Did Roy Jones miss the chance of his life at heavyweight in 2003?

After he wiped out John Ruiz and took the WBA title in March 2003, that put him in a position to fight Lennox Lewis (WBC Champ), and Chris Byrd (IBF Champ).
Of all the fights he could've taken at that point and made mega millions, the safest one out there for him and likely the easiest and least risk would've been a unification WBA/IBF championship fight with Chris Byrd.
Why didn't Jones opt for this fight? If he had taken it and won, making mega millions in the process, imagine how much bank he could've made if he had defended both the WBA/IBF titles against the WBC champ, be it against Lewis or Klitschko? He'd have retired in luxury and with his place in history set, win or lose.
Instead, he cut all his muscle and went back down to 175 to fight a guy nobody gave a f*ck about in Tarver and pretty much damaged his rep.

I just think in hindsight, it was a piss poor move by Jones. I believe Jones would've been WBA/IBF heavyweight champ if he'd played his cards right.

 

I read that he offered Lennox a ton of money for a showdown after the Ruiz fight but i don't know how realistic it was.

 

He offered Lewis a big payday after Lewis looked like crap against Vitali. That's when Roy got confident and many fans believed Lewis was ready to be taken. Instead, Lewis retired and Roy decided to move back down to 175.

 

Did he offer Lewis a fight? you got a source for that because I find that very surprising.

 

yep he wussed out badly


historically, his move to heavyweight will be viewed as just moving up briefly for one hand-picked fight...just an opportunistic move to pick up a paper belt from the weakest titleholder

 

Roy should have fought Chris Byrd. He could have beaten him. They were about the same size. Byrd is slightly taller and heavier. Going back to 175 drained his body too much.

 

An offer was made, I think in the range of near 40 million. I'll have to try and find the old articles but it was a big story, we were all discussing it on the boards, wondering if Jones was full of crap and if Lewis was scared, etc. I'm sure many guys here can remember. It was only 5 years back.

 

He did, but like i said earlier i don't know how legit it was.

 

That's weird to me on many levels. Firstly that Roy would have the balls to consider fighting Lewis, secondly that anyone would be willing to pay Lewis twice what he got against Mike to take the fight and thirdly that Lewis would turn down such an easy fight for $40m. Strange that I don't remember it...I must have dismissed it as bullshit 5 years ago too.

 

Roy should have retired after Ruiz or fought one or two more fights against heavyweights... You're spot on in this thread.. but to be honest it is was not a very unique notion at the time, let alone now.

 

Roy didn't want the Byrd fight because he knew it would be boring. He said this on more than one occasion at that time. Roy pursued a Holyfield fight for the rest of 03 before the Tarver fight.

 

..and if it comes from a thrilling warrior and entertainer like Roy, that was surely the only reason. ::

 

pretty funny considering some of his UD defences at 175

 

As is often the case my Celtic friend, every single syllable of this rings true...

MTF

 

Roy had to fight the winner of Rahman - Tua, so maybe he farted at the mention of it and decided to hide at 175 lbs. IMO he could've given life to that division and could've been considered a Great fighter if he decided to mix it up at heavyweight, but I'm glad his arrogant ass got what it deserved.

 

Lewis said he was surprised how negotiable Roy was in negotiations. In the end Lewis thought of himself too much mans and didn't consider it. It was Lewis that turned him down.

 

You are all correct, Lennox turned down the fight.
Rahman or Tua wouldn't have touched him much at all, and Roy would have beaten either handily on points in a no-hitter.
I am sure Roy regrets moving back down to light heavy.

 

Roy DID Make an Offer to Lennox...REED Can't Recall the EXACT Details, but it was in USA Today, if REED's Not Mistaken...

Roy WANTED to Fight Evander Holyfield & even Negotiated w/Him for MOST of 2003...Holyfield Eventually DECLINED & Fought James Toney Instead...

Roy ALSO Tried Unsuccessfully to Negotiate w/Mike Tyson...If Roy had Followed Up the Ruiz Fight w/Wins Over Holy & Tyson, he Could've RIGHTFULLY Retired as the G.O.A.T...



