Roy Jones Jr. underrated as an actual boxer not just athlete?

I can't help but feel that many people see the later fights of Jones, and not very many of his earlier fights, and just say he totaly relied on his physical talents to get him by in the sport. I however disagree. Back in the amateurs he would fight guys as fast as him and he would do well, and at least hold his own against some of the best amateurs to ever fight. Later on people see the showboating, the hands down, the hands behind the back knockout or dodging combinations in the corner, and they think that he must of been just a athletic freak who didn't know how to box properly. I disagree... he could adapt to his opponents style no matter who they were usually in a round, and he could feint even James Toney out of his shorts. Jones had a unique style which allowed him to punch from almost any angle he could invent. I agree that nobody else could have been effective with his style who's ever foughten except maybe Ali, and Sugar Ray Leonard to a degree in their times, but they couldn't do half the things he could do, and in many aspects he was much better boxer technically than young Ali ever was or Leonard at many times. Sure Jones had unatural speed, power, reflexes, but he also had perfect timing for when he did came in or feinted. I however do believe that his downfall was attributed to two things 1. He should never have came down from Heavyweight so quickly. 2. He should never have kept the style of fighting opponents off the ropes. I believe both got him in more trouble than aging reflexes or other technical flaws.

I just think the fact was Roy Jones Junior, was so technically gifted boxing wise, he could mislead people to belive he was just freakishly quick.

It doesnt matter how quick you are you still have to have boxing technique to put it all together, and the amount of titles he won proves he was one of the greatest BOXERS ever to walk the planet.

Technically Gifted

Athletically Gifted

Combined = One Of The Greatest Ever...

No doubt. I don't know if he's underrated as a boxer.. It would depend whether alot of people are stupid enough to say he wasn't one of the best. in terms of actual talent and abilities, I would have him somewhere in the top 5 p4p of all time. If you weigh it too heavily on accomplishments or notable opponents, that is the only case there is for him not being there. Noone made boxing world class opponents look as easy as he did.

good point on the opponents. I think it also has something to do with roy never being a big pay per view name so people outside of the boxing game didnt hear as much about him as may b oscar d. I think floyd will end up being remembered in the same way as roy j

I don't think Floyd has Jones' athletic dominance and a little more old school technical skill. I say Roy is the most gifted athlete to ever fight, and that people like Mike Tyson and I actually don't know anyone else who was on either of their levels athletically.