Who could beat Roy Jones?

[IamInuit]

Ezzard Charles, gene Tunney. Hagler. He is far from unbeatable. Billy Conn. Archie Moore. Bob Foster.

Some good choices there. Roy's probably my favourite post ww2 fighter all time but if I can shelf my bias I think there are several also and at 160 he never really stayed long enough. Had he peaked at that weight sure but he didn't.

160
Greb
Burley
Langford
Steele
Benton
Williams
Watson

168
Cal
Langford
Eubank
Benn
Liles

175
Langford
Charles
Spinks
Moore
Loughran

[FinitoElDinamita]

Lol. Oh gawwwwd.

[IamInuit]

Lol. Oh gawwwwd.

The question is who could not who would and for some of you that started watching the sport in the 1990's that's probably a hard concept to grasp and frankly I dont give a shit. Some of you are infatuated with crucifying previous eras and fighters on a daily basis. Gets tiresome. Sam Langford is in the minds of many historians the greatest light-heavyweight that ever lived and yet seemingly dismissed out of hand by some. As much as many of these fellas may not have seen a Roy Jones, it is also true that Roy Jones never saw anyone like them.

[FinitoElDinamita]

Lol. Oh gawwwwd.

The question is who could not who would and for some of you that started watching the sport in the 1990's that's probably a hard concept to grasp and frankly I dont give a shit. Some of you are infatuated with crucifying previous eras and fighters on a daily basis. Gets tiresome. Sam Langford is in the minds of many historians the greatest light-heavyweight that ever lived and yet seemingly dismissed out of hand by some. As much as many of these fellas may not have seen a Roy Jones, it is also true that Roy Jones never saw anyone like them.

I hear you but you know what, don't put me in the 90s bracket because I got into boxing before that.

I got into Boxing in the late 80s when I was around 8 years old. When other kids my age were into Teenaged mutant ninja turtles and GI Joe, I was into the sweet science.

I was already deep into the game by the 90s and that's when I went back and studied all the fighters from the golden era. I did my history lesson long time ago my friend and I stand by my belief about these old school fighters.

[SugarBoxing]

Lol. Oh gawwwwd.

The question is who could not who would and for some of you that started watching the sport in the 1990's that's probably a hard concept to grasp and frankly I dont give a shit. Some of you are infatuated with crucifying previous eras and fighters on a daily basis. Gets tiresome. Sam Langford is in the minds of many historians the greatest light-heavyweight that ever lived and yet seemingly dismissed out of hand by some. As much as many of these fellas may not have seen a Roy Jones, it is also true that Roy Jones never saw anyone like them.

I hear you but you know what, don't put me in the 90s bracket because I got into boxing before that.

I got into Boxing in the late 80s when I was around 8 years old. When other kids my age were into Teenaged mutant ninja turtles and GI Joe, I was into the sweet science.

I was already deep into the game by the 90s and that's when I went back and studied all the fighters from the golden era. I did my history lesson long time ago my friend and I stand by my belief about these old school fighters.

I think if we exchange boxing with porn, your monologue would sound almost like naked bare truth about yourself.

"I hear you but you know what, don't put me in the 90s bracket because I got into porn before that.

I got into Porn in the late 80s when I was around 8 years old. When other kids my age were into Teenaged mutant ninja turtles and GI Joe, I was into the porn.

I was already deep into the Porn by the 90s and that's when I went back and studied all the porn stars from the golden era. I did my history lesson long time ago my friend and I stand by my belief about these old school porn stars."

[Mr140]

Ok finto how familiar are you with the Jinx then because if you watch that man at light heavy he was a fucking monster and cleared out his division. Jones was neck and neck with Griffin before the dq happened sure the rematch was a blow out but Roy was not unstoppable. Also I lose a lot respect for a man who did not fight the Lienel champ and just beat the left overs. Also yea Dm lost to a guy Jones beat but he was like 35 by then and look how Jones did at that age maybe a year older fucking getting shit packed by Taver and Johnson does that make them better. Spinks had a weird style, monster power, a lot more reach and he had a chin of steel was never put on the mat at Lhw also never lost. Not to mention he fought the main guy for the belt and cleared out everyone before going up and beating the main man again at heavyweight not for just some fucking belt. I don't think Jones had enough to keep Spinks away and i believe if Spinks lands its pretty much over because the man hit like a train at the weight i just don't see if going well for Jones when fighting Spinks more so then anyone who ever fought at the weight.

