Is this a Hall of Fame Career?

Question

Prime Years of a boxer are usually 25-32. During those Years Roy Jones fought guys like:

Danny Garcia,James Toney,Merqui Sosa,Lou Del Valle, Julio Cesar Gonzalez, Derrick Harmon,Eric Harding,Eric Lucas,Mike McCallum,Bryant Brannon,Virgil Hill, Otis Grant,David Telesco and Montell Griffin who he went 1-1 with.

Once Jones turned 33 he beat Glen Kelly,Clinton Woods and John Ruiz.

But lost to Glen Johnson and went 1 for 3 vs Antonio Tarver

He also Beat Trinidad but only by decision even though Trinidad a 3 year layoff.

He also beat Hopkins early in there careers but refused a rematch many times in Hopkins prime, Calzaghe and Trinidad also claims Jones avoided them during there prime.

What do you consider a hall of famer by skill or his competion?

And if is a Hall of Famer. He should be in peoples consideration for the greatest right?

Answer 1

He was top of the pound for pound lists for nearly the whole of the 90s, he was undefeated until Tarver and Johnson (apart from DQ against Griffin) undisputed a lot of that time and a four weight world champ that is enough to put him in the hall of fame on its own. I heard rumours of Roy ducking this person and Roy ducking another person all the way through his career but what i would say is that Roy had the top spot and everybody wanted it, i remember at one point in the UK we had Calzaghe, Benn, Collins and Eubank all claiming that Jones was ducking them well that's OK for them to claim this but Roy cant fight everybody who wanted his crown unless he started having fights every other week, he was a phenomenon and one of the best boxers i have ever seen in the ring, whatever happens now from this point in Jones career he will still go down as one of the greatest ever to lace em up, you don't move from Middleweight to Heavyweight winning World titles and be remembered as average, i cant imagine what Jones Jr has done ever being achieved again. Definite Hall of famer and one of the best ever.

Answer 2

Yes it is. I watched Roy in his "prime". It is not his fault he was that much better than his competition. And to some Roy at his best is the best. Roy is in my opinion the best middleweight. H e got knocked out because he was to small to fight decent heavyweights.

Answer 3

i agree with blowbyblow here, roy has achieved enough in his career he stood head and shoulders above the rest, if guys like calzaghe and nigel benn really wanted the title they should have come to the US and challenged him instead of staying in the uk and playing with a worthless wbo or ibo title.

Answer 4

I agree with you that he should not be considered the greatest. he is one of the greats during his era but he did play it easy with some of his competition after his friend a fellow boxer was injured in the ring. Jones has made no secret about his fear of developing puglist dementia, but will not admit that he took easier fights because of his fear. I do feel that relied a great deal on his agility and speed and  not so much on his skill. that is the reason why when he fought tarver he was outboxed more than physically dominated.

Jones did avoid calzaghe a few years back and he also avoided tarver as long as he could and darius Machevesky, the light heavyweight champ before jones took his place. being the champ he should have gone oversees and dominated the UK fighters and not pick easily ranked american fighters

there is no doubt that jones is a hall of famer, but kind of like tyson his star will not shine as bright as it could have

Answer 5

Let,s look at your list you left out some details and I will fill in the blanks because I know you did not leave out this info on purpose. First thing I think that Roy Jones Jr. is the best fighter who has ever lived. Jones shut out James Tony in their fight and remember James Tony beat Evander Holyfield by KO and Tony was undefeated and a world champion at the time not and easy task.. Eric Harding was a very dangerous fighter he could beat any one on any given day Mike McCallum The Body Snatcher was a great world champion  Jones KOed Virgil Hill with a single body shot and Vergil hill was a world champion at the time know one knocks out a world champion with a single body shot. He moved up to heavy weight and totally out classed a very difficult fighter in John Ruiz he also KO a hall of Farmer in Felix Trinidad he also knocked out Vinny Paz and did you see the left hook he hit the Paz man with both of Jones feet came off the ground when he KO the Paz man  Your right he did beat Hopkins in a unanimous decision one of the best boxers of all times No I don,t think Roy Jones should be in the Hall of fame I think they should build him his own wing at the Hall Of Fame