REED:mj:

 

True but on another note, the Chris Byrd IBF championship fight was there for Roy and he didn't take advantage of that. Even if Roy deemed it as boring, it was still a lot of money AND of historical signifcance with a championship belt on the line. As much as people want to dismiss it, it was of historical signifance. It was a title unification and a fight I definitely would've been interested in seeing as would many others I'm sure. You would not have found Roy in his prime vs Byrd in his prime for the IBF/WBA unification back in 2003 interesting?

 

Roy doesn't realize that a fight with Byrd for the WBA/IBF titles, had he won, put him in a very serious position as a draw and moneymaker at heavyweight.
If he had made that fight and won 2 out of 3 titles, Roy would've been the one in the driver's seat for all proposed negotiations for future fights.

 

There are 4 titles. And with Byrd and Ruiz holding two titles, you are talking about titles #3 and #4 being unified.

 

Roy's cowardice cost him from being the greatest fighter of all time. The Ruiz fight was a joke, but if Roy had beaten Byrd which he might have, probably would have, and lost to Lewis he'd have been the GOAT. No one could have rationally said, Roy sucks because he lost to guy twice his size. Instead, he ducks all other heavyweights fights an average fighter like Tarver that no one wanted to see. He then rematches a fight no one wanted to see and gets kayo'd, kayo;d, fights like a coward, fights bum, fights bum, fights overrated welterweight fraud and wins a ud and then loses to a shot Joe CALZAGHE. ray:ray:

I am glad it ended the way it did. No deserves the fate Roy had more than he does or his legion of homosexual fans, the nutticks.

 

I agree.

Bad decision making on Jones's part for sure.

 

The only thing Roy missed is the beating of a lifetime had he stayed at heavyweight and fought anybody better than Ruiz.

Maybe he beats Holyfield but just moving alot. tha'ts about it. Forget about Lewis or the Klitchkos.

I remember Roy talking shit about the Klitchos not having any heart. Funny how now he is the one embarrassing himself in the ring because his heart pumps koolaid.

 

Actually, he was going to fight Sanders, but Roy called him out and then ducked him, surprise, surprise. Even still, had he fought Sanders and got knocked out(make no mistake he would have been kayoed) Roy's legacy would still have been greater. Roy either should have never left light heavy. It turns out Taver is his daddy or stay at heavy and attempt to really be the greatest. Had Roy stayed up there, no one could have said shit about him. Roy is not a big man and ifit took heavies to beat him it would have proved the nuttick's case.

 

:boohoo:

Dude, YOU were Front & Center Talking about Roy's "Cowardice" PRIOR to the Ruiz Fight..."Roy WON'T Go Thru w/It...I'll Believe it when I SEE him IN the Ring"...YOU Said that...

Now N HINDSIGHT, Roy is STILL a "Coward" even AFTER SHITTING on YOUR Pre-Fight Nonsense???....U DOUBTED Roy had the "Balls" to even FIGHT Ruiz, but 12 DOMINANT Rounds Later, Ruiz is a JOKE???...

It's Posts like THIS that PREVENT YOU from EVER Being Taken Seriously, SHITS & GIGGLES....


REED:boohoo:

 

yeh exactly...had he stayed at heavyweight he could have made these fights happen over time :dunno:

instead he went back down to 175 and his move to heavyweight will forever be viewed as an opportunistic move to get a title from the weakest titleholder (and lower top 10 heavy at that time)

 

I totally agree. but he went back for a meaningless fight and then he even lost that. he should have tried to collect all belts at heavyweight. and win, lose or draw hey he's just a lightheavyweight noone would care. he really chose the bad path after the Ruiz fight.

 

To make things simple..Lennox Lewis was the champion at that time John Ruiz was just a contender,nothing more.

 

That's how YOU WANT History to View Roy's Heavyweight Move...But THE FACT is, Ruiz was NO WORSE than Top 5 @ Heavy & 1 of the More ACCOMPLISHED Heavy's of the Last 5-10 Years....

Ya'll Musta Forgot!!!....

REED:hammert: