Has anyone hit bottom faster than Jones?

[JonesJrMayweather]

Considering that Roy was p4p best for so long, hadn't lost in 15 years, fighter of the decade...I'd say nobody fell faster. Its not like he had a slow decline, he completely fell off the cliff.

[15rounder]

The thing that upset me the most about Roy is that he never, and I mean never got up from a knock down. I've been a huge fan of Roy over the years, one of the biggest. I've often thought on some levels that he was the Muhammad Ali of my generation when he as at his best. I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone in boxing that had that rare combination of speed, knockout power, and flashiness when Roy was at his best. But I really wish he would stop. I'd have to disagree with one of the posters in here who said that Paul Williams will fall to the bottom fast. I just don't see that happening. I do however, see alot of great boxers tripping over their own feet running from a fight with him.

[salty trunks]

The thing that upset me the most about Roy is that he never, and I mean never got up from a knock down. I've been a huge fan of Roy over the years, one of the biggest. I've often thought on some levels that he was the Muhammad Ali of my generation when he as at his best. I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone in boxing that had that rare combination of speed, knockout power, and flashiness when Roy was at his best. But I really wish he would stop. I'd have to disagree with one of the posters in here who said that Paul Williams will fall to the bottom fast. I just don't see that happening. I do however, see alot of great boxers tripping over their own feet running from a fight with him.

He got up from a serious knockdown against Lou Del Valle. He walked right into a straight left that dropped him like a sack of rocks.
The thing with Roy is I dont think he ever had a light heavyweight chin, he just never got hit clean. Now that hes slower and older the punches are finding the mark easier on him. Guys with unorthodox skills that rely on tremendous speed always become ordinary overnight once they slow down. Same thing with Ali only his chin was so good he just hung in and took sustained beatings that proved nothing. Jones should have retired after Ruiz.

[AdamGB]

The thing that upset me the most about Roy is that he never, and I mean never got up from a knock down. I've been a huge fan of Roy over the years, one of the biggest. I've often thought on some levels that he was the Muhammad Ali of my generation when he as at his best. I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone in boxing that had that rare combination of speed, knockout power, and flashiness when Roy was at his best. But I really wish he would stop. I'd have to disagree with one of the posters in here who said that Paul Williams will fall to the bottom fast. I just don't see that happening. I do however, see alot of great boxers tripping over their own feet running from a fight with him.

I've seen Roy get back up after two knockdowns.

[BoxingGorilla]

Zab Judah? I'm not saying he was on a mountain, but he fell from somekind of goodness.

[CutMeMick]

Zab Judah? I'm not saying he was on a mountain, but he fell from somekind of goodness.

Good call...

According to Majesty/Starr/Purist/BrooklyNiteQueen/PGH Angel Eyes he was an unstoppable force.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Zab Judah? I'm not saying he was on a mountain, but he fell from somekind of goodness.

Good call...

According to Majesty/Starr/Purist/BrooklyNiteQueen/PGH Angel Eyes he was an unstoppable force.

[salty trunks]

Really Jones takes the prize here. I remember his trainer saying that Jones slowed down a bit before he faced Tarver again so he knew what was up, but that fight was the start of Jones hitting the brick wall. He lost three in a row and was knocked out badly in two straight fights. He would have never lost to Glen Johnson at his peak. Tarver I could see always giving Jones problems, but more like he did in the first fight, not knocking him out or beating him silly like he did in the third fight.

[Majesty]

Considering that Roy was p4p best for so long, hadn't lost in 15 years, fighter of the decade...I'd say nobody fell faster. Its not like he had a slow decline, he completely fell off the cliff.

Can't argue with that. He had a good excuse for the first Tarver fight, Tarver II he looked not too bad, you could argue he just got caught, it happens. But after that he was unrecognizeable. I think Tarver II gave him a good taste of his own mortality, and that messed with his confidence in a big way.

The knockout didn't make him bad. Roy was there for the taking the moment he moved down from Heavyweight.

[hitmanhatton]

Can't argue with that. He had a good excuse for the first Tarver fight, Tarver II he looked not too bad, you could argue he just got caught, it happens. But after that he was unrecognizeable. I think Tarver II gave him a good taste of his own mortality, and that messed with his confidence in a big way.

The knockout didn't make him bad. Roy was there for the taking the moment he moved down from Heavyweight.

An oft used excuse by his fans, but hardly provable. I was basing my point on the way Jones actually fought in the ring. Sure the weight loss had an effect, but there was obviously something else going on. The Jones that fought Johnson, and after that, was not the same fighter as the one that fought Tarver I & 2, not even close. But if you wanna say otherwise, go ahead.

the move down from HW did effect him in a big way, and then perhaps once he was ko'd once it made him more hesitant and cautious... he lost his aura of 'invincibility'

[hitmanhatton]

An oft used excuse by his fans, but hardly provable. I was basing my point on the way Jones actually fought in the ring. Sure the weight loss had an effect, but there was obviously something else going on. The Jones that fought Johnson, and after that, was not the same fighter as the one that fought Tarver I & 2, not even close. But if you wanna say otherwise, go ahead.

the move down from HW did effect him in a big way, and then perhaps once he was ko'd once it made him more hesitant and cautious... he lost his aura of 'invincibility'

I can live with that more or less. But in the 2nd fight I thought he looked reasonably sharp. He should have had time to get back much of what he lost, Maybe not the same Roy as before the trip to HW, but still not too bad. The point being that he still had a long way to fall, in terms of performance, which is what the thread is about.

you mean in the 2nd fight prioer to be knocked out ....., as has been seen before knock out like that will take something from a fighter, this the case with roy, the issue with the weight imo led to him being ko'd by tarver and it was a downward spiral from there on

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

It's all in the legs.

[salty trunks]

It's all in the legs.

You're saying Roy had no legs in the 2nd Tarver fight?

I think he means his legs are skinny which they are especially for a light heavyweight.

[salty trunks]

Just the fact that he never had the physical makeup to take solid shots from a light heavy. I think he lost a step by the second Tarver fight meaning he was there to be hit cleaner.
I think Jones was slipping before he faced Tarver it wasnt only the heavyweight move scenario and Tarver has to get some credit for putting the finishing touches on Jones, but realistically with Jones age, fighting style and physical size it was bound to happen suddenly like it did and I think Tarver style would have always given Jones problems even in his prime.