Ambling Alp II wrote:Wow. I mean Wow. Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West etc. would not make it in the NBA today?
A good arguement might be; what sport had declined worse, boxing or basketball?
Wilt and Bill might still be good today. But they wouldnt be as good as they were back then. Robertson would most likely be warming up the bench. Jerry West wouldnt make it. 6'2 white dude playing the 2. Imagine him guarding LeBron
Russell is insanely overrated, but he could play today. Wilt was a beast. Jerry west used to drain 30 footers when they were worth 2 points, he could still fill it up and he wouldn't have to guard Lebron. Imagine Kobe trying to guard him?
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Russell is insanely overrated, but he could play today. Wilt was a beast. Jerry west used to drain 30 footers when they were worth 2 points, he could still fill it up and he wouldn't have to guard Lebron. Imagine Kobe trying to guard him?
Theres tons of white guys who can burn you up from downtown in college that never makes it in the NBA. Those are the guys we see here in Asia playing as imports all the time. PLaying the 2 in offense and the 5 in defense D
Those Jerry West types dont get drafted cuz they become defensive liabilities. I believe a prime Steve Kerr could school a prime Jerry West Serious
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Russell is insanely overrated, but he could play today. Wilt was a beast. Jerry west used to drain 30 footers when they were worth 2 points, he could still fill it up and he wouldn't have to guard Lebron. Imagine Kobe trying to guard him?
Theres tons of white guys who can burn you up from downtown in college that never makes it in the NBA. Those are the guys we see here in Asia playing as imports all the time. PLaying the 2 in offense and the 5 in defense D
Those Jerry West types dont get drafted cuz they become defensive liabilities. I believe a prime Steve Kerr could school a prime Jerry West Serious
Roy Jones Jr.'s speed and unorthodox style would trouble Louis for a bit, and he'd probably win the majority of the early rounds, but Louis was a vicious puncher and one of the best finishers in boxing history, when he landed on Roy and Roy wobbled...it would be over.
vagabundo55 wrote:Great match up. Jones evolved the style of boxing, the same can be said about Joe Louis and his combinations. As far as my opinion goes, Louis lived in a time where boxers fought monthly some weekly even, this means he gained experience against many styles among other things, these fighters learned to adjust. Roy Jones may very well have outboxed Louis if they met once, but if they met 5 times Joe Louis might just take three as far as my analysis goes, let's not forget the man knew how to beat you up in clinches.
Let us also not forget that Jones was not a heavyweight and had only one fight at that weight while Louis was undisputed heavy weight champion for close to 12 years. It would not be competitive at all.
hhaehre wrote:
Let us also not forget that Jones was not a heavyweight and had only one fight at that weight while Louis was undisputed heavy weight champion for close to 12 years. It would not be competitive at all.
Lets not forget that boxers from Louis' time didnt cut weight the same way boxers of today does. And that majority of the Cruisers and Light heavies of today, wouldve been heavyweights in the 40's.
louis all the way here, who did jones beat at heavy? john ruiz! what a fighter! joe louis would bust roy up before the fourth round ends. jones is in a bad way
saad - the comment about john henry lewis was both accurate and very funny
Jones was a fantastic boxer, his prolonged career has devalued his stock greatly. Had he retired shortly ater the Ruiz fight he'd be heralded by all and sundry for ever more. But I wouldn't pick him to beat Louis. Roy was not 200lbs when he fought Ruiz. Roy is a slight guy who did brilliantly but he was protected, to a degree, by the referee (v Ruiz). Ruiz was not allowed to use his weight and strength and whilst I do think Roy would still have beaten him. it would not have been as convincing with a different ref. Against a fellow like Louis, and assuming a match where the ref allowed the action to go unbroken for longer, Louis would have had way too much for Roy in physical terms and stopped him before halfway.
JLP wrote:Jones was a fantastic boxer, his prolonged career has devalued his stock greatly. Had he retired shortly ater the Ruiz fight he'd be heralded by all and sundry for ever more. But I wouldn't pick him to beat Louis. Roy was not 200lbs when he fought Ruiz. Roy is a slight guy who did brilliantly but he was protected, to a degree, by the referee (v Ruiz). Ruiz was not allowed to use his weight and strength and whilst I do think Roy would still have beaten him. it would not have been as convincing with a different ref. Against a fellow like Louis, and assuming a match where the ref allowed the action to go unbroken for longer, Louis would have had way too much for Roy in physical terms and stopped him before halfway.
Very good post. It seems to me that the negative perception of Ruiz coupled with the popularity of Jones Jr means that the part played by the referee is overlooked too often (it was Jay Nady, right? Always favours the popular guy, always).
Props to you for acknowledging this without shitting all over Roy.
I also had a chuckle at the John Henry Lewis comment, boxrec at its best!
D