What was the beginning of Roy Jones decline?

[IronDanHamza]

The Tarver fight was his first real clear sign of decline. That fight was a clear indicator he was slipping and fast.

The second Tarver fight put his career on life support.

Glen Johnson officially buried it.

[Prince_Pugilist]

I agree with the majority here. The first Tarver fight showed he was no longer the same fighter. He was slower, his reflexes had dulled and he had that pre-punch hesitancy that so many great fighters show when their bodies don't react as they had done when they were primed.

The second Tarver fight and the Johnson fights should have ended his career. Instead he's still around...

[Prince_Pugilist]

I agree with the majority here. The first Tarver fight showed he was no longer the same fighter. He was slower, his reflexes had dulled and he had that pre-punch hesitancy that so many great fighters show when their bodies don't react as they had done when they were primed.

The second Tarver fight and the Johnson fights should have ended his career. Instead he's still around...

[JAB5239]

I wonder...lets say Jones never went to heavyweight and fought Ruiz, how long would it have been before we noticed a significant drop off in Roys speed and reflexes? Would he have decisively beaten Tarver the first time around had he not come down from heavyweight?

[IronDanHamza]

I wonder...lets say Jones never went to heavyweight and fought Ruiz, how long would it have been before we noticed a significant drop off in Roys speed and reflexes? Would he have decisively beaten Tarver the first time around had he not come down from heavyweight?

I personally believe so.

Although, if he'd have stayed at HW he'd have been knocked out also. He looked good against Ruiz but he was clearly not a HW.

If he'd have got the fight with Tyson like he wanted, I believe he'd have been knocked out.

[JAB5239]

I personally believe so.

Although, if he'd have stayed at HW he'd have been knocked out also. He looked good against Ruiz but he was clearly not a HW.

If he'd have got the fight with Tyson like he wanted, I believe he'd have been knocked out.

Tyson would have magled him.

How much longer could he have gone on winning at lightheavy had he not had to come back down? He was slowing down a bit, but the weight and muscle loss did a real number on him.

[-Kev-]

Sounds like i'm gonna go against the grain here but I thought despite the cause being a hand injury, signs of slipping were already there for the Telesco fight. This was still prime Roy, from Telesco to Ruiz, but I saw him gradually slipping. And Gonzalez gave him a tough, tough, physical fight. But Gonzalez was a very good, underrated fighter. Still, Gonzalez gave him a very tough and physical fight. You might look in Boxrec and see Roy mopped the floor with Gonzalez, 119-106 on 2 cards, 118-107 on another card, plus a couple of knockdowns in the 1st round I believe. But go watch the fight and see for yourself how physical it was and how tough Gonzalez was.

Stylistically he had an easier time with Glen Kelly, Clinton Woods, and John Ruiz but IMO signs of his defense slipping were there in the Telesco fight, and then further signs, this time his legs, in the Gonzalez fight where showing.

If we're not getting technical and just saying when were the CLEAR signs, I agree with everyone else it was in the 1st Tarver fight but there Roy looked beyond slipping, he looked old, drained, tired, breathing out the mouth early.

[bojangles1987]

Tyson would have magled him.

How much longer could he have gone on winning at lightheavy had he not had to come back down? He was slowing down a bit, but the weight and muscle loss did a real number on him.

Hard to say. Probably for at least another year or two, I believe. Tarver was the best light heavy after beating Roy, with Glen Johnson being Tarver's toughest matchup. So if he can beat Tarver more convincingly, then he's probably good to continue feasting on contenders.

I wonder if Hopkins would have moved up at the same time. That might have been his first real loss after a year or two of continuing to rule.

[-Kev-]

Remember, at 34 year old, that is not a very friendly age to any athlete. Very few athletes can operate 100% at 34, which was the age Roy got knocked out against Tarver. So you have to think, if Roy looked like that against Tarver, think back and look at this other fight leading up to that, you'll see what i'm talking about.

[IronDanHamza]

Sounds like i'm gonna go against the grain here but I thought despite the cause being a hand injury, signs of slipping were already there for the Telesco fight. This was still prime Roy, from Telesco to Ruiz, but I saw him gradually slipping. And Gonzalez gave him a tough, tough, physical fight. But Gonzalez was a very good, underrated fighter. Still, Gonzalez gave him a very tough and physical fight. You might look in Boxrec and see Roy mopped the floor with Gonzalez, 119-106 on 2 cards, 118-107 on another card, plus a couple of knockdowns in the 1st round I believe. But go watch the fight and see for yourself how physical it was and how tough Gonzalez was.

Stylistically he had an easier time with Glen Kelly, Clinton Woods, and John Ruiz but IMO signs of his defense slipping were there in the Telesco fight, and then further signs, this time his legs, in the Gonzalez fight where showing.

If we're not getting technical and just saying when were the CLEAR signs, I agree with everyone else it was in the 1st Tarver fight but there Roy looked beyond slipping, he looked old, drained, tired, breathing out the mouth early.

Yeah I agree. Small signs were definitely there.

Just the "Wow" moment was the first Tarver fight.