggie Johnson
Julio Gonzalez (hey he beat that one German dude)
Antonio Tarver

He's a shoe in for the hall of fame and a top 12 LHW.

This i agree...

[jrosales13]

Yes and that dosent include even beating these fighters when they were undefeated as Harding, Gonzalez, Thomas, and Kelly. I think you can also argue he really was the only person to beat Hopkins in middleweight from 1992-mid 2005 when Taylor got a split decision win. Hopkins only loss prior to Joner jr was at LHW. If you look at JOnes jr his resume and level of competition is quite good. ALMOST any fighter can be said to have ducked 1 or 2 guys. Even my favorite fighter SRL never fought Aaron Pryor.

Aaron Pryor never fought in SRL weightclass.

[HaglerSteelChin]

So what is the excuse for Roy loosing in the rematch?

The point is that he was willing to take a fight that the public mandated. Jones lost alot of weight to fight Tarver the first time and wanted to fight Tyson than retire. He even said if i dont get tyson I am done with the interview with larry merchant. Jones got KO and at the time i was happy only because i won on a bet, there is no excuse he got caught. I know that in pensacola there was a hurricane that killed alot of his fighting birds since they escaped from their cages and than they fight to the death. Jones loved his birds and had property damaged. Lewis also got Kod by Rahman and Mccall and i still rate Lewis very high as HW, the point is Jones took a fight for the public and didnt duck.

[HaglerSteelChin]

Aaron Pryor never fought in SRL weightclass.

Pryor claimed that he was willing to go to welterweight and fight SRL, this was around 82-84. Now SRL had the eye problem and came back briefly against Finch (82) and Howard(84). Pryor actually was watching the Howard fight at ringside as he thought he would eventually get a crack at SRL. I do remember Pryaor interupting a SRL press conference and pulling a stunt to get the fight.

[Super_Lightweight]

Tyson was a mental failure. Roy never was. Tyson fought Holyfield twice, and fought Lewis as an old man. Comparing Roy to that ain't so bad, but Roy didn't lose to a Buster Dougless type of guy (Tarver) until very late.

So what is the excuse for Roy loosing in the rematch?

It seems to me there are assumptions built into this question. You wouldn't ask it unless you believe that Roy's loss to Tarver was just as likely to happen to Roy when he was 29, which is bogus.

It was clear after the first fight with Tarver that Roy was never the same. TIME does not recover you (not 100%) from what Roy went through. Your body is weaker...your reflexes slower...your toughness dented. I know guys who were 10 years younger than Roy was at the time he lost the muscle, who went through the same muscle damage and depletion, and also never recovered athletically. It is what it is.

Even so, I also believe Roy was mentally discouraged after the Tarver rematch, and if he had not been, his fight with Glen and the rubbermatch with Tarver may have looked a little different. A physically depleted Roy can still beat those dudes. But the physical depletion post-Ruiz was just enough to cause mental depletion and losses...and from there it's just a vicious cycle. But who knows? Bed. Sleep.

Bye.