[Ron Swanson]

Nobody is forgetting a thing. The question is could. There's a reason for the expression "anything can happen in boxing". We're just looking at who had better chances than others. Roy is the most gifted boxer I've ever seen, doesn't mean he couldn't be beat.

[El Kabong]

Guys with the best chances (not surefire winners, but guys who would give him a run)....

Tommy Hearns
Bob Foster
Michael Spinks
Dwight Qawi
Gerald McClellan
Julian Jackson

Really super short list and I'm sure I left out some people but RJJ in his prime was amazing. Defensively akin to a young Muhammad Ali, didn't even really have to block shots, he just avoided getting hit but he had insane combination handspeed but also with 1 punch KO power.

RJJ is one of the few guys who could score a flash knockdown with handspeed alone but also just turn the lights out on you with his power...dangerous boxer in his prime

[Beanflicker]

Nobody is forgetting a thing. The question is could. There's a reason for the expression "anything can happen in boxing". We're just looking at who had better chances than others. Roy is the most gifted boxer I've ever seen, doesn't mean he couldn't be beat.

Oh well fuck if you're talking about who COULD, than that's a long list. Pretty much any 168-175 boxer in history who reached an elite level COULD have beat him, because the old "puncher's chance" idiom gives any of them a chance.

Hell, I COULD have beaten Roy Jones if he walked into one of my punches before he obliterated me.

Who gives a shit who could have done anything, or who might have had the best chance?

[Ron Swanson]

Nobody is forgetting a thing. The question is could. There's a reason for the expression "anything can happen in boxing". We're just looking at who had better chances than others. Roy is the most gifted boxer I've ever seen, doesn't mean he couldn't be beat.

Oh well fuck if you're talking about who COULD, than that's a long list. Pretty much any 168-175 boxer in history who reached an elite level COULD have beat him, because the old "puncher's chance" idiom gives any of them a chance.

Hell, I COULD have beaten Roy Jones if he walked into one of my punches before he obliterated me.

Who gives a shit who could have done anything, or who might have had the best chance?

Well, I'd guess VG_Addict since he/she started the thread. And one would figure you care since you saw a thread titled "Who could...." and came to comment.

[mikeeod]

Andre Ward would beat Roy, but only if Roy would fight him. Roy looks like an ATG vs the no hopers he fought for the majority of his career. He had the talent to beat anyone, but never proved himself by taking on the biggest challenges. Roy has about the weakest resume of guys he is often compared to. It's great that u studied boxing when u were 8 and all, but to say that beating guys like Glenn Kelly and Tony Thornton prove Roy would Dominate Spinks, Foster, Moore, Conn...etc., is laughable. Roy was a phenom, no doubt. Every truly great fighter came back after a loss, however, and proved their greatness. Roy never did. First good shot he took ruined him. He is basically a larger version of Donald Curry who had the luxury of fighting weak opposition while maintaining his HBO contract.

[Mr140]

Wanted to bring up this topic again and still say that Spinks would knock out Jones. The more i look into his fights the more i think Spinks is the greatest lhw of all time. His time in the lhw division was considered on of the best of all time and he crushed everyone and was never beat at the weight.

[brocktonblockbust]

Wanted to bring up this topic again and still say that Spinks would knock out Jones. The more i look into his fights the more i think Spinks is the greatest lhw of all time. His time in the lhw division was considered on of the best of all time and he crushed everyone and was never beat at the weight.

Rocky Marciano would PIERCE mike spinks

[El Kabong]

Every truly great fighter came back after a loss, however, and proved their greatness. Roy never did. First good shot he took ruined him.

He lost to Montell Griffith and then went on a long run of being untouchable in fact the only reason he went on to become a guy prone to getting knocked out was because he dropped from 195 or so back down to 175....had RJJ just stayed at cruiserweight instead of going back down to lightheavy he would have been just fine

[mikeeod]

Roy had the natural gifts and unorthodox style to trouble and beat anyone in history. That being said, he feasted on weak competition after James Toney, and that made him seem much more invincible than he truly was. Ezzard Charles knocked out a young, prime Archie Moore. He was boxing Marciano silly both times, prior to wearing down. It's funny to me that people come on here and actually ask the question "could anyone ever have beaten Roy in his prime?" It's asinine and shows a lack of knowledge of the sport.