Why did 'Prime' Roy Jones Jr avoid the 6 biggest punchers of his divisions?

[Earl-Hickey]

i wasnt really there yet on Roy's era, but i dont think he avoided them like the plague, those fights just didn't happen for other reasons. yes those 6 have all their chances in to beat roy, lets say about 10% each. triangle theories doesnt work but sometimes things are a little bit really obvious. and yes tony was greater than those 6.

At least three of those are greater than Toney

Toneys best weapon was his mouth.

[Earl-Hickey]

Nah Prime Roy would have completely outboxed Benn. Even Benn knows this.

There was a chance for the Benn-Jones fight to happen after the Benn-Mclellan fight took place

Jones was always intimidated by Mclellan, who'd bashed Jones about pretty good in the amateurs, and had become one of the most feared punchers on the planet, due to very good speed and skills combined with absoloutley brutal AAA power

After seeing what happened to Mclellan in the Benn fight, Jones wanted none of it

That basically sums Jones up in his prime, he didn't want to get his hands dirty against these guys.

Even Jim Lampley said it in the middle of one of Jones exhibitions on HBO, "Roy donesn't take risks, that's not what he does, Roy Jones has NEVER taken risks"

and they were hyping Jones to high heaven at that point

[Daddy T]

it's a pity they didn't happen no doubt about that, I think roy may regret not going a little more out of his way to make a few of these happen. At the time he thought perhaps rightly "Well I'm the man, they need to do this that or the other I'm not compromising for them" and thats understandable its the "60-40 and i'll kick your ass" attitude but unfortunately it leads to a somewhat lesser legacy. I'm of the certain opinion that he would have easily beaten every one of them. But as you said he didn't. Maybe there is a bit of regret there in his mind now, I think he knows that's its possible he could be widly regarded as the GOAT now if he had done what was required to make them happen so now he fights on and loses and loses trying to achieve something that is now well beyond him.

Also i don't know how many of those guys really wanted to fight him, I guess if they were going to fight him and take a near guaranteed loss and damage their careers they wanted a real big pay day and weren't willing to compromise on that either.

[MJ223]

There was a chance for the Benn-Jones fight to happen after the Benn-Mclellan fight took place

Jones was always intimidated by Mclellan, who'd bashed Jones about pretty good in the amateurs, and had become one of the most feared punchers on the planet, due to very good speed and skills combined with absoloutley brutal AAA power

After seeing what happened to Mclellan in the Benn fight, Jones wanted none of it

That basically sums Jones up in his prime, he didn't want to get his hands dirty against these guys.

Even Jim Lampley said it in the middle of one of Jones exhibitions on HBO, "Roy donesn't take risks, that's not what he does, Roy Jones has NEVER taken risks"

and they were hyping Jones to high heaven at that point

G-Man had about three wins in one fight..... Not exactly one of his (Benns) brightest moments

[Ryn0]

Yeah he should have fought better fighters in his prime, but he still fought some good fighters Virgill Hill went on to do some great stuff. Hopkins and Toney, Woods, Griffin etc. all went on to be good-great fighters.

But if he has guys like Benn, Eubank, Nunn, Calzaghe (in Roys prime) etc. We would have really found out how good Roy was. He was never really tested in the ring because he was so good until he was like mid 30's.

G man's career was cut short too early so I don't think he should be in the conversation.

[boliodogs]

I voted no. I don't remember thinking why isn't Roy fighting this guy or that guy. It seemed like he fought everybody that was in the top 3 in his weight class. The guys he did not fight were overseas guys that would not come to the states to fight him even though he was the champ. After the robbery of the gold medal in Korea Roy did not trust the officials in other countries. I can't think of one guy that was in line for a shot at Roy and willing to fight him in the US. that he did not fight.

[Brother Jay]

Ya because 'power' is all Benn-Eubank-Mccellan-Daruiz-Nunn-Jackson got right?

How the **** are you posting such garbage? Every single one of these six guys had great power+boxing skills+speed+heart.

Geez ..

How did Roy avoid those guys when he fought the best when they were the best?

Idiot threads like this usually belong to so-called fans who still operate under the ignorance that everybody fights everybody.

It never happens. Some people stay at one division their entire careers and still don't fight everybody.

After having accomplished everything that Roy did, which includes beating a reigning P4P#1, unifying a division and winning a HW title coming up from jrMW, this kind of dumb **** is sour grapes.

[Brother Jay]

At least three of those are greater than Toney

Toneys best weapon was his mouth.

You must be out of your ****ing mind.

No one one that list is greater than Toney.

[MiguelDirrell25]

I honestly think Roy would have beaten all of them in his absolute prime. Each guy had lost to or went to wars with lesser competition. Would his chin hold up though? Who knows .. But I will put my money on Roy in each of those match ups . Maybe tasting the canvas a few times and getting his mouth bloodied in the process.

[Earl-Hickey]

G-Man had about three wins in one fight..... Not exactly one of his (Benns) brightest moments

Yeah but Mclellan ended up a vegetable for the rest of his life

regardless of whatever else, Jones saw that and thought **** it, i'll stay over here and fight another postman