Jones, Hopkins or Toney?

[GEOFFHAYES]

Jones fought nobody apart from a bunch of washed-up guys, Hopkins fought nobody apart from a couple of blown-up welterweights.

Toney fought and beat Michael Nunn, Reggie Johnson and Mike McCallum in their primes, and his performance against Iran Barkley showed a level of skill that far exceeds anything I've ever seen from Hopkins or Jones. He's also been in with and whooped the asses of Doug DeWitt, Prince Charles Williams and Vassiliy Jirov, and schooled undefeated prospects like Merqui Sosa and Tim Littles who were never the same after losing to Toney.

I though Toney was the pound-for-pound best in boxing, but he ate himself out of the fight with Jones - he beat himself more than Jones beat him. You saw the best of Roy Jones against James Toney, but you saw the worst of James Toney. Why do you think that Jones never gave him a rematch?

Toney, when he was 'on', was the smoothest counter-puncher of all-time. He's probably the slickest infighter in boxing history. Now, was he a concussive puncher? No. Did he have a lot of raw power? No. Did he put guys to sleep with one shot? Yes. He wasn't a Hard puncher, but he was a GOOD puncher. That guy was all skill, and he has the best resume in boxing by miles.


James Toney is my man..

[GEOFFHAYES]

Toney at his best beats Jones.

He'd cut off the ring and cut off his legs. If his timing was 'on' and he used those tactics, Toney would of beaten Jones. He'd of searched for the right time to unlease the right punch to take him out, in-shape he'd of made Jones miss more and frustrate him.

[Cletus Funk]

Prime RJJ beats prime Toney 9/10. Nunn was handing Toney his ass until the last couple of rounds. Nunn's my man.

[Shanus]

No middleweight in the world could do what Toney has done, which is move up to heavyweight and take on whatever challenge he gets, Jones took the easy option, he fought the weakest champion in the division.. immediately moving back down, James Toney still has potential to become heavyweight champion.. a 220 lb James Toney beats most of the heavyweight champions, except Klitschko (IMO).

[GEOFFHAYES]

Prime RJJ beats prime Toney 9/10. Nunn was handing Toney his ass until the last couple of rounds. Nunn's my man.

Nunn's one of my men too, he stood with Toney and just out-boxed him whereas Jones had to jump in and out. But Toney was never at his best at 160, at a steady 168 he settled into the smooth counter-punching groove against Barkley, Thornton, Littles and Williams.

For extreme talent I also like to watch the fleet-footed, sharp-shooter Sumbu Kalambay show his masterful defensive moves and counters, the slick, peppering Herol 'Bomber' Graham reduce competent professionals to fumbling amateurs with his in-close evasiveness, and a pre-Watson Chris Eubank never waste a shot while proving lethal at hurting an opponent with a perfect counter and being absolutely ruthless in the finish.

[Cletus Funk]

I'd say Ruiz is probably the best HW Toney's fought and RJJ beat him at least as easily, although he did have a little help from Nady. At least RJJ wasn't juicing when he did it (or was he?).

No middleweight in the world could do what Toney has done, which is move up to heavyweight and take on whatever challenge he gets, Jones took the easy option, he fought the weakest champion in the division.. immediately moving back down, James Toney still has potential to become heavyweight champion.. a 220 lb James Toney beats most of the heavyweight champions, except Klitschko (IMO).

[GEOFFHAYES]

I'd say Ruiz is probably the best HW Toney's fought and RJJ beat him at least as easily, although he did have a little help from Nady. At least RJJ wasn't juicing when he did it (or was he?).

Jones was always juiced up to the gills, while Toney was drug-free back in the day.. and had much better technique than Jones.

[Cletus Funk]

I'd take Nunn's best over any of the guys mentioned, but they're all superb in their own way.

Toney's undoubtedly skilled but I've never seen him look particularly good against someone as quick or quicker than him, which is why I'd only ever give him a punchers chance with RJJ. No way he ever outpoints a prime Jones without a few kd's.

Graham was just pure brilliance. Him and McCallum should have been in the mix with Hagler, Hearns, etc. They had the talent.

Nunn's one of my men too, he stood with Toney and just out-boxed him whereas Jones had to jump in and out. But Toney was never at his best at 160, at a steady 168 he settled into the smooth counter-punching groove against Barkley, Thornton, Littles and Williams.

For extreme talent I also like to watch the fleet-footed, sharp-shooter Sumbu Kalambay show his masterful defensive moves and counters, the slick, peppering Herol Graham reduce competent professionals to fumbling amateurs with his in-close evasiveness, and a pre-Watson Chris Eubank never waste a shot while proving lethal at hurting an opponent with a perfect counter and being absolutely ruthless in the finish.

[GEOFFHAYES]

If you want to see real skills in a middleweight match, forget about these bull**** Hopkins/Taylor fights and watch the first Kalambay/Graham fight and first Toney/McCallum fight. And a pre-Watson Eubank was the ultimate counter-puncher, that low stance and those pouncing attacks.. he was the thinking man's fighter.

[GEOFFHAYES]

I reckon Eubank from the Kenny Cannida fight might of beaten Jones from the Stephan Johnson fight Eubank was primitive then and looked stiff but showed excellent work of the left jab for a 19-year-old in that fight, and his sharp-handed style mesmorised his opponent. Jones was coming off the Olympics, didn't throw a single jab in this Johnson fight and unloaded with a heck of a lot of big hooks (a lot of which missed), I reckon Eubank's straight punches would be getting there before Jones could load up his hooks.