If Roy Jones had of retired after the first Tarver fight, how would he be remembered?

[CRASH DUMMY]

Considering the fact I was only 14 at the time he first beat Tarver, I don't much solid memories of Roys career prior to this fight.
Obviously as I got older I looked back and I respect Roys ability and accomplishments.

His career went down severely after the knockout loss to Tarver in they're second fight, and of course in the rubbermatch.
Alot of people forget just how good he was, and focus on his career post Tarver then his career, Pre Tarver.

Fact is, he is probably the best I've ever witnessed in my life. But do you think he accomplished enough at that stage to be remember as one of the best ever?

No flaming please.

[SkyKng]

people would say he had no heart for quitting after his first loss. when it comes to what people think it usually turns out to be a lose lose. no matter what mayweather won't ever get the respect that he truly deserves. either a guy is losing because he sucks or he is not fighting worthy competition. fans should be required to try the sport before they speak on it.

[CRASH DUMMY]

people would say he had no heart for quitting after his first loss. when it comes to what people think it usually turns out to be a lose lose. no matter what mayweather won't ever get the respect that he truly deserves. either a guy is losing because he sucks or he is not fighting worthy competition. fans should be required to try the sport before they speak on it.

He beat Tarver in the first fight, People thought Tarver won so Roy gave him a rematch. Which I thought was the decent thing to do, many other fighters would of walked away.

[Joe2608]

Regardless of what he's done recently you can't change what he has already accomplished in the past so it would be wrong for someone to change their opinion of him on those fights.

A lot of people weren't convinced by Roy in the first Tarver fight even though he got the win, so if he retired after that i think a lot of people would have said he is ducking Tarver etc. so i think it's right that he rematched him. I just don't think it's right that he carried on after he got ko'ed as it was clear he didn't have it anymore.

But as i said, he's still probably the best fighter i've seen and one of the best the older generation have seen which can't be touched!

[champion4ever]

Had Roy Jones, Jr. Had retired after the first Tarver fight, then perhaps he would have been remembered as one of the top ten fighters of all times or at least been in that discussion. However and more realistically speaking, he would have been regarded as at least one of the top twenty fighters of all times at best.

[jvsnypes]

I think Roy showed the most heart in his first fight with Tarver. That's when I knew he was a true fighter. I respect him for giving him a rematch when he didn't have to. But to be honest, Roy was more of a great entertainer than great fighter.Of course he goes to the hall of fame, but I wouldn't consider him an all time great.Some of it is his fault and some of it was the business side of things. But for what ever reason, he just didn't fight enough big named fighters.He always was in the ring with a guy you know he would beat. You just wondered what you would see new from him that night.He always bragged about being the best, and at the time, it stuck. But Roy had many flaws, and if he had fought certain fighters in that era, he would have been revealed long before the Tarver fight.Before you say Roy is the best you have ever seen, go back and look at Ray Leonard in his prime. Go back and look at James Toney in his prime. Or even check out Terry Norris in his prime. All of these guys had losses, but look at their opposition. Check out Julio Cesar Chevez. Those guys skill level were far more advanced than Roy's. Roy just so happened to be an excellent athlete who could fight.

[champion4ever]

Roy was a byproduct of the era he was fighting in. What I find so ironic is that no one ever questions or criticizes the level of opposition of the Klitschkos boys for dominating one of the weakest eras in the history of the Heavyweight division? My question to all those who say Jones never fought the bigger names in his era or division, then who are exactly some of these bigger names he could've fought but didn't in his era, outside of James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Mike McCallum, Virgil Hill or even Antonio Tarver? He was more than willing and able to fight the very best. If there were indeed bigger names out there for him to fight, then the bigger question would have been to ask them why they were so reluctant in challenging Roy Jones, Jr. The man who was universally recognized as the best P4P fighter in the sport. Also, how can a fighter who had been regarded at one point the best P4P fighter in the sport and not considered an all-time great?

[Joe2608]

I think Roy showed the most heart in his first fight with Tarver. That's when I knew he was a true fighter. I respect him for giving him a rematch when he didn't have to. But to be honest, Roy was more of a great entertainer than great fighter.Of course he goes to the hall of fame, but I wouldn't consider him an all time great.Some of it is his fault and some of it was the business side of things. But for what ever reason, he just didn't fight enough big named fighters.He always was in the ring with a guy you know he would beat. You just wondered what you would see new from him that night.He always bragged about being the best, and at the time, it stuck. But Roy had many flaws, and if he had fought certain fighters in that era, he would have been revealed long before the Tarver fight.Before you say Roy is the best you have ever seen, go back and look at Ray Leonard in his prime. Go back and look at James Toney in his prime. Or even check out Terry Norris in his prime. All of these guys had losses, but look at their opposition. Check out Julio Cesar Chevez. Those guys skill level were far more advanced than Roy's. Roy just so happened to be an excellent athlete who could fight.

Roy Jones beat a prime Toney, though i know you're going to say something about him being weight drained. But he was undefeated so you really can't argue it.

Out of the guys you said i'd say SRL is definitely greater than Roy Jones, Chavez has a case too. But i do think it's an insult to Roy Jones to say he was an excellent athlete who happened to be able to fight.

[bojangles1987]

Regardless of what he's done recently you can't change what he has already accomplished in the past so it would be wrong for someone to change their opinion of him on those fights.

A lot of people weren't convinced by Roy in the first Tarver fight even though he got the win, so if he retired after that i think a lot of people would have said he is ducking Tarver etc. so i think it's right that he rematched him. I just don't think it's right that he carried on after he got ko'ed as it was clear he didn't have it anymore.

But as i said, he's still probably the best fighter i've seen and one of the best the older generation have seen which can't be touched!

There definitely would have been at the very least a small but vocal number of people who would scream how Jones ducked the Tarver rematch. That first fight really wasn't close enough for a rematch, Jones clearly won the fight IMO. It was just the shock of seeing someone competitive with him that made people want a rematch.

[IronDanHamza]

He would be remembered as much greater than he is now.

But he shouldn't, I don't really put any stock into loss's personally.

He achieved what he did and the fact he has some bad loss's in recent years shouldn't really effect his legacy.