Roy Jones Jr.-vs- The 70's and 80's

[neverlast]

Author's note;

 

This article was first published after Roy's wins over Lou Del Valle and Virgil Hill. This is what I thought about Roy then and my opinion has not changed.

 

Roy Jones Jr., by far the class of the 175 pound weight division at this time. His decisive knockout of Virgil Hill and his lopsided decision victory over Lou Del Valle solidified that distinction. How would Jones have fared in an era where there was some real competition? Where would he have fit in during the talent rich 70's and early 80's? I have picked who, in my opinion, were the ten best light heavyweights of that time period. Eight were champions and two were long time contenders. I then matched each against Roy in scheduled fifteen round bouts as they were back then. Based on my recollections of these boxers talents, I have formed the following scenarios.

 

PIERRE FOURIE - Pierre was a gifted boxer, but a light hitter. What saw him through two wars a piece against Bob Foster and Victor Galindez was his craftiness and his durability. Those same attributes would probably carry him fifteen rounds against Jones. Fourie would steal a few rounds, but drop a rather one sided decision.

 

YAQUI LOPEZ - Yaqui fought them all; Galindez, Conteh, Saad Muhammad, Spinks, and Rossman. He was a strong, durable fighter with a decent punch. His draw backs were slow hands and feet and that he cut easily. Roy eats up slow fighter. This one would have resembled Jones bout with Del Valle. Jones by shutout decision or late round stoppage.

 

MARVIN JOHNSON - This one could be interesting. Marvin's southpaw style and aggression may surprise Roy. In the early going. Roy would have his hands full. Marvin was like a wind up toy though and as he started to slow down Roy would begin take over and punish him. Jones by knockout between rounds 7 and 10, but it would be exciting while it lasted.

 

VICTOR GALINDEZ - Styles make fights and Victor was made to order for Roy. Victor's style of leaning against the ropes and covering up while waiting to throw countershots would be suicidal against Jones. Galindez was a tough guy and I don't know if Jones could have knocked him down, but Roy would have cut him to ribbons. The fight would be stopped within ten rounds.

 

MATTHEW SAAD MUHAMMAD- Try as he might, I don't think Saad would be able to catch Roy with his hammer like right hand. I think Roy would box cautiously respecting Saad's power. Jones would be in and out punching in flurries and piling up points. Saad's tendency to cut could play a role here. Jones by decision or late round stoppage.

 

DWIGHT MUHAMMAD QAWI- The didn't call Dwight the "Camden Buzzsaw" for nothing. This man was mean aggression done with style. A prime Michael Spinks and Evander Holyfield had all they could do to edge past him. Styles make fights and this is one style that could trouble Roy. Jones would have to box Qawi just like Holyfield did in their first fight. It would be all action and I wouldn't be surprised if Roy didn't hit the canvas in this one. Qawi might too. Roy has a lot of good qualities but he has yet to prove he has Holyfield's heart. I'll go out on a limb and take Qawi by decision.

 

MICHAEL SPINKS - How can a fighter do so much wrong and yet never lose a fight at 175 pounds? The "Spinks Jinx" is how. Roy would respect Michael's power but Spinks looks so easy to hit that Roy would try to go after him. Jones would land his share of shots, but Mike's twisting, turning style would keep him from putting too many together. When there is a lull in the action Spinks would trade jabs with Jones on a fairly even basis. As the bout wears on past the tenth round Roy is becoming frustrated by Mike's style. Although ahead on points Jones in his frustration gets careless and the "Spinks Jinx" takes him out. Spinks by a late round come from behind knockout.

 

BOB FOSTER - The most intimidating light heavyweight of our time. I honestly think Bob would come into this bout with a strong dislike for Jones. You don''t trash talk Bob Foster and we know how Bob gets when he's angry. Remember Vincente Rondon? That's not saying that Roy is anything like Rondon, but Jones would be facing a man who was jabbing on even terms with Muhammad Ali !!! Roy's speed would give Foster trouble early on but Roy would have trouble getting past Bob's jab. I think once Roy tasted Foster's power he'd be on his bicycle for the rest of the evening. This could be like Foster's bout with Ray Anderson. Foster by easy decision or by kayo, anytime.

 

EDDIE MUSTAPHA MUHAMMAD - This may have been more competitive at 160 pounds. At this weight Eddie, although a dangerous puncher, was slow. He would try to counter punch Roy with little success. Jones would out speed and out box Eddie and win an easy, boring decision.

 

JOHN CONTEH - Conteh may have been one of the best boxers to come out of England in the last thirty years. In his prime, he was a masterful boxer and a hard puncher. This could have turned into a chess match and there would be some exciting exchanges. The difference here would be Roy's slightly quicker hands and Conteh's weak chin. Jones by a hard earned decision or a late round stoppage.

 

Well I'm sure I've rubbed a lot of Roy Jones fans the wrong way. The three boxers I picked to beat Roy are all in the Hall Of Fame so there is no shame there. Roy dominated a weak division for a very long time. Although not his fault, it is very difficult to determine how good Roy really was. By the time some tough competition appeared, Roy's skills had started to erode. Antonio Tarver and Glencoffe Johnson are very good fighters and worthy champions. Still I'll aways feel that a prime Roy Jones Jr. would have handled them.

[LondonRingRules]

Re: Roy Jones Jr.-vs- The 70's and 80's

 

Author's note;

 

This article was first published after Roy's wins over Lou Del Valle and Virgil Hill. This is what I thought about Roy then and my opinion has not changed.

