Greater fighter: Roy Jones Jr or Floyd Mayweather?

[redmish]

I would have to say Jones. I always enjoyed and appreciated mayweathers amazing defence but, watching Jones was more exciting. There were times when Jones would amaze me with his speed, power and accuracy. It's just a shame he's carried on and spoiled his legacy.

[Chollo Vista]

Did you say that DLH, Pac, Mosley, Hernandez and Canelo were all prime? Marquez and Cotto at their best? The rest are not elites. Floyd never fought an elite fighter in their prrime

no..

I said they weren't in their prime and if you are to include Mosley, Cotto and DLH on Floyd's resume, then you also have to include Trinidad and Lacy on Roy's

[robertzimmerman]

Jones went from JMW to Heavy while defeating prime Hopkins, Toney, top 10 Light Heavy of all time in Virgil Hill, mulagni, Johnson, Paz, McCallum, Harding, Sosa, Castro, Vaca, Tarver, Woods, Gonzales, Griffin, Ruiz for the HW title, Lacy, Trinidad, etc....

Maywether went from 130 to 154 while defeating prime Corrales, Hernandez, Gatti, Mosley, DLH, Hatton, Cotto, Pac, Marquez, Canelo, Castillo, Maidana, Ortiz.

Here's where it gets tricky. Prime RJJ was never really contested while prime FMJ has a few asterisks next to his name against Castillo, DLH. Floyd wasnt prime against Maidana.

Secondly, if you're going to include Mosley/Cotto/DLH on Mayweathers resume then you have to include Trinidad/Lacy because all of the aforementioned were past prime.

So what do you say? RJJ went from Junior middle to heavy winning titles and Floyd went from super feather to JMW.

Floyd has more champs and HOF'ers, but Roy has more prime ATGs. It's tricky.

I would also say that Roy was more dominant in his prime since his only close fight was against Griffin in a fight he was en route to stopping Griffin. Floyd arguably lost to Castillo in his prime.

Anyway, enough of my take, what you got?

What are you specifically asking?

Is it:

Who achieved more?

Who was the better fighter at their best?

Who was the better fighter overall?


I'm Roy's biggest fan, but he couldn't adapt his style when he aged. Personally, I think he could have done, but he didn't due to his ego. That and the fact that he felt he was still young mentally.

The fact is, Floyd was still an elite fighter in his late 30's, right through to the present day. Whereas after the age of 35, Roy was no longer able to beat guys at the highest level. At that point, he was no longer a top level fighter. I love Roy, and I don't particularly like Floyd. So it pains me to say the following: Floyd would has never/and would never, get taken out by the level of guys that Roy did. So Floyd has to be classed as the better fighter overall. He has to rank higher in the ATG rankings. However, at his prime, Roy was just about unbeatable.

[GhostofDempsey]

no..

I said they weren't in their prime and if you are to include Mosley, Cotto and DLH on Floyd's resume, then you also have to include Trinidad and Lacy on Roy's

Fair enough. I agree with Lacy and Trinidad. The thing that hurt Roy was coming down from HW too quickly. I always felt he should have made a stop at CW for a while.

[Chollo Vista]

What are you specifically asking?

Is it:

Who achieved more?

Who was the better fighter at their best?

Who was the better fighter as a whole?


I'm Roy's biggest fan, but he couldn't adapt his style when he aged. Personally, I think he could have done, but he didn't due to his ego. That and the fact that he felt he was still young mentally.

The fact is, Floyd was still an elite fighter in his late 30's, right through to the present day. Whereas after the age of 35, Roy was no longer able to beat guys at the highest level. At that point, he was no longer a top level fighter. I love Roy, and I don't particularly like Floyd. So it pains me to say the following: Floyd would has never/and would never, get taken out by the level of guys that Roy did. So Floyd has to be classed as the better fighter overall. He has to rank higher in the ATG rankings. However, at his prime, Roy was just about unbeatable.

I'm just asking who was the greater fighter. How you quantify that is on you.

But to respond to your above post, one can make the argument that Roy didn't age as gracefully as Floyd did because Roy took on all comers in his prime and pursued greatness. I'm sure you'll have your fair share if people who will say Roy ducked Collins, Eubank, Benn, etc, when the reality was Roy beat the guys that beat the aforementioned fighters and it wasn't even close.

Let's take someone like Steve Collins for example. Why would Roy fight Collins when he opted to beat the 2 guys (Johnson/McCallum) that beats Collins. Its almost like if Floyd opted not to fight Margarito because he wanted to go after Paul Williams.

Or it's like, Floyd opted not to fight Cotto in 2008 because he wanted to go after Margarito.

[elfag]

Floyd. Floyd's resume is far superior, its not even close. He fought better fighters and lasted longer doing it.

Roy beat Toney and a green Hopkins then fought nobodies for 10 years. That doesnt come close to matching floyd's consistency.

Roy is the better natural athlete and had better p4p power and speed. Floyd did literally everything else better.

[HarvardBlue]

Roy Jones had God-given talent and great athleticism. Mayweather had God-given talent and great boxing IQ. Jones' win over Toney is a better win than anything Mayweather did. Jones' KO loss to Tarver is something I couldn't imagine happening to Mayweather even at the stage of his career Jones was. It's close but I give it to Mayweather. His ability to figure a fighter out and find a way to beat them separate him slightly from Jones. Roy was too gifted and athletic for anyone to compete with him.

[elfag]

What are you specifically asking?

Is it:

Who achieved more?

Who was the better fighter at their best?

Who was the better fighter as a whole?


I'm Roy's biggest fan, but he couldn't adapt his style when he aged. Personally, I think he could have done, but he didn't due to his ego. That and the fact that he felt he was still young mentally.

The fact is, Floyd was still an elite fighter in his late 30's, right through to the present day. Whereas after the age of 35, Roy was no longer able to beat guys at the highest level. At that point, he was no longer a top level fighter. I love Roy, and I don't particularly like Floyd. So it pains me to say the following: Floyd would has never/and would never, get taken out by the level of guys that Roy did. So Floyd has to be classed as the better fighter overall. He has to rank higher in the ATG rankings. However, at his prime, Roy was just about unbeatable.

This. His style was based on his reflexes and speed, it was unconventional and he did a lot of things "wrong" but it works when you have that speed. It doesnt work anymore as you age.

Floyd is one of the really rare fighters to be very physically gifted but maintain sound fundamentals, its why he never lost. There were a few guys that might be faster like judah and khan had faster hands but they didnt have the skills Floyd had. There were guys like Toney and Hopkins that had the skill but didnt have the speed and reflexes floyd had.

[sicko]

Mayweather the better and more SKILLED BOXER but Roy Jones Jr the better and greater athlete!

[LockardTheGOAT]

Floyd is the more "accomplished" fighter, but Roy Jones is the "better" one... If that makes any sense.

Who would you rather be forced to fight in a dark alley or something? RJJ or $$$$$ Mayweather? Weight classes aside, I'd have greater optimism that I could eventually catch Floyd than I would that I could withstand Jones' onslaught.