“FANTASY FOOD FOR THOUGHT” FIGHT
October 10th, 2009 By Kevin Perry
Los Angeles, CA- Former two-division (middleweight-160 lbs & light heavyweight-175) titleholder Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KOs) and former (nemisis) champion in four weight divisions Roy Jones Jr. (54-5, 40 KOs) have finally come to terms on a rematch set early next year. Many believe this unanticipated matchup comes about six, seven, maybe 10-12 years too late. Hopkins will be 45 when they hook it up. Jones, currently 40, a UD 12 winner of B-Hop in 1993 is a shell of the fighter he was when the two first met. He doesn’t have much to prove, but for some reason his ego (more likely greed) won’t let him back down from a challenge/payday. Under normal circumstances a 45 year old prizefighter would be a heavy underdog. Considering Jones’ diminished reflexes and old legs, Hopkins is the clear favorite. Fortunately for Bernard, but not necessarily the public, he gets the chance to extract revenge on the only man he believes clearly beat him.
AND THEN THERE WAS JAMES TONEY
In 1994 Roy moved up in weight and earned a unanimous decision in 12 over James” Lights Out” Toney (72-6, 44 KOs) to claim the IBF supermiddleweight (168) belt. A weight drained Toney then moved to light heavyweight after the embarrassing loss. Toney envisioned he would get a return match once Jones moved up to that division. Taking into account Jones’ questionable selection of opponents as light heavyweight champion, a return match with Toney would have been a bout that the public would have approved of. Why did it not happen?
Who would have won the rematch?
Kevin Perry
James Toney would have lost again to a prime Jones. Tony was beat by Montell Griffin, who Jones destroyed and Jones in his prime was simply to fast and talented. Toney would likely not have KO’d the premium version of Jones and that is the only way he could win.
The resurgance of Tony’s career happened when he beat Jirov at cruirerweight. Jones at that point had his sights set on a belt at heavyweight. Toney could have faced Roy again had he beaten Griffin. I thought Toney won both fights with Griffin, but would have easily lost to Jones in a rematch.
I respect the Hell out of JT, he is a GREAT fighter, he is an all time great, he is a Hall of Famer for sure… But Roy’s a style mismatch that his can’t overcome… It showed in their fight and I’ve seen nothing since then to suggest that a second pairing wouldn’t result in the exact same thing.
119-108,118-109 and 117-110
A fight that was supposed to settle the P4P debate, only to wind up a one sided massacre! RJJ was having his way so easily with James, he mimicked a move he saw from watching his fighting chickens and it worked on James… He knocked Toney down with it.
Weight was not what determined this outcome. Roy Jones JR. beats James Toney at any weight, at any time and IMO under pretty much any circumstance…
I agree with Jack Dunne in that a fast and busy fighter is the style to beat a skilled but economical puncher.
With that agreed upon, for some reason a Jones/Toney match is more appealing to me than the Jones/Hopkins match.
This line sums it up nicely: “Fortunately for Bernard, but not necessarily the public …”
I think RJJ would have beaten Toney in a rematch. I had always had a dislike for Toney ever since the fight against Dave Tiberi; this was also a black eye on boxing/judging as a whole. I did gain a little respect for him after the Jirov fight and a little more after the Holyfield fight.
RJJ/Toney will never fight.