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Especially against the following best / top five boxers:
1) Artur Beterbiv: I believe this is a nightmare match up for Roy Jones Jr. Since not only is Artur beterbiev one of the most powerful punchers pound for pound, he also has tremendous stamina and is able to carry his punching power to the championship rounds (rounds 9-12 - as he proved against Enrico Koelling). In addition to having knockout power in both hands with nearly every power punch. Beterbiev also has a solid chin and has never been stopped in his amateur or pro career.
I believe Roy Jones Jr is going to use his speed to win the first half of the bout. Beating Beterbiev to the punch. However, Beterbiev patiently figures out Roy Jones Jr's timing, begins cutting the ring off, wears him down with head and body shots and maybe drops him once or twice. Before finally knocking him out cleanly by the 9th or 10th round, Glen Johnson style (like how Glen Johnson knocked out Roy Jones Jr).
2) Dmitry Bivol: I think this is going to the easiest bout for Roy Jones Jr. Dmitry Bivol doesn't have weapons that totally stand out or as devastating as some of the other light heavyweights. He is a fairly well rounded boxer who happens to be a jack of all trades. He also has a style that Roy Jones Jr never had much trouble to deal with. So Roy Jones Jr wins this by unanimous decision by 9 rounds to 3 or 8 rounds to 4. Roy Jones Jr doesn't have to worry too much about any specific trait of Dmitry Bivol as against Artur Beterbiev for example.
3) Oleksandr Gvozdyk: Probably the most entertaining match up. Although Roy Jones Jr is definitely faster. The speed gap between these two isn't as significant as with other Roy Jones's opponents. However, Gvozdyk has the far superior fundamentals and technical boxing skills whilst also possessing decent level of athleticism as well. Gvozdyk also has a longer reach and is taller. Thus, is the rangier boxer that can use his long range advantage to make up for his slightly inferior speed.
I think Gvozdyk has the style to seriously expose Roy Jones Jr's lack of boxing fundamental technical abilities. Since Gvozdyk can nearly match Roy Jones Jr for speed but also has the superior technical skills and height / reach. Based on those attributes, I would favor Gvozdyk to win by TKO in the championship rounds (round 9 - 12). Probably through a cut stoppage or through having Roy Jones Jr badly hurt. Both win rounds but I have Gvozdyk slightly ahead in the scorecard at the time of the stoppage.
4) Sergey Kovalev: As he showed against Andre Ward, Kovalev has tremendous punching power in the early rounds but has terrible stamina in the later rounds. Thus, his punching power drops, the longer a bout goes on. Thus, he is less dangerous in the later rounds in terms of his likelihood of winning by KO. Kovalev also has a very good jab with decent fundamentals. However, the power in his punches are what enable him to out-box his opponents or win by stoppage in the early rounds. Even his jab is very powerful.
I believe Kovalev is going to come out guns blazing as usual. He'll probably score a knockdown or two in the first 4 or 5 rounds that Roy Jones Jr manages to survive against. Though from the 6th round and onward, I believe Roy Jones Jr starts landing his punches with more regularity after surviving the initial assault. Sergey Kovalev becomes weaker and Roy Jones Jr is able to take a few more risks in the later rounds where he manages to badly stun / stagger Kovalev with a combination of punches a few times. Roy Jones Jr continues beating Kovalev to the punch but Kovalev manages to stay on his feet and last the distance.
Roy Jones Jr wins a close unanimous or majority decision after getting dropped once or twice.
5) Adonis Stevenson: Unfortunately, he has always been a one handed boxer with only his left hand having significant power whilst his right has never been much of a weapon. Any boxer that is truly elite at the highest level should be able to neutralize a one handed boxer who only has one major weapon. Thus, I believe Roy Jones Jr neutralizes Stevenson's powerful left hand and out-punches him to either a wide decision victory, or stops him like how he stopped Richard Hall.
A younger Adonis Stevenson is going to be more dangerous and riskier because his chances of landing that powerful left hand is always going to be higher when younger. However, the current Adonis Stevenson is going to be even less effective and less dangerous. Thus, the current version of Stevenson most likely gets stopped whilst the younger Stevenson probably survives the distance. Stevenson hasn't proven much in the last 2 years against truly elite opponents.
