Quote Originally Posted by mikeeod View Post
those who have been on this board for a while know that I'm one of Roy's biggest critics when it comes to his quality of opposition and historical ranking. That being said, Roy was special during his prime. Once in a lifetime special.

Eubank and Benn were great fighters, but they weren't once in a lifetime special. 168 lb Roy would feast on aggression. Guys would walk into his left hook or hybrid uppercut and that was the fight (Thomas Tate, Bryant Brannon, Merqui Sosa...etc.). Benn would come to destroy and walk right into something big.

Roy's toughest fights were always with boxers who had solid skills and defense. Think of his fights vs Hop, Montell, and even Eric Harding. Prime Roy would have issues with Eubanks combination of awkward style, speed, reflexes, counter punching ability, and power. That being said, Roy was special and would find a way to win the fight the majority of the time.

While Eubank and Benn were not as great as Roy, they were both legitimate one punch threats, and great fighters, so they definitely belonged in a ring with Roy and could have pulled the upset, if they landed the right punch.
Think at 168 Benn was showing a bit more boxing smarts with that attack. Can see exact scenario of Jones timing him and short circuiting him for sure but Benn would be miles above the approach of those three. Sosa and Tate had just been through buzzsaws and Benn was on a completely different level with his own instant eraser of a punch. Right on about Harding, think he may have given Jones better fight than even a Hopkins. Think that effort gets overlooked a bit and how injury and result basically nose dive a quality fighter.