Roy Jones Jr. is doing a splendid job ruining his reputation

[Awsi Dooger]

He was knocked out again Saturday night, a devastating overhand right in the 9th round by huge underdog and virtual unknown Glen Johnson, the IBF light heavyweight champion. Jones was on his back for nearly four minutes after the knockout, barely moving, then left the Memphis arena in an ambulance. The punch was much more impressive than Antonio Tarver's flash left that took out Jones in May.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2004-09-26-johnson-jones_x.htm

Unreal. One minor knockdown in Jones' entire career up to age 35 then two straight knockouts. The naysayers will have no trouble dismissing Jones' greatness, which is outrageous ignorance IMO. I already heard some of it on the radio talk shows tonight. In his prime, Jones toyed with James Toney and easily defeated Bernard Hopkins, who has been brutally invincible ever since including last week's KO of Oscar DeLaHoya..

Johnson was dictating the fight until the knockout, outworking Jones and keeping him on the ropes. The punches thrown were huge in Johnson's favor, something like 430 to 270.

No way Jones fights Tarver again. This sets up Tarver vs. Johnson for a light heavy unification. Maybe Jones can take on Mike Tyson in a washed up bowl.

[Blue-Jay]

1. He ruined his rep

when he bragged about raising fighting cocks.

He's the most innovative boxer I've ever seen, but cock-fighting is sick and disgusting.

[GOPisEvil]

2. The end sure came quickly.

In his prime he was damn-near untouchable.

His skills seem to have eroded in an awful hurry. I didn't even know he was fighting last night. I think that speaks volumes about how his name has fallen. In the past, I'd be upset I didn't get the chance to see him.

[underpants]

3. True I didn't know either

I am not much of a fight fan but I would go out of my way to see Roy Jones Jr. fight -back in his prime-truly amazing.
but then such is the state of boxing.

[bo44]

4. Minus his youthful speed and agility his greatest weakness has been

exposed. His ability to jab and dance away from his opponents kept him a champion for years. I don't think he should have ever been considered a great fighter. Being able to run and hide from the power of your foe and win makes you a good fighter. But greatness as a fighter is determined by his/her performance in championship wars. The little cockfighter ran and hid behind his skill instead of using it to make a definitive statement in the ring with it. He has lost the edge his speed and quickness gave him to run and hide. Now he has shown he has neither the heart nor the chin to withstand the power of his opponents and make a stand for his self annointed greatness.

[Awsi Dooger]

8. Jones became much more cautious in his later years

Keep in mind Roy Jones was always fighting bigger men. He was a natural super middleweight who fought almost his entire career at light heavy after disposing of James Toney in late '94. There was no competition in that weight class otherwise. Jones was an aggressive offensive fighter with both hands early in his career but never liked mixing it up or getting hit. Against bigger men and with his speed declining he became overly dance happy and threw far fewer punches the last three years.

A decade or more earlier and Jones no doubt would have remained at super middleweight, or even middleweight, to fight the legendary likes of Hagler, Leonard, Hearns and an aged Duran. I always believed he would outclass and dispose of all of them, but this chin problem suddenly makes me re-evaluate.

Still, fighters are rightfully judged based on their prime. Jones never came close to losing a fight in the ring as a professional until age 35.

[Baclava]

5. Well, that's it for Roy

Just like when Tyson lost to Douglas and never beat anybody worth a shit again.

Once the "mystique" is gone, these guys are never the same.

It's a shame, too......Roy was my favorite fighter.

[AngryAmish]

6. RJJ is the best athlete of my generation

However, he committed the ultimate sin in sports, he got old and did not compensate.

I am not one to say guys should retire just because of a few losses. For example, Oscar De La Hoya should not retire just because he got beat by Hopkins. But, Roy, I love you, but time to go.

[Awsi Dooger]

7. Agreed, obscene he didn't make the Top 100 Athletes of 20th Century list

I was more stunned by that omission that perhaps anything since I was old enough to follow sports. Jones turned pro in late '88 or early '89 so more than a decade of his work could be considered.

Jones' image problem has always been he won so easily in his prime it made the opponents look less than they were. He was never vulnerable enough to endure the highs and lows in a fight that made Leonard and Hearns and Hagler and others so legendary.