Had Roy Jones Jr stayed at the heavyweight division...

[Boxing Writer]

...how would he do against such fighters (in the second half of 2003) as:

Lennox Lewis
Evander Holyfield
Mike Tyson
Vitali Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Corrie Sanders
Chris Byrd
David Tua
James Toney (heavyweight version)
Hasim Rahman

???

[Boxing Writer]

I'll start from the bottom of this list: RJJ vs Hasim Rahman

Rahman, in my opinion, was too slow and too predictable for RJJ. Hasim barely landed any significant punches against John Ruiz, so how would he catch RJJ? I don't see it happening. RJJ by wide UD.

[Boxing Writer]

RJJ vs Toney in 2003:

While Toney looked superbly in his fights against Jirov and Holyfield and wouldn't be weight-drained (like he was in 1994), I think RJJ was a sylistical nightmare for him. I can see Toney being much more competetive than he was in the first fight, but he would still lose by close but clear UD.

[Kalan]

...how would he do against such fighters (in the second half of 2003) as:

Lennox Lewis
Evander Holyfield
Mike Tyson
Vitali Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Corrie Sanders
Chris Byrd
David Tua
James Toney (heavyweight version)
Hasim Rahman

He beats everyone on the lower half of the list -- except possibly David Tua and Corrie Sanders.

The Tuaman would lose the first few rounds like he did with Frez Oquendo.... Eventually Tua would realize he can absorb anything Roy can throw like rain drops... He had an iron chin... He'd start driving right through Roy... Especially if their were only a couple rounds left he'd hop on his horse and tear after Roy... But it's not a betting fight... Because of Tua-Byrd... What Tua was thinking versus Byrd and why he came in so light, are a couple mysteries.. You GOTTA do the Ike Ibeabuchi thing--not the John Ruiz thing... But light hitters didn't even phase Tua... Light Heavyweights take a similar risk versus Tua that Michael Spinks took vs Mike Tyson... Tua didn't have a lot of foot speed like Tyson, so that's the only wild card.

Sanders was a tall southpaw with a quick left hand that carried KO power... That's a Roy Jones' weakness... Tarver drilled Roy with left hands in all their fights... Lou Del Valle decked Roy with a straight left... Sanders could throw the left fast and at at weird angles... So Roy would take a few rounds to figure out when and how he threw it... Then I think he'd outbox him.

All the guys on the top half of the list beat Roy -- especially Wladimir -- who would dominate Roy with quick, hard jabs and straight rights like he did David Haye... That would be the most 1-sided contest.

Roy would have a chance against Holyfield... Evander would wait for you to throw... He had that little stutter dance in-n-out.. 1-2 in 1-2 out.. Roy liked to time guys who did that and you could get the right hand on Evander that way.... Even Ruiz got right hands on Holy and decked him... George Foreman was real slow--but got some well timed BIG rights on Evander... Riddick Bowe sure as Hell nailed Ev... Roy had a quick and slick right lead and would follow it with hooks to the liver or chin... So that could be an upset win for Roy.

[Boxing Writer]

Yes, I think RJJ would outbox Tua in Chris Byrd's style, but had Tua landed the puch he landed on Byrd at the end of 11th round, Jones would have been knocked out cold. Byrd had much better chin.

[DrDuke]

Tyson and Holyfield were washed up, Roy would have decisioned them with pretty high probability. Being in prime they were better, of course, but not that time.

Toney and Byrd would have been outboxed most likely, but in close tactical bouts. Tua could have been outboxed in a more convincing way, but, on the other hand, he had a much higher probability to knock Roy out. Against Rahman Jones also had real chances.

Lewis, both Klitschkos and Sanders would have knocked Roy out.

[Boxing Writer]

I think Lewis, both Klitschkos and Corrie Sanders would KO RJJ. Lewis and Klitschko were too big. Lewis and Wlad had great fundamentals, Vitali had very unorthodox style. I can't see RJJ circling around the ring against them without getting hit for 12 rounds. He could outbox Sanders had he survived first 4-5 rounds, but most likely Sanders would put him to sleep with his big and very fast left hand. I can see RJJ outboxing washed up Holyfield, but if Holyfield was able to land the same punches he landed in the first 3 rounds against Toney, Jones would be KO'ed. I think that from the higher part of this list RJJ could have outboxed Byrd in a very close fight (because of his superior speed), and I think he would beat badly faded Mike Tyson. He would just need to run for the first 3 rounds and Tyson would get tired badly.

[BoxBuzz]

Pitted at HW.....Jones would not fare well against Toney.........

[Kalan]

Pitted at HW.....Jones would not fare well against Toney...

He would.... He was solid as a rock versus Ruiz and much more active.... Toney was Flab City .... like he was for Roy.

[BoxBuzz]

Pitted at HW.....Jones would not fare well against Toney...

He would.... He was solid as a rock versus Ruiz and much more active.... Toney was Flab City .... like he was for Roy.

No you misunderstood me, cuz I know you would never doubt my wisdom. I said Jones would not fare well against Toney at HW. And I meant it, which means you need to write it down, cuz if I said it.....you can take it to the bank, cash the check and buy yourself a nice Mercedes.

Capiche?

[HomicideHenry]

He'd of went nowhere. He knew it, and so did everyone else. That's why he never fought Byrd. That's why he dodged the Holyfield challenge. That's why he outpriced himself when Tyson was offered ($100 million). And that's why he went back to 175 pounds. He knew his limitations.

[Caractacus]

Corrie"The Sniper" Sanders would have "creamed" him IMOP

[BoxBuzz]

He'd of went nowhere. He knew it, and so did everyone else. That's why he never fought Byrd. That's why he dodged the Holyfield challenge. That's why he outpriced himself when Tyson was offered ($100 million). And that's why he went back to 175 pounds. He knew his limitations.

Byrd was lookin' forward to it as I understand, and Roy let him down. Roy missed his chance to put a real imprint in the HW division. He fought one fight....on the other hand...Toney campaigned in that division with a lot of surprising success including a win over Holyfield.......but that probably had to do with near heart failure, or Holy was too skinny, or the fact that the fan man did not show up. We will likely soon learn the reason for that outcome when special K chimes back in.