Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather Jr.are two boxing legends who have left an indelible mark on the sport. Both are widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighters of their respective eras, sparking endless debates about who truly deserves the title of “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT).
Mayweather, with his perfect 50-0 record, is considered by many to be the greatest pound-for-pound boxer in history. His impenetrable defense and ability to control the pace of a fight made him a unique spectacle. Additionally, his career was marked by extraordinary commercial success, with four of the five highest-grossing pay-per-view events in boxing history.
However, Roy Jones Jr., an undisputed champion across four weight classes, holds a different opinion. In an interview with Real Lyfe Productions, when asked if he considered Mayweather the GOAT, Jones Jr. gave a simple but emphatic response: “No.”
Criticism of Mayweather’s career
Jones Jr. explained that while he respects Mayweather’s undefeated record, he believes other boxers have had more impressive careers. “You got to respect anything a person does to stay undefeated that long. I respect it to a degree, yeah. Is it a 50-0 that I think he’s the greatest fighter of all time? Nah. [Julio César] Chávez went 80-0 at one point. 80. You gonna ever top that? No. He just didn’t stop. [Floyd] got to 50-0 and stopped because of Rocky Marciano. Rocky died. If he wouldn’t have died, he probably would’ve kept going too,” Jones Jr. noted.
Roy Jones Jr. looks on during the Chris Eubank Jr v Liam Smith Media workout at The Trafford Centre on January 18, 2023 in Manchester, England.
Jones Jr. on Conor McGregor as Mayweather’s final opponent
Jones Jr. also criticized Mayweather’s choice of Conor McGregor as his final opponent. “And then, at the end, you fight a guy who’s 0-0. How can I respect that? Conor McGregor was 0-0 and they let you do that? So what pisses me off is I’ve had fights that I’ve tried to promote in Vegas at that time with that same commission. They wouldn’t let a 13-5 guy fight with a 13-0 guy, but you would let an 0-0 fight a 49-0? That shows you that it’s all about the money.”
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The ongoing debate
While both Mayweather and Jones Jr. are undisputed legends, their contrasting perspectives highlight the complexities of determining the GOAT in boxing. Mayweather’s perfect record and commercial dominance contrast with Jones Jr.’s admiration for fighters like Chávez, whose sheer volume of victories remains unparalleled.
In the end, the debate over who is the GOAT will likely continue, fueled by the unique accomplishments and philosophies of these two icons of the sport.
