FLOYD MAYWEATHER, JR. CAN’T MATCH UP TO ROY JONES, JR.

Roy Jones Jr: Don’t Compare Him To Floyd Mayweather!

Being a huge Roy Jones fan, I often hear his great career being compared to Floyd Mayweather’s. I do agree there are a few similarities between both superstars. While both had superior talent, world class hand speed, and barely lost a round, the comparisons end there.

Floyd Mayweather has often been criticized for not unifying belts and continually moving up in weight and avoiding big fights. While dominating at Super Featherweight, Floyd beat opponents such as Jesus Chavez, Carlos Hernandez, and {a much drained} Diego Corrales. While those are all impressive victories, Floyd took it too far with his trash talking and referring to himself as the king. Floyd however avoided the biggest fight of that time which would have been with Shane Mosley at 135 pounds.

To Floyd’s credit, he moved up, first defeating the always entertaining Emanuel Augustus. He also won two close controversial decisions over Jose Luis Castillo, capturing the WBC Lightweight Title. After the two close calls over Castillo, Floyd became very selective with his opponents. He fought twice more at 135, defending his title against Victoriano Sosa and Phillip N’dou. Neither boxer has been in a title fight since.

After The N’dou victory, Floyd once again moved up without unifying a title. Floyd was at Super lightweight. Floyd’s first fight was against a “stepping stone” opponent Demarcus Corley. He easily achieved a unanimous decision. Next, the “pound for pound” King fought unknown Henry Bruseles, stopping him in the eighth round in what was a total mismatch. Many fans were shocked HBO took this opponent for their star fighter.

Next up for Floyd was the biggest fight of his career. Floyd was matched against fan favorite warrior Arturo “Thunder” Gatti for Gatti’s WBC Super Lightweight Title in June of 2005. This was Floyd’s first Pay-Per-View fight, and he took advantage of it. Floyd completely dominated Gatti, forcing his corner to throw in the towel following the sixth round. Mayweather won a title in his fourth different weight class.

After dominating Gatti, fans began to recognize that Mayweather was now the pound for pound king. Mayweather once again decided to move up before even defending his title even once! Floyd avoided fighting other champions such as Vivian Harris who publicly called out Floyd during the Gatti press conference, never to receive even recognition from Mayweather.

Now fighting at 147, Floyd fought a very over the hill and overweight Sharmba Mitchell. Floyd stopped Sharmba Mitchell in the sixth round in November 2005. He now had hopes of facing undisputed champion Zab Judah and perhaps capturing multiple belts with a victory. This super fight was in ruins after Judah was upset in a tune up fight by unheralded Argentinean Carlos Baldomir. Floyd was now in a tough position. Instead of fighting Baldomir or WBO Champion Antonio Margarito {who could have earned Floyd $8 million dollars plus pay per view revenue} Floyd decided to fight the title less Zab Judah. This fight made fans curious as nothing was on the line for this PPV fight. In a fight sparked by a melee in the tenth round, Floyd won an easy unanimous decision in April 2006.

Floyd now had the option of earning his respect and fighting Margarito {who viciously called Floyd out on numerous occasions} or Carlos Baldomir who retained his title after stopping Arturo Gatti. Floyd decided to take on Baldomir. Although criticized for dodging Margarito, Floyd ignored both contracts and a higher salary and went on to dominate Baldomir on November fourth to win the WBC Welterweight Title.

After the fight, a teary Floyd Mayweather announced he would only have one more fight before retiring. Floyd will fight Oscar De la hoya {at 154}. Although it will be a great fight, De La Hoya is past his prime, and Mayweather avoided fighting him earlier. Floyd may forever be remembered for not unifying titles, dodging top fighters, and not having a career defining victory.

Roy Jones Jr on the other hand beat some of boxing’s all time greats. Roy Jones captured his first title in 1992 by beating the legendary Bernard Hopkins by unanimous decision. With this victory, Roy won the IBF Middleweight Title. Roy went on to defeat former world champions Thulani Malinga and Thomas Tate. With little competition, Roy moved up to 168. Unlike Floyd, Roy did not settle for tune up fights. Roy immediately faced the undefeated James “Lights Out” Toney.

