Who is 'Greater' on the all-time list SRL or RJJ?

[TitoFan]

Is it possible to choose one over the other without it being perceived as a diss on the other? RJJ was a remarkable talent, probably an ATG. But SRL's list of opponents stands head and shoulders above RJJ's. Not a slight on Roy, just telling it like it is.

Younger fans who have never seen any SRL footage will find it hard to comprehend... but there was life before RJJ, Tyson, and all the rest.

Again its very easy to say leonard had better opponents but in general did he really?

The era is massively hyped

Yeah, you're probably right. Roberto "Manos de Piedra" Duran, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Marvin "Marvelous" Hagler, Wilfredo "El Radar de St. Just" Benitez...... massively hyped indeed.

[erics44]

Is it possible to choose one over the other without it being perceived as a diss on the other? RJJ was a remarkable talent, probably an ATG. But SRL's list of opponents stands head and shoulders above RJJ's. Not a slight on Roy, just telling it like it is.

Younger fans who have never seen any SRL footage will find it hard to comprehend... but there was life before RJJ, Tyson, and all the rest.

Again its very easy to say leonard had better opponents but in general did he really?

The era is massively hyped

Yeah, you're probably right. Roberto "Manos de Piedra" Duran, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Marvin "Marvelous" Hagler, Wilfredo "El Radar de St. Just" Benitez...... massively hyped indeed.

all great fighters all around at the same time made for a great era which all added to the hype

toney, jones, hopkins, mccallum all as good, just around when there were other distractions in boxing

listen man, that era was unforgettable im not denying it, but you mention 4 fighters, did leonard only win fights against these boxers? are all of his other opponents better than all of jones' too?

[p4pking]

I don't quite buy that Erics. Even in peak form Hopkins was never in the same universe as a Hearns or Benitez if you're talking about talent. Given that he was basically an amateur against Roy I don't rate that as a great win or performance. McCallum was flat out past it although obviously still very good and a threat to anyone else, but same goes for me. Toney is the real enigma on Jones resume, he was a great fighter no question but truly did look like shit against Roy.. How much of that had to do with being weight drained as opposed to thrown off by RJJs athletecism is hard to know imo. It is possible that Roy was truly good enough to put great fighters into a trance like that, but had he faced talent equivalent to what SRL did it's hard to imagine he wouldn't have gotten tagged at least a bit, and that's where it becomes anyones guess. I don't think anyone would tell you with a straight face that they wouldn't rank Jones as a better fighter IF he had retired at some point before he lost, but despite what effect you think weight loss or whatever else had on him the fact is we do know he was nowhere near as tough.

[TitoFan]

Is it possible to choose one over the other without it being perceived as a diss on the other? RJJ was a remarkable talent, probably an ATG. But SRL's list of opponents stands head and shoulders above RJJ's. Not a slight on Roy, just telling it like it is.

Younger fans who have never seen any SRL footage will find it hard to comprehend... but there was life before RJJ, Tyson, and all the rest.

Again its very easy to say leonard had better opponents but in general did he really?

The era is massively hyped

Yeah, you're probably right. Roberto "Manos de Piedra" Duran, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Marvin "Marvelous" Hagler, Wilfredo "El Radar de St. Just" Benitez...... massively hyped indeed.

all great fighters all around at the same time made for a great era which all added to the hype

toney, jones, hopkins, mccallum all as good, just around when there were other distractions in boxing

listen man, that era was unforgettable im not denying it, but you mention 4 fighters, did leonard only win fights against these boxers? are all of his other opponents better than all of jones' too?

Leonard's other opponents were nothing extraordinary, but I disagree with your assessment about Toney, Hopkins, McCallum being just as good. I think p4p may have already given a good explanation on why. Distractions? There's always distractions in boxing. Not a justifiable argument. I'm not dumping on Roy's skill or potential, had he faced fighters of the level that SRL did.... (and very close to their peaks, I might add). But much like the Klitschkos.... he didn't. He dominated, but mostly against very forgettable opposition. No "fights for the ages", like SRL-Duran, SRL-Hearns, SRL-Benitez. You can't just assume that ALL boxing eras are comparable in terms of quality fighters. It's just not true.

[erics44]

Is it possible to choose one over the other without it being perceived as a diss on the other? RJJ was a remarkable talent, probably an ATG. But SRL's list of opponents stands head and shoulders above RJJ's. Not a slight on Roy, just telling it like it is.

Younger fans who have never seen any SRL footage will find it hard to comprehend... but there was life before RJJ, Tyson, and all the rest.

Again its very easy to say leonard had better opponents but in general did he really?

The era is massively hyped

Yeah, you're probably right. Roberto "Manos de Piedra" Duran, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Marvin "Marvelous" Hagler, Wilfredo "El Radar de St. Just" Benitez...... massively hyped indeed.

all great fighters all around at the same time made for a great era which all added to the hype

toney, jones, hopkins, mccallum all as good, just around when there were other distractions in boxing

listen man, that era was unforgettable im not denying it, but you mention 4 fighters, did leonard only win fights against these boxers? are all of his other opponents better than all of jones' too?

Leonard's other opponents were nothing extraordinary, but I disagree with your assessment about Toney, Hopkins, McCallum being just as good. I think p4p may have already given a good explanation on why. Distractions? There's always distractions in boxing. Not a justifiable argument. I'm not dumping on Roy's skill or potential, had he faced fighters of the level that SRL did.... (and very close to their peaks, I might add). But much like the Klitschkos.... he didn't. He dominated, but mostly against very forgettable opposition. No "fights for the ages", like SRL-Duran, SRL-Hearns, SRL-Benitez. You can't just assume that ALL boxing eras are comparable in terms of quality fighters. It's just not true.

so we agree that all the everyday opponents they fought were equal yes?

so its down to who is better - duran, hearns, hagler, benitez or Hopkins, Toney, mcallum, taver

I personally think if you put any of those fighters in with each other at their peaks and lb4lb it will be a very close fight, very hard to pick winners

so its down to how srl and rjj dealt with them

leonards carear was undoubtably full of closer fights and more excitement and at a time where the lighter fighters got more exposure so against bigger names

So if the question is whos career i would like to relive, it would be leonards without a doubt

Jones was more dominant tho, looked unbeatable at a time and had a lot less trouble with his opponents than leonard did

so if you ask me who i think would win if the two fought, I would put my money on jones