A look back at Roy Jones (49-1) and Erik Morales (48-2) in their 50th fight

[Emon723]

Roy Jones - beat the only challenge left for him at light-heavyweight in Antonio Tarver after moving back down from the heavyweight division.

Erik Morales - beat a real prime Manny Pacquiao, who I remember made excuses on the gloves he wear.

The losing skid after in their next 11 fights.

Roy Jones (5-6) - Two losses to Tarver. He did get a win over a wash up Trinidad and Lacy. I don't consider the RJJ from 2011-onwards, that's not the great Roy.

Erik Morales (4-7) - Two losses to Pacquiao. More remembered from the humiliating KO defeats he suffered. He did regain a title belt that seem meaningless in his once great career.

[Hmabshir]

Jones Jr clearly the superior fighter regarding pure physical talent, however morales was the better overall boxer as jones used his athleticism in the prime of his career to torch opponents. morales on the other hand beat easily the top 10 p4p fighter in history during his prime and fought incredible fights with Barrera. roy jones has no one on his resume like that.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Good thread..


Jones superiority came from his cat like reflexes and his amazing combination of size, speed, and power. A holy trifecta of talent
Roy knows the sweet science but he wasn’t a great practitioner of it once his amazing athleticism dissipated, his style of having hands down and a suspect chin made him very vulnerable and after the ko, he seemed very gunshy and never really did have the will to win, more of the will to take it to the scorecards.


Morales—- it all comes down to the 12th round vs manny in the first fight. Morales is up and can coast to a decision but decides to be a macho man and switch southpaw and throw down with manny. Of course manny blazes him, morales never goes down but the lights were on but nobody home. Morales’ chin and punch resistance were never the same after that round. We talk about guys leaving a piece of themsbehimd after a war and I have no doubt morales left a piece of himself in the ring that night.
Just go rewatch 12th rd -morales/manny 1. Watch the brutal shots that morales eats and somehow stays upright. That basically ended morales run as a true world class fighter

[OctoberRed]

Between the two of them, Morales was the only one who was able to turn back the clock when he was thrown in to that fight with Marcos Maidana and everyone thought Morales would get killed.

Fighting with one eye, it was an absolute war and some people thought Morales edged it out. It was a classic performance.

[Emon723]

I really like the comparison between the two that aside from the two losses I mentioned, Jones to Tarver and Morales to Pacquiao, they were beaten unexpectedly by opponents whom they would easily beat a couple of years earlier, Jones against Glen Johnson and Danny Green, Morales against Zahir Raheem and David Diaz.

Jones lost to fellow hall of famers Calzaghe and Hopkins while Morales lost to Maidana and Garcia, who both make a lot of noise and were among the top 10 best pound for pound after they had beaten El Terrible.

[Andre_parker1]

both legends.. Jones and corrales

[OctoberRed]

I really like the comparison between the two that aside from the two losses I mentioned, Jones to Tarver and Morales to Pacquiao, they were beaten unexpectedly by opponents whom they would easily beat a couple of years earlier, Jones against Glen Johnson and Danny Green, Morales against Zahir Raheem and David Diaz.

Jones lost to fellow hall of famers Calzaghe and Hopkins while Morales lost to Maidana and Garcia, who both make a lot of noise and were among the top 10 best pound for pound after they had beaten El Terrible.

I have to rewatch it, but for some reason I have it in my head that Morales should have gotten the decision over Diaz.

[BM dnobagaV]

I wouldn't say that Pacquiao was in his prime in 2005.

[OctoberRed]

I wouldn't say that Pacquiao was in his prime in 2005.

Pacquiao's prime was for sure 2008-2009.

[McNulty]

both legends.. Jones and corrales

Morales you mong lol.