Let me give you an idea on how great Roy Jones Jr really was

[Madison Boxing]

was a great fighter but calzaghe was better.

[ironmt]

was a great fighter but calzaghe was better.

Do you think Calzaghe beats a prime Roy? If so, by KO or decision.

[iamboxing]

The move to heavyweight ruined Jones, he was never the same, he looked drained and slow. Tarver met him on the way down.

[ironmt]

The move to heavyweight ruined Jones, he was never the same, he looked drained and slow. Tarver met him on the way down.

I totally agree.

[Madison Boxing]

Do you think Calzaghe beats a prime Roy? If so, by KO or decision.

decision in my opinion, joe would have outworked him.

[IMDAZED]

Hopkins didn't become a champion for another 2 years and hadn't faced anyone on the level of Roy Jones Jr. for another 7 years. Neither of them were in their prime, but no one here can say that Roy Jones Jr. beat anyone on the level of Canelo or GGG at 160, he didn't. That's the point I'm making. The point I made about Hopkins not being in his prime when he beat him says just that. If he had beat prime Hopkins a good 10 years later, you could say that yes he did indeed beat someone on the level of Canelo or GGG.



We'll never know. They fought nearly 20 years apart. If they would have met in the middle we'd have a real answer. Roy beat him in '93 and then Hopkins beat him in 2010. The real fight would have been right in the middle around 2001-2002.

I hear ya. I think saying Hopkins wasn't in his prime downplays Jones' victory. Jones wasn't in his prime either.

Hopkins didn't lose again for the next 12 years. And even that loss was controversial. In short, no one but Jones could beat him.

If you ask me, Bernard was in his prime from 1995-1998. Jones' prime for me was 1994-1999. He began to tail off after that.

Both great fighters but I rate Roy higher. A true ATG. Forget Toney, etc. When you look at what he did to a guy like Malinga, or how many fighters went on to become champions after losing to him, it's really quite amazing.

[IMDAZED]

The move to heavyweight ruined Jones, he was never the same, he looked drained and slow. Tarver met him on the way down.

I don't think the move to HW hurt Jones, although the move back down certainly didn't help.

Jones was already slowing down. It really showed in the Ruiz fight but "The Quietman" was such a sloth it made Jones' speed seem somewhat still fast. But Jones' legs were nowhere near what they once were.

His downfall was a combination of things from aging, to moving back down to taking a bad beating to the head and body from Tarver in that first fight. Jones took some heavy, heavy shots. I don't think he was the same after that.

[ghost94]

I hear ya. I think saying Hopkins wasn't in his prime downplays Jones' victory. Jones wasn't in his prime either.

Hopkins didn't lose again for the next 12 years. And even that loss was controversial. In short, no one but Jones could beat him.

If you ask me, Bernard was in his prime from 1995-1998. Jones' prime for me was 1994-1999. He began to tail off after that.

Both great fighters but I rate Roy higher. A true ATG. Forget Toney, etc. When you look at what he did to a guy like Malinga, or how many fighters went on to become champions after losing to him, it's really quite amazing.

Thanks. I'm not trying to downplay Jones win over Hopkins, he beat him and it was a great step for his career, I'm just saying with the original post that win can't be compared to if he beat Canelo or GGG at the stage Hopkins was in his career.

Roy is a ATG 160-175, but so far as GOAT I think Robinson, Moore, Hagler and Hopkins all make a case. Maybe even Calzaghe. Monzon only lost 3 fights in the first two years of his career and then went undefeated and also beat some all-time greats in Jose Napoles and Emile Griffith, retired with the record for longest middleweight title reign and title defenses until they were broken by Hopkins, so Monzon has to be considered.

The reason why I don't just hand it to Robinson is because I think he was a better welterweight. But, I think everyone here talking about underrated resumes need to really give Manny Pacquiao some love if we are calling Roy the GOAT at 160-175. Pacquiao wouldn't be the GOAT at 147 but needs consideration for GOAT 126-140, right with Chavez and Duran only to be fair.

[IMDAZED]

Thanks. I'm not trying to downplay Jones win over Hopkins, he beat him and it was a great step for his career, I'm just saying with the original post that win can't be compared to if he beat Canelo or GGG at the stage Hopkins was in his career.

Roy is a ATG 160-175, but so far as GOAT I think Robinson, Moore, Hagler and Hopkins all make a case. Maybe even Calzaghe. Monzon only lost 3 fights in the first two years of his career and then went undefeated and also beat some all-time greats in Jose Napoles and Emile Griffith, retired with the record for longest middleweight title reign and title defenses until they were broken by Hopkins, so Monzon has to be considered.

The reason why I don't just hand it to Robinson is because I think he was a better welterweight. But, I think everyone here talking about underrated resumes need to really give Manny Pacquiao some love if we are calling Roy the GOAT at 160-175. Pacquiao wouldn't be the GOAT at 147 but needs consideration for GOAT 126-140, right with Chavez and Duran only to be fair.

Of course, there were several middleweights who had better middleweight records than Roy. I'm referring to overall body of work. Monzon may be ranked higher than Roy at 160, but his overall body of work is lesser than Jones' work from 160-heavyweight.

Pacquiao is an all-time great too. I don't rate him higher than Roy but he's right behind him.

[LacedUp]

Roy Jones jr was the greatest fighter since Ray Leonard.