In what was a trash talking war, fueled mostly by Toney, Jones dominated and erased questions about his fast step up by earning a unanimous decision in November 1994. Jones now owned the IBF Super Middleweight Title. Jones defended his title 5 times with his best victory coming against super star Vinny Pazienza in an entertaining fight in June 1995. For the second time in his career, Roy moved up to defeat a hall-of-famer in Mike McCallum in November 1996. With this victory, Roy captured the WBC Light Heavyweight Title.

In his next fight, in March 1997 the undefeated Jones was given a tough time before dropping James Toney conqueror Montell Griffin twice. Unfortunately, Jones hit Griffin after he had knocked him down and was disqualified. Roy was upset about this DQ and in his next fight had another career defining victory by erasing all questions and knocking out Griffin in the first round in August 1997.

There was now no question about Jones’ status as elite pound for pound fighter.

After defeating Griffin, Roy Jones knocked out Superstar Virgil Hill in April 1998 in what was Ring Magazine’s Knock Out Of The Year. Coming into the bout, Hill had 20 defenses of the WBA title. Despite being dropped for the first time in his career in July 1998, Jones next defeated Lou Devalle and held both the WBA and WBC Title. After two more title defenses, Roy won another title by totally dominating Reggie Johnson for his IBF Title in June 1999.

Roy held 3 of the 4 Major titles and defended them seven times, including a victory over Dariusz Michalczweski Conqueror Julio Gonzalez in July 2001. Roy was also the Ring Magazine World Champion. Jones became bored with the division and fed up with Michalczweski’s refusal to fight him in the United States.

Jones moved up to heavyweight in a move which many questioned. Jones was matched against WBA Champion John Ruiz in April 2003. Roy once again looked like the Pound for Pound king. Jones earned an easy unanimous decision and became the first former middleweight champion to win a heavyweight title in over 100 years. Before he could even defend his title, Former amateur rival and Light Heavyweight Champion Antonio Tarver called out Jones.

Jones decided to take a risk Mayweather did not. Roy dropped from heavyweight to light heavyweight, which made him obviously exhausted. He won a split decision over Tarver to once again become the undisputed light heavyweight champion in November 2003. Tarver felt he was robbed and Jones granted him a rematch.

Jones was a victim of a second round knockout and received his first real loss in May 2004. Many felt Jones was now past his prime. Roy wanted to prove the fans wrong. Roy was shockingly knocked out again by Glen Johnson in September 2004 sending questions of retirement. Jones was out of the ring for a year before having his third match with Tarver in October 2005 where he dropped a unanimous decision, although he did show some flashes of the old Roy.

Fans were now assured Roy was going to retire but were once again wrong. Jones returned in July to easily defeat Prince Badi Ajamu in what was honestly a tune up fight. Jones was scheduled to face Manny Siaca in December but the bout was called off due to contractual issues. Roy is now awaiting a possible title shot with Clinton Woods who believes he can avenge his knock out loss to Jones in 2003.

Roy Jones had career defining victories against John Ruiz, Antonio Tarver, Bernard Hopkins, James Toney, Mike Mccallum and Virgil Hill. Mayweather—although beating some good fighters—has neither taken the risks Jones did, nor has he had a career defining victory. Jones was twice the unified champ at Light Heavyweight, where Mayweather has never held all the belts at any weight class.

With potentially only one more fight left for Mayweather, I believe it’s ludicrous to compare him to Jones based on career accomplishments. Floyd will be fighting Oscar De La Hoya on May 5. Floyd is moving up in weight to challenge for Oscar’s WBC Super Welterweight title. This is by far the biggest stage Mayweather has ever been on. Tickets sold out in three hours and Pay Per View records are expected to be shattered in what has been dubbed as the biggest fight since Mike Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis.

Floyd would earn a lot of respect with a victory but Oscar is past his prime and Floyd is already a 2 to 1 favorite in Vegas. Oscar will have been out of the ring for a year by the time the fight takes place, and this will be only his second fight since his knockout loss to Bernard Hopkins on September 18, 2004. If this turns out to be Floyd’s last fight, even with a victory he would become a champion in a fifth weight class with out ever unifying!

While both are Pound for Pound kings and Future Hall of Famers, Jones had a more defined career with few questions left. Years from now, I am confident we will look at Jones and admire his accomplishments. Meanwhile, we will look at Mayweather and recognize his exceptional talent more than his quality of competition.