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Other than the always mentioned Eubank, collins, benn, DM ( who all by the way, would lose very badly in most peoples hypothetical match ups) then there's GMan who jones may have faced later, but shouldn't really be faulted because of the war damage suffered during the benn fight.
So other than those five guys, who else could prime jones have faced to improve his legacy, between 160-174?
To be honest there is only really Michalczewski, and he would have been beaten very badly. When it comes to it I don't think there is anyone in history of the 168 and 175 divisions who could beat a prime, hungry Jones. As far as Benn and Eubank etc go, yes they would have looked good to have on his record, but after the struggles they had with Malinga and then the beating Jones gave him, any fight with them would have been a mismatch anyway.
I must admit i'd have liked him to have fought Hopkins again around 2001, but again he would have owned Hopkins then in better fashion than he did first time as he would have had 2 hands. Also Calzaghe around 2001 (I say 2001 as I feel that was his last year of being peak), I honestly think Joe would have been stopped in the mid rounds then. He showed that Jones could hurt him when they did fight and Roy didn't punch with any power compared to the Jones of old.
People say Jones never fought greats to cement his legacy, well to me this is wrong. He did fight greats, the problem was he fought them before they were considered great and he fought plenty of good fighters, problem was he was so much better than them that he made them look very poor, I mean people like Griffin, McCallum, Hill, Julio Cesar Gonzalez, Reggie Johnson, Clinton Woods etc were all good fighters that were made to look like club fighters compared to Jones. He really may have just been too good for his own good.
One name Michael Nunn.Quote:
Originally Posted by JonesJrMayweather
Quote:
Originally Posted by ICBOne name Michael Nunn.Quote:
Originally Posted by JonesJrMayweather
I was thinking of Nunn but I dont think he would have gotten much credit had he beat him after Toney had already kayoed him...
I agree with RJJTszyu...dont really see that many guys that he could have faced that would get him ranked in the top 5 all time in most people's book. And even if he beat the names mentioned how many of them were even given the status of being "great" now that they're all retired?
He was just too good for any era, I think he would have massacred foster, moorer, spinks, conn, maxim all at LHW..
Me too. I once posted a Poll on here as to who is the greatest ever LHW and if I remember right he walked it.Quote:
Originally Posted by JonesJrMayweatherQuote:
Originally Posted by ICBOne name Michael Nunn.Quote:
Originally Posted by JonesJrMayweather
I was thinking of Nunn but I dont think he would have gotten much credit had he beat him after Toney had already kayoed him...
I agree with RJJTszyu...dont really see that many guys that he could have faced that would get him ranked in the top 5 all time in most people's book. And even if he beat the names mentioned how many of them were even given the status of being "great" now that they're all retired?
He was just too good for any era, I think he would have massacred foster, moorer, spinks, conn, maxim all at LHW..
Tyson and holyfield at heavy maybe even Lennox.
Mclelland maybe?
Jones Jr is another one of them where you can say "ooh lovely reflexes and quite apt punch placement" and then you look at the record and say this isn't Sugar Ray Robinson. And then towards the end you start thinking "well it's now getting like the later Sugar Ray Robinson!". But different leagues really.
I think Calzaghe outworks him anytime in the 21st century BTW. Jones Jr was good, but he has a pansy heart.
McClellan before he could ever have his fight with Jones had his career cut short by the Benn fight sadly. And afterwards they say benn lost his passion for boxing so I doubt jones woul have gotten much credit if he had beaten him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
I really don't think there was anyone else Jones could have beaten to "cement his legacy" because if he would have fought and embarassed them it wouldn't go anywhere for him. Because even now, they look a step in class below Jones, and that was without them even on his record. So I agree, Jones' legacy is probably one of the best boxing has had in the last 20 years if you consider the era. You'll be hard pressed to find people with a better resume in terms of legacy in his era. Oscar and Trinidad probably.
Don't get it twisted, Jones had heart. I still feel there were guys he missed out on, any of Eubank, Benn, Michalczewski, McClellan, Nunn as well as actually giving Hopkins a rematch and fighting Calzaghe earlier. Had he done all of those, with only the B-Hop rematch around 01-02 would I have had some major doubts that he would have won. His record is nowhere near as bad as some make out, but he did avoid certain challenges that were there. He also didn't do enough to make himself the best LHW of all time, regardless of the excuses about weight, he was flat KO'd by Antonio Tarver & Glen Johnson who were two of the better 175lbers he faced. The only one he beat who was better was Virgil Hill and he was coming off a one-sided loss.Quote:
Originally Posted by miles
Jones was possibly the best athlete in the history of the sport, but the best find ways to adapt. He was always great when things were going his way, and the rematch KO of Griffin is one of the best statements in a ring that I've ever seen, but he never really showed he could cope with things when his back was against the wall. The closest you've got is the fact he didn't quit against Calzaghe, but he played to survive rather than win.
I'm not sure all of these would help his legacy but here's a few:
Middleweight - Reggie Johnson & Mike McCallum (he could have fought either of these guys around 93-94 and both wins would be more impressive then the wins he got over them at lightheavy.
Supermiddle - Micheal Nunn & Gerald McClellan (Nunn was still thought of as great fighter at 168lb and McClellan was dangerous) I don't think fighting Calzaghe would have done becasue until 2006 Joe was thought as a fable.
LightHeavy - Michalczewski & Virgil Hill sooner (He should have fought Hill around 1996 and Michalczewski in Germany right after that. Beat him in Germany would show some true balls)
Cruiser - James Toney - Rematch with Toney right after he beat Jirov 2004.
Heavy - Evander & Tyson - Both of those fights would have made tens of millions of dollars as well.
Jones would have put calzaghe to sleep....Quote:
Originally Posted by miles