Had Jones/Tarver met 10 years ago...

[nohero]

Had they fought as pros 10 years ago, it would have made Roy Jones a better fighter than he turned out to be. He will go down in history as one of the most talented to ever fight... Tarver would have made him a better boxer by testing him.

The biggest thing about this matchup is Tarver's ability to never be caught off-guard. He fights all 36 minutes with tremendous focus and readiness. He didn't have to be great to beat Jones, he just had to be himself and not let Roy see anything he could get to.

Roy plays it safe until he sees something he can exploit and then the killer instinct takes over. Tarver is tough to exploit, ready to block/dodge/counter anything thrown and that is likely why Jones wasn't throwing nearly enough to win the fight.

This matchup lends immense credibility to the idea that styles make fights.

10 years ago "might" have gone the other way and Jones may have taken the decision but he would have been hit along the way and it would have made him a better boxer... at this age, he can't learn anymore.

Even if Roy had rematched Hopkins & Toney, had he fought Benn, McLelland and Michalszewski... he would have ended up with a very similar legacy. He found a man "his age" he could not beat and would always be doubted as being one of the greatest.

On talent alone he stands easily as one of boxing's top 3 fighters in history. As an overall boxer he scarcely hits the top 10 light heavies of all-time based purely on Tarver, a fighter he could not figure out.

[hollister]

I think you're right about Tarver making him a better fighter, although I think Tarver would have always given him problems.
I think Roy just never had any adversity his whole career, and when he was subjected to some, he couldn't step his game up, maybe he got soft, who knows.

[datneggajeep]

Ever since he went to heavyweight, Jones wasn't the same anymore. His aging body got to him with weight loss, so yeah Jones would've kicked the **** out of Tarver in the 90s. But whatever, Jones ****ed him up in the first fight anyway.

[guru]

yeah, 10 years ago, roy wins a tough fight.. he'll still have problems with AT...

[scap]

10 years ago Jones would have kept the fight in the center of the ring and won an easy UD...Tarver is not the type of fighter that would have got to Roy when Roy was right.

I think I have no doubts that Gerald McClellan walks right thru Jones speed/talent to punish and stop Jones, but Tarver is a lazy fighter who would have not beaten a prime Jones.

[ChrististheAnswer2]

Ten years ago, Roy would dominate Tarver en route to a easy UD or late stoppage.

[JUYJUY]

I think I have no doubts that Gerald McClellan walks right thru Jones speed/talent to punish and stop Jones.

I totally agree with that, it was very difficult for me to see Jones Jr defeating McClellan if they traded (which they would of done) just by looking at the styles, then when I later found out McClellan had beaten Jones Jr convincingly in a highly rated amateur war in 1988 I became even more convinced, then when I later saw Jones Jr being KTFO a couple of times I became totally convinced! McClellan would of beaten Jones Jr, he would of stopped Jones Jr in two rounds.

[DiegoFuego]

10 years ago, today, tomorrow, yesterday, 5 years ago, 5 years from now, whatever

Tarver over Jones

No excuses

[Super_Lightweight]

lol

On talent alone he stands easily as one of boxing's top 3 fighters in history. As an overall boxer he scarcely hits the top 10 light heavies of all-time based purely on Tarver, a fighter he could not figure out.

Somebody who refuses to put Jones in the top 10 at 175 all time is somebody not worth wasting a breath on when it comes to boxing knowledge.

Jones TKO Tarver prime for prime. Hell Jones already beat Tarver in their first encounter. He was weight-drained and past his prime then, so how in holy hell does Tarver beat Jones prime for prime?

[DiegoFuego]

Somebody who refuses to put Jones in the top 10 at 175 all time is somebody not worth wasting a breath on when it comes to boxing knowledge.

Jones TKO Tarver prime for prime. Hell Jones already beat Tarver in their first encounter. He was weight-drained and past his prime then, so how in holy hell does Tarver beat Jones prime for prime?

Please, no excuses