With this scenario who's legacy is better?

[aps214]

Holyfield if he retires after beating Tyson in 96' or RJJ retires after he beats Ruiz?

[RAESAAD]

Holyfield if he retires after beating Tyson in 96' or RJJ retires after he beats Ruiz?

HMMMM....tough one I will say holyfield because of the toughness of his fights he did not just go out and school everyone for years.

[The Squared Circle]

Good, original question. I'd have to go with Holyfield slightly, mainly because of the odds stacked against him at the time of his fight with Tyson, plus he was a little more known in the mainstream sports media.

[VERSION1 (V1)]

Holyfield if he retires after beating Tyson in 96' or RJJ retires after he beats Ruiz?

great question i say rjj because he went from middleweight to heavyweight champ skiping only divison how many middleweight champs became heavyweight champs

[M26]

great question i say rjj because he went from middleweight to heavyweight champ skiping only divison how many middleweight champs became heavyweight champs

Agreed. Roy Jones jr.

[mic573]

Roy Jones win over Ruiz is overrated. It was a great performance but against the weakest of the titleholders at the time. If he really wanted to be the heavyweight champ and not just win a belt then he should of fought Lennox Lewis.

[scap]

Roy's legacy would still have been better even though the victory over Ruiz was a helluva lot better on paper.

Jones was being talked about as one of the greatest fight and possibly thee greatest fighter of all time...that talk has now stopped and rightfully so.

[gattifan24]

Had Jones retired, his aura would have surpassed his legacy because we would have wondered what he'd do against the better heavy's at the time. That said, people were slurping Roy a lot then so they'd likely have given him the better of the doubt. On the other hand, the ducking would have been an issue because eh never would have fought Antonio Tarver. As for Evander, clearly his legacy would have been amazing (it actually will still be quite a legacy once people forget about fights like Larry Donald) btu it would have been a high note to go out beating Mike the first time. Think though abotu how there would have been no ear biting incident so you don't know where Mike's road takes him and of course James Toeny doesn't get his signature HW win so things would have been different for sure. Great topic though

[aps214]

Had Jones retired, his aura would have surpassed his legacy because we would have wondered what he'd do against the better heavy's at the time. That said, people were slurping Roy a lot then so they'd likely have given him the better of the doubt. On the other hand, the ducking would have been an issue because eh never would have fought Antonio Tarver. As for Evander, clearly his legacy would have been amazing (it actually will still be quite a legacy once people forget about fights like Larry Donald) btu it would have been a high note to go out beating Mike the first time. Think though abotu how there would have been no ear biting incident so you don't know where Mike's road takes him and of course James Toeny doesn't get his signature HW win so things would have been different for sure. Great topic though

No doubt about it.. Here is my simpleton way of looking at this correct me if I'm wrong.. If Roy retires after Ruiz no one worries about Tarver because the assumption would be Roy would annihilate Tarver hell he just beat a heavyweight. If Roy retires after Ruiz I think he is historically seen as a top 5 pound for pound all timer.. Holyfilelds stock was so high after Tyson Holyfield is seen as a top 5 all time heavyweight if he retires after Tyson.. Top five for both!!

[oliverlt]

I think he should've retired after Michael Moorer because Moorer had only lost to George Foreman before that. Roy as much as I loved him and still do was just a media hype. He was talented no doubt about it he didnt have the drive or heart. Holyfield would fight anyone and sad to say is still trying to. I think if roy had Holyfield drive, heart and chin would've been the best fighter of all time.