Roy Jones (1999 - 2002) v Bob Foster (1968 - 1974)

[BOXINGBARMY1]

I think Roy Jones would win this one.

Foster would crouch like he did against Dick Tiger but Jones would use superior reflexes, footwork and handspeed to befuddle Foster.

I see Jones working along the ropes making Bob lead, Jones trying to draw feints. Not a classic slugfest but an intriguing contest.

Foster was'nt too keen on body shots and I think Roy would mix it body to head.

For me, Jones wins 9 - 3 on rounds. STYLES MAKE FIGHTS!

[MEISINGER]

i have to agree with jones winning this one
but the scores would be closer

[spudder56]

i have to agree with jones winning this one
but the scores would be closer

X 2

[BoxBuzz]

Foster only needs to get lucky once.

Roy needs to stay lucky for 12 rounds.

Not sure it's all that predictable.

Tarver beats Roy...But Foster does not?

Just stirrin' the pot here.

[MEISINGER]

Foster only needs to get lucky once.

Roy needs to stay lucky for 12 rounds.

Not sure it's all that predictable.

Tarver beats Roy...But Foster does not?

Just stirrin' the pot here.

boxbuzz come on we are talking prime rjj not the tarver version

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Jones by decision, Foster is more overrated than Roy is by a wide margin in terms of accomplishment. They both have the artillery to compete at a higher level than their ledgers should put them at. Two top 15-30 Light Heavies in an excellent style contrast. I just can't say Roy being controlled by a jab.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Prime for prime?

A

Lets not forget Jones was dropped in his prime by Del Valle. Foster lands the same shot, Jones doesn't last another 30 seconds.

It was a borderline slip. He wasn't remotely hurt. as questionable as Roy's chin can be, he could survive a flash knockdown from a glancing blow against anyone.

[Ezzard]

Foster by decapitation.

Foster was better than Tarver by a greater margin than Jones was from his prime.

[Rover]

Foster by decapitation.

Foster was better than Tarver by a greater margin than Jones was from his prime.

We keep agreeing on these match-ups.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Foster was better than Tarver by a greater margin than Jones was from his prime.

I'd have to see Bob beat a Light heavy the caliber of tarver to agree with that. Foster's resume is among the most overrated in the history of Boxing.

[Ezzard]

One thing for sure is that Bob had serious power at 175…an argument can be made that he was the hardest punching champion at the weight.

I know his challengers when champion weren’t the greatest but he didn’t miss anyone out like Roy did…and I’d take his wins over Tiger, Rondon and Finnegan over anything Jones did at 175.

[Rover]

One thing for sure is that Bob had serious power at 175…an argument can be made that he was the hardest punching champion at the weight.

I know his challengers when champion weren’t the greatest but he didn’t miss anyone out like Roy did…and I’d take his wins over Tiger, Rondon and Finnegan over anything Jones did at 175.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

One thing for sure is that Bob had serious power at 175…an argument can be made that he was the hardest punching champion at the weight.

I know his challengers when champion weren’t the greatest but he didn’t miss anyone out like Roy did…and I’d take his wins over Tiger, Rondon and Finnegan over anything Jones did at 175.

He was definitely a handful, long jab and one of the bigger punchers. Archie Moore has a place in that discussion, so does Marvin Johnson.

I would rate Ahumada & Fourie well above Rondon. Those two are quite underrated. I wasn't implying that Jones resume was better, it just never ceases to amaze me how overrated Foster is when it comes to all time lists in such a loaded division. He's routinely top 5 and I think a better case can be made that he isn't top 20. Though he could beat many guys with better resumes.

I'd pick Tarver to beat any of them.

[dr_devious]

Foster only needs to get lucky once.

Roy needs to stay lucky for 12 rounds.

Not sure it's all that predictable.

Tarver beats Roy...But Foster does not?

Just stirrin' the pot here.

x2, I also see Foster catching up with Jones at some point and ending it

[BoxBuzz]

Well Saad, interesting statement. Haven't you gone on record as saying that Foster would easily beat Monzon?

If not excuse my senior moment. I also believe that Foster gets over rated (in order to bring greater glory to Ali and Frazier.) You know the "storybook" stuff of life.

It's the way of the world. lol.

I think Monzon could have stepped up...if the timing was right. Probably not at the end of his career though.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

My imbibing can, at times, overwhelm my exquisite memory, but I wouldn't call anyone a lock against Monzon. I'd pick Foster over several fighters that he can't logically be rated over. Rosenbloom would be a perfect example. I don't see Foster losing that fight, but if Jones retired after Ruiz it would be blasphemy to think Tarver could even compete with him. That's why rating fighters, in my not nearly humble opinion, needs to be on what was instead of what you think could be. John Henry Lewis wipes his ass with Foster as far as resumes go. Could Bob beat him? Sure, save that for hypothesizing, the reality is that Lewis was a far more accomplished fighter.

