Looking back, how good was Roy Jones Jr really?

Discussion in 'General Boxing Discussion' started by esk59, May 9, 2015.

  1. esk59

    esk59 WBC Champion

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    He was absolutely spectacular. He was so mother fucking good that Mayweather talking shit recently made me think.

    Hold on a sec as good as Floyd thinks he is and as good as Stephen A Smith describes him being a magician and all that crap, he's nowhere near as good as the hype. But you know what, Roy was as good as they hype Mayweather now.

    Let me explain what I mean. Imagine a casual boxing fan that has never seen Mayweather fight and due to the hype stumbles upon one of his fights. He's going to internally wonder what the fuck all the hype was about? He's going to have to think hard and pay careful attention to what people are seeing that he doesn't see to try to make sense of this supposed "greatness".

    Now imagine if this same casual fan made his way to a Mayweather fight and Floy actually fought like Roy used to? Do you think they would be wondering what all the hype was about? Would an expert need to put it in perspective so they understand what they're watching?

    If you saw a RJJ fight you were blown away and that was it. He was fucking amazing and a lot better than Floyd P4P or however you want to slice it.

    Imagine if RJJ fought Pacuiqao on PPV with 5 millions buys and a whole lot of people watching got to see his superman skills. How great would that have been for boxing? How many new boxing fans would there be? How much renewed enthusiasm would there be from all existing boxing fans?

    Instead that huge audience got to see the boring ass Floyd and I'm sure they were bewildered when Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman gushed all over his brilliance when all he was doing was running and holding and stinking up the place.

    How many new fans will this latest fight convert? How much enthusiasm for existing boxing fans did it bring?

    RJJ was amazing at his prime and a lot better fighter than Floyd is now or has ever been. He's better P4P, better in every way. He's a better human being too.

    Just looking back, thought I would share.
     
  2. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

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    Floyd is like Lennox. Boring to watch most of the time, content to win on points, safety-first style. These types of guys won't be popular with casual fans. The key with Floyd is that he has a personality...one which everyone hates. Plus he has a history. People long for the day when he is brought down.
     
  3. loadedgloves

    loadedgloves "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Basically, you're saying Roy was flashier. Flashier != better.
     
  4. whiskey

    whiskey Czarcasm

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    May as well get this one of the way:

    If you're not in love with Mayweather's "brilliance" it means you only want to watch Gatti-Ward fights and tough man contests.
     
  5. Nobleart

    Nobleart Narwhal King

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    Problem with Roy, is after he beat Hopkins and Toney, he never really sought out a true rival. When one eventually came around, he got embarrassed by a guy who had his jaw broken by Eric Harding.

    Roy gamed the system for years, just like Floyd, but on a smaller scale.........and when he finally decided he wanted to take on all comers (because he had no choice anymore from a payday perspective), it was too late.
     
  6. LOK

    LOK I'll eat your asshole alive

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    Floyd to me is still great to watch, I get what he is saying as far as Roy was super exciting but Floyd is hardly like Lemmon

    Lemmon was SUPER BORIng
     
  7. esk59

    esk59 WBC Champion

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    As much as I dislike Lewis, he was a real fighter. A lot more exciting fighter than Floyd. That is a huge statement considering how much I despise watching Lewis's boring bouts.

    After Floyd, I think I miss Lewis.
     
  8. Hut*Hut

    Hut*Hut The Mackintosh of temazepam

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    I still don't think Roy was as good as some people think he was.
     
  9. loadedgloves

    loadedgloves "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    imagine if Pacquiao fought Floyd on PPV with 5 million PPV buys? he'd lose, because he's an inferior fighter to Floyd
     
  10. LOK

    LOK I'll eat your asshole alive

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    Funny that some think Lennox is more excited than floyd, I think Lennox is the worst hw champ ever
     
  11. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

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    Lennox had many more entertaining fights than Floyd.
     
  12. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

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    Lennox needed to fire his PR guy more than anything. It's unfortunate that nobody in his camp ever helped him develop a character. He should've adopted England as his country instead of the whole "I'm a citizen of the world" bullsh*t :lol: :lol:
     
  13. Xplosive

    Xplosive X-MOD Bad Motherfucker

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    When Floyd was at his peak, and Jones was fading, NOBODY on EARTH considered Floyd better. That should tell you something.

    Floyd's outstanding longevity has fooled some into thinking he was actually better than Jones.

    If length of prime means more than better prime, then I guess Virgil Hill was a better fighter than Donald Curry........

    Roy from 94-00 was better than Floyd Mayweather ever was, and no one can convince me otherwise.
     
