Roy Jones Jr. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Debates regarding the greatest boxer of all time often start with names like Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Muhammad Ali (with respect to other timeless legends worth including), though in consideration to weighing this on the term “pound-for-pound,” how could anyone leave out Roy Jones Jr. in such discussions?
“First guy ever to turn pro at 154 pounds and become a heavyweight champion, and y’all don’t call him pound-for-pound the best,” Jones Jr. pondered in front of me at his gym.
Even so, the Pensacola, Fla. native is still inarguably recognized as one of the most unique and talented athletes in the sport’s history, showcasing an inimitable skill set and drive that led him to an admittedly unrivaled slew of accomplishments. With the ultimate combination of confidence, speed, power, and reflexes, Jones Jr. quickly set himself apart as an elite competitor and skyrocketed to the throne of boxing, by way of a creative display previously unknown to the sweet science.
“A guy that covered more pounds than any other fighter in the history of the game and became world champion,” Jones Jr. continued, talking to RG reporter. “And y’all tell me he’s not pound-for-pound the best… How?”
Dominating Across Divisions
Four years into his professional career, Jones Jr. won his first world title at 160 pounds by defeating one of the greatest middleweights of all time, Bernard Hopkins, even despite fighting with a broken hand. Soon thereafter, he moved up to super middleweight (168 lbs.) to then knock off an undefeated and often avoided James Toney in what is still discussed as one of the most dominant and skillful boxing performances ever witnessed.
Most will argue Jones Jr. truly entered his prime in 1997 as he went on to rematch and finish Montell Griffin in less than three minutes, following a DQ in their first bout that tarnished his coveted zero, to solidify his spot as the light heavyweight (175 lbs.) king and cruise into the most iconic stretch of his career. The four-time light heavyweight champion was virtually untouchable between 1997 and 2003, winning 13 straight fights in the division, including seven knockouts, before yet again continuing to chase his goal of pound-for-pound immortality.
“God gave it to me that way,” Jones Jr. offered as the origin of his gifts. “Told me go be the best you can be, and that’s what I did. I shot for the stars. I had no ceiling.”
Risking everything to test his own limits, Jones Jr. would bulk up to 193 lbs. at the height of his career and clash with John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight title on March 1, 2003, in a unanimous decision victory that made him the first former middleweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1987 to capture the heavyweight crown. Of all the notable fighters to win championships across at least four weight divisions — Canelo Alvarez, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, Manny Pacquiao, etc. — only Jones Jr. successfully ventured to heavyweight.
Facing Father Time
When asked about the toughest stretch of his illustrious career, Jones Jr. quickly pointed to his light heavyweight return, which started with a majority decision win over Antonio Tarver in late 2003 to retain the IBO and The Ring titles, while also winning the WBC and vacant WBA unified titles. However, Tarver would win the sequel in May 2004 with a stunning second-round TKO, as well as the trilogy in October 2005 via unanimous decision.
This forced the then 35-year-old Jones Jr. to look in the mirror and reevaluate everything, burdened with facing one of the most haunting inevitables known to elite athletes.
Unable to stay away, Jones Jr. appeared in 23 professional bouts beyond the completion of his feud with Tarver — 19 of those bouts over the age of 40; 11 over the age of 45. He most recently fought MMA legend Anthony Pettis in 2023 at 54 years old, which makes him a rare breed of boxer able to say they competed across five different decades in a professional career.
While the body may change over time, the warrior spirit that bred unimaginable greatness never wilts. Both inside the ring and out of it — fighting, coaching, commentating, promoting, storytelling and more — Jones Jr. continues to do it all for the love of the game.
“It’s not about the money [from fighting],” Jones Jr. said. “It’s about mentality and giving back to what God gave me.”