[Jpreisser]

Jones Jr. by decision. People keep mentioning Tarver`s knockout win over Jones but Roy has a decision victory over him in the first fight and had they fought in their respective primes, Junior surely would have made fairly easy work of Tarver.

[Ambling Alp II]

I guess we are pretending that Jones would have actaully taken this fight; because he would not have. Foster's competition at light heavyweight was not that great; Jones' was far worse.
Foster would have knocked him out.

[BoxBuzz]

Interesting thought Alp. Jones refuses to engage for one reason or another. Highly possible.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Interesting thought Alp. Jones refuses to engage for one reason or another. Highly possible.

Then again, maybe Foster goes up to Heavy and gets mutilated by Tommy Morrison in 14 seconds.

[BoxBuzz]

He did seem to have a feeble aspect when face with HW's.

But...Jones, not a full fledged Heavy, might be more competitive.

I'd hesitate to pick a winner.


Saad, just looking for an opinion here. Was Jones a monster until he was no longer a monster? Or was he just ok, until he was exposed by Tarver?

I for one was genuinely impressed, much for what he did with Toney, Hopkins, and a few other good non heavies.

and I was very grateful to him for evading the Hugs of Ruiz, and slapping him about a bit, most of us wanted to see that I think.

(Though I did prefer the Tua man's approach to facing an overly tactile opponent.)

Once Roy started to believe his own hype, he seemed to self destruct.

Also....I do believe that Tarver skim, scanned and studied Roy and became his "boutique opponent". He learned from this first encounter. I think Tarver's neuralizing tap, and Roy's weight gain/loss robbed Roy of his best weapon. Namely his neuro reflexes, which by any honest assessment were at one time breathtaking. Though he never did (in my opinion) truly capture the fundamentals of the game.

Had he a chin, and a real lock on the fundamentals, he may have better lasted the test of time.

[misterpunch]

foster might have been overated but he willingly went in with ali and frazier and was not embarrassed by either. i take bob to land a corker on jones elusive but vulnerable beard. end of fight.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

He did seem to have a feeble aspect when face with HW's.

But...Jones, not a full fledged Heavy, might be more competitive.

I'd hesitate to pick a winner.


Saad, just looking for an opinion here. Was Jones a monster until he was no longer a monster? Or was he just ok, until he was exposed by Tarver?

I for one was genuinely impressed, much for what he did with Toney, Hopkins, and a few other good non heavies.

and I was very grateful to him for evading the Hugs of Ruiz, and slapping him about a bit, most of us wanted to see that I think.

(Though I did prefer the Tua man's approach to facing an overly tactile opponent.)

Once Roy started to believe his own hype, he seemed to self destruct.

Also....I do believe that Tarver skim, scanned and studied Roy and became his "boutique opponent". He learned from this first encounter. I think Tarver's neuralizing tap, and Roy's weight gain/loss robbed Roy of his best weapon. Namely his neuro reflexes, which by any honest assessment were at one time breathtaking. Though he never did (in my opinion) truly capture the fundamentals of the game.

Had he a chin, and a real lock on the fundamentals, he may have better lasted the test of time.

Jones is a guy along the lines of Tyson that people, for reasons unknown, need to end their prime the second they lost. Totally agree on Tarver, he would have been a nightmare for Roy on the best night of his life. Always annoying when fans have to "go there", I would rate the first Tarver fight in the top 3 wins of Roy's career. He wasn't shot, he got drilled. Coming back from being stopped is different for every fighter, Jones didn't have the mental strength to do it. Very telling was the 3rd fight, Roy lit him up in the 4th and 5th rounds, he could have won that fight, but he didn't have it anymore upstairs.

[The End]

Prime for prime?

As boxbuzz says. Foster only needs to get lucky once with either hand, and Jones goes to sleep.

Lets not forget Jones was dropped in his prime by Del Valle. Foster lands the same shot, Jones doesn't last another 30 seconds. I think Bob was the only guy to cut Ali ( which I think required six stitches above the eye ) who knows what might have happened if that shot landed clean on the chin?

I'm not saying Ali would have been KO'd, but he might have been KD'd. Foster definitely hit harder than Jones.

You didn't see the Del Valle fight .

For my money Jones Glen Kelleys Foster.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Prime for prime?

As boxbuzz says. Foster only needs to get lucky once with either hand, and Jones goes to sleep.

Lets not forget Jones was dropped in his prime by Del Valle. Foster lands the same shot, Jones doesn't last another 30 seconds. I think Bob was the only guy to cut Ali ( which I think required six stitches above the eye ) who knows what might have happened if that shot landed clean on the chin?

I'm not saying Ali would have been KO'd, but he might have been KD'd. Foster definitely hit harder than Jones.

You didn't see the Del Valle fight .