  14. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

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    Yup, Roy was limited and had no chin. It's unfortunate that it took that many years for him to be exposed. But when you handpick cops, security guards, sanitation workers as your opposition then you can have a pretty good and long career.
     
  15. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

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    Floyd even now is not that good. He just hasn't fought anybody of any quality except for a one-handed Pacman.
     
  16. LOK

    LOK I'll eat your asshole alive

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    Matter of opinion
    I was entertained when het got knocked out by Rahman
     
  17. Xplosive

    Xplosive X-MOD Bad Motherfucker

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    Please don't compare Lummox and Floyd. Floyd was more compelling to watch on talent alone.

    People must be forgetting that Lewis-Tua made May-Pac look like Corrales-Castillo.
     
  18. Ugotabe Kidding

    Ugotabe Kidding WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    Floyd is ahead of Roy in all-time rankings. Longer career, better opposition overall, more beaten top-10 contenders etc.

    in his prime Roy was the most impressive looking fighter I have ever seen, but does that mean he was better than Floyd I don't know
     
  19. puerto rock

    puerto rock WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    I think Roy was better. His performance against Toney IMO trumps Floyd's top performances. Roy's superior talent and natural gifts trump Floyd's skill and IQ.

    Floyd is one of the best fighters I've ever seen, no doubt. But Roy was a legit PHENOM. At his peak, truly one of the greatest fighters of all time. And though he too started to pick and choose after a while, his wins over Toney and Hopkins are better wins than any of Floyd's best wins.
     
  20. Pascals Wager

    Pascals Wager Undisputed Champion

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    Lennox was a more exciting (he had more exciting fights) and agressive fighter than PBF, & was also more prepared to to take on all-comers.
    RJJ was not as prepared to take on all-comers as Lennox, but was a more exciting fighter than PBF.
    PBF was not prepared to take on all-comers, & is not an exciting fighter. I can't remember a fighter who fights so little when he fights. He IS, however, the smartest fighter of the three in terms of risk-minimisation.
    IN ADDITION to the above he is a contemptable human being.
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2015
  21. cdogg187

    cdogg187 GLADYS

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    Roy is certainly one of the most unusual fighters of all time... There's been fighters who try to emulate his strange style but they don't last because without his speed, reflexes and power, it's useless... We won't see another that fights like him at the top levels of the sport, he was one of a kind

    As far as "excitement" or "entertainment" goes, a lot of that is in the eye of the beholder... Neither Roy, Floyd nor Lennox could be deemed not guilty of having been very boring more than once... All three have been exciting as well... Floyd was dreadfully boring last weekend but he was a pleasure against Canelo... Roy had dreadful matches but he could also be very entertaining (his execution of the disgusting Paz) ... Lennox could be awful to watch (Tua) but also a lot of fun (Golota)
     
  22. loadedgloves

    loadedgloves "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Lennox in the Rahman rematch was a killer. He was out for blood and that's about as good a heavyweight that's ever lived. I was pulling for Rahman in that fight too.. American, Muslim, and about as nice & humble a guy as you'll ever meet. Gotta give Lennox his props, though.
     
  23. LOK

    LOK I'll eat your asshole alive

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    Funny because Rahman was super motivated for either first fight then got cocky. He turned down multi MILLIONS from HBO saying that "ill just knock him out again"
     
  24. loadedgloves

    loadedgloves "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Yep. Turned down a multi-fight contract in the hopes that he'd be worth more after the rematch. Bad move.
     
  25. Xplosive

    Xplosive X-MOD Bad Motherfucker

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    Jones unreal handspeed is a big reason he was so compelling.

    The guy would let his hands go, and I'd literally just sit there shaking my head wondering how in the HELL could any human be so fucking fast.
     
  26. Slice N Dice

    Slice N Dice Big stiff idiot

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    It wasn't just his hands, his whole body moved faster than anyone I've ever seen in a boxing ring.
     
  27. Hut*Hut

    Hut*Hut The Mackintosh of temazepam

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    I'd far rather watch Floyd than Roy or Lewis
     
  28. Xplosive

    Xplosive X-MOD Bad Motherfucker

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    Indeed.
     
  29. Xplosive

    Xplosive X-MOD Bad Motherfucker

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    Floyd had a few duds early on his career, but for the MOST part he was an exciting fighter from 130-140.

    Then he moved up to 147-154, and started turning in more duds than exciting fights.
     
  30. Xplosive

    Xplosive X-MOD Bad Motherfucker

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    Unless you're a text book purist, I can't understand rather watching young Floyd over young Roy. As Cdogg said, Roy had his own style that was never seen before or since. That alone made him fun to watch, along with the fact that he had the one thing Floyd never truly had - fight ENDING power.
     

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