 

 

DWIGHT MUHAMMAD QAWI- The didn't call Dwight the "Camden Buzzsaw" for nothing. This man was mean aggression done with style. A prime Michael Spinks and Evander Holyfield had all they could do to edge past him. Styles make fights and this is one style that could trouble Roy. Jones would have to box Qawi just like Holyfield did in their first fight. It would be all action and I wouldn't be surprised if Roy didn't hit the canvas in this one. Qawi might too. Roy has a lot of good qualities but he has yet to prove he has Holyfield's heart. I'll go out on a limb and take Qawi by decision.

 

MICHAEL SPINKS - How can a fighter do so much wrong and yet never lose a fight at 175 pounds? The "Spinks Jinx" is how. Roy would respect Michael's power but Spinks looks so easy to hit that Roy would try to go after him. Jones would land his share of shots, but Mike's twisting, turning style would keep him from putting too many together. When there is a lull in the action Spinks would trade jabs with Jones on a fairly even basis. As the bout wears on past the tenth round Roy is becoming frustrated by Mike's style. Although ahead on points Jones in his frustration gets careless and the "Spinks Jinx" takes him out. Spinks by a late round come from behind knockout.

 

BOB FOSTER - The most intimidating light heavyweight of our time. I honestly think Bob would come into this bout with a strong dislike for Jones. You don''t trash talk Bob Foster and we know how Bob gets when he's angry. Remember Vincente Rondon? That's not saying that Roy is anything like Rondon, but Jones would be facing a man who was jabbing on even terms with Muhammad Ali !!! Roy's speed would give Foster trouble early on but Roy would have trouble getting past Bob's jab. I think once Roy tasted Foster's power he'd be on his bicycle for the rest of the evening. This could be like Foster's bout with Ray Anderson. Foster by easy decision or by kayo, anytime.

 

Well I'm sure I've rubbed a lot of Roy Jones fans the wrong way. The three boxers I picked to beat Roy are all in the Hall Of Fame so there is no shame there. Roy dominated a weak division for a very long time. Although not his fault, it is very difficult to determine how good Roy really was. By the time some tough competition appeared, Roy's skills had started to erode. Antonio Tarver and Glencoffe Johnson are very good fighters and worthy champions. Still I'll aways feel that a prime Roy Jones Jr. would have handled them.

 

-------- Skills never erode. Either they are misplaced by fighters as they move on to different styles or they are unable to be utilized as well because of a physical decline. The ability to use skills vary widely.

 

Probably this thread belongs in the fantasy fights section, but me not to put a too sniffy fine of a point on it.

 

Can't see how the squat Qawi could ever beat Jones in a million years. His rep is primarily based on catching a shot Saad at a perfect ripe moment. Spinks fairly easily handled him though Qawi put enough pressure on to tax the stamina of Spinks which gets us to his Holy fight where his rep is enhanced. He did give Holy hell in spite of being a flabby cruiser past his best division, but then Holy is not known as a good boxer, but more slugger/brawler.

 

Qawi has better footwork and moment than another squat pressure fighter, Toney who punches harder than Qawi with better handspeed, and we know how that fight turned out. Jones also handled the undefeated squatty Griffin twice by KO in spite of the DQ loss the first time up. Don't see Jones stopping Qawi, but maybe putting him down a few times to have him walking forward in straight zombie lines by the end.

 

Foster and Spinks are taller with bigger reach than southpaw Tarver who Roy beat a lot easier than credited the first time. Roy also handled the tallish Hill, Hall, Gonzales, and Woods fairly easily, so it's important to know while Foster and Spinks would be the best tall LH he'd ever faced, so would Roy be the best and quickest by far 5-11 LH they ever fought.

 

There is little doubt he would outbox either. The sole question is whether he lasts the distance. I believe he represents as much a KO threat to Foster as Foster to Roy, so that makes me favor Roy since he has the boxing advantage. With Spinks, I doubt he could be KOed by Roy, so with his awkward style and underrated boxing credentials, I'd make Roy a slight fav with Spinks a major danger from 1-12, a fight I wouldn't put a dime on.

 

And, no, better comp didn't suddenly appear in the LH division. Tarver, Johnson, Popkins are all quite old and average champs, easily handled by a prime Roy. I've no doubt Roy could've handled the Tarver rubber had he not been so stupid as to fight Johnson so stupidly as he did, about the dumbest fight I've ever seen a fight in. He thought he was talking on his cell phone to his ring side buddies if you recall. To be fair, nobody I've ever seen before or since could keep the incredible pace Johnson set for that fight which introduced me to a lifetime of cheering Johnson on for the rest of his career.

[Wheelchair]

How about Jones against Tommy Hearns at 175lbs?

[MOVO1977]

Hello, very nice comment.

 

Fourie is a boxer whom I have not seen him fight, but I have his fight with Bob Foster.

 

Alvaro Lopez made two superfights with Saad Muhammad, but he is a fighter who has 2 or 3 gears unless than Roy Jones in speed.

 

Marvin Johnson was a good champion, but not a great champion, but also rooting for Roy, good fight. I think that Johnson would seek the K.O.

 

Galindez was a great fits, but a talent incomparable to that of Roy.

 

Matthew Saad Muhammad is a boxer like me, technical fighter. Muhammad lost to Roy Jones. Jones wins in the 10th Round.

 

Qawi Braxton was a hell of a fighter. I remember her beating Leon Spinks. Major roading. Jones wins on points. Roy would fight outside the distance. If Roy exchanged blows, he would suffer greatly.

 

Michael Spinks, one of the best light heavyweights. Difficult to Roy. I bet by Jones, who is best backlash.