1) Artur Beterbiv: I believe this is a nightmare match up for Roy Jones Jr. Since not only is Artur beterbiev one of the most powerful punchers pound for pound, he also has tremendous stamina and is able to carry his punching power to the championship rounds (rounds 9-12 - as he proved against Enrico Koelling). In addition to having knockout power in both hands with nearly every power punch. Beterbiev also has a solid chin and has never been stopped in his amateur or pro career.
I believe Roy Jones Jr is going to use his speed to win the first half of the bout. Beating Beterbiev to the punch. However, Beterbiev patiently figures out Roy Jones Jr's timing, begins cutting the ring off, wears him down with head and body shots and maybe drops him once or twice. Before finally knocking him out cleanly by the 9th or 10th round, Glen Johnson style (like how Glen Johnson knocked out Roy Jones Jr).
2) Dmitry Bivol: I think this is going to the easiest bout for Roy Jones Jr. Dmitry Bivol doesn't have weapons that totally stand out or as devastating as some of the other light heavyweights. He is a fairly well rounded boxer who happens to be a jack of all trades. He also has a style that Roy Jones Jr never had much trouble to deal with. So Roy Jones Jr wins this by unanimous decision by 9 rounds to 3 or 8 rounds to 4. Roy Jones Jr doesn't have to worry too much about any specific trait of Dmitry Bivol as against Artur Beterbiev for example.
3) Oleksandr Gvozdyk: Probably the most entertaining match up. Although Roy Jones Jr is definitely faster. The speed gap between these two isn't as significant as with other Roy Jones's opponents. However, Gvozdyk has the far superior fundamentals and technical boxing skills whilst also possessing decent level of athleticism as well. Gvozdyk also has a longer reach and is taller. Thus, is the rangier boxer that can use his long range advantage to make up for his slightly inferior speed.
I think Gvozdyk has the style to seriously expose Roy Jones Jr's lack of boxing fundamental technical abilities. Since Gvozdyk can nearly match Roy Jones Jr for speed but also has the superior technical skills and height / reach. Based on those attributes, I would favor Gvozdyk to win by TKO in the championship rounds (round 9 - 12). Probably through a cut stoppage or through having Roy Jones Jr badly hurt. Both win rounds but I have Gvozdyk slightly ahead in the scorecard at the time of the stoppage.
4) Sergey Kovalev: As he showed against Andre Ward, Kovalev has tremendous punching power in the early rounds but has terrible stamina in the later rounds. Thus, his punching power drops, the longer a bout goes on. Thus, he is less dangerous in the later rounds in terms of his likelihood of winning by KO. Kovalev also has a very good jab with decent fundamentals. However, the power in his punches are what enable him to out-box his opponents or win by stoppage in the early rounds. Even his jab is very powerful.
I believe Kovalev is going to come out guns blazing as usual. He'll probably score a knockdown or two in the first 4 or 5 rounds that Roy Jones Jr manages to survive against. Though from the 6th round and onward, I believe Roy Jones Jr starts landing his punches with more regularity after surviving the initial assault. Sergey Kovalev becomes weaker and Roy Jones Jr is able to take a few more risks in the later rounds where he manages to badly stun / stagger Kovalev with a combination of punches a few times. Roy Jones Jr continues beating Kovalev to the punch but Kovalev manages to stay on his feet and last the distance.
Roy Jones Jr wins a close unanimous or majority decision after getting dropped once or twice.
5) Adonis Stevenson: Unfortunately, he has always been a one handed boxer with only his left hand having significant power whilst his right has never been much of a weapon. Any boxer that is truly elite at the highest level should be able to neutralize a one handed boxer who only has one major weapon. Thus, I believe Roy Jones Jr neutralizes Stevenson's powerful left hand and out-punches him to either a wide decision victory, or stops him like how he stopped Richard Hall.
A younger Adonis Stevenson is going to be more dangerous and riskier because his chances of landing that powerful left hand is always going to be higher when younger. However, the current Adonis Stevenson is going to be even less effective and less dangerous. Thus, the current version of Stevenson most likely gets stopped whilst the younger Stevenson probably survives the distance. Stevenson hasn't proven much in the last 2 years against truly elite opponents.
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