Two of boxing’s all time greats in Roy Jones Jr and Floyd Mayweather haven’t exactly been shy about taking some shots at one another in the public eye, and when Jones recently sat down with Andre Ward to talk about their relationship and his thoughts on Floyd’s professional fighting resume, Jones gave some credit while still be largely dismissive to the fighters he’s beaten over his career.
“He fought a lot of great fighters but which great fighter did he fight in their prime that was on his level,
and Canelo wasn’t even in his prime yet?” Jones would rhetorically ask.
“Diego Corrales was going to prison (when he fought Floyd) and he wasn’t in his prime. Diego Corrales wasn’t that kind of fighter. No (Corrales wasn’t a dangerous opponent). Diego wasn’t dangerous like that. Diego was dangerous with the guy he had three fights with, they was evenly matched.
“Genaro Hernandez? Come on, man. Genaro was good for a Mexican fighter but Genaro was not on that level. You got to look at guys and see. I know you look at his record but you got to look at guys and see. I like Genaro but Genaro was actually at the end of his day too, then.
“I didn’t say he didn’t fight nobody good, I said on his level…he didn’t fight people on his level. Like when Berto fought him, was Berto still in his prime, was Berto at his best? Was Shane Mosley at his best? Was Oscar De La Hoya at his best? Did he even beat Oscar De La Hoya?
“(Ricky Hatton?!) What are we going to say about Ricky Hatton? Pacquiao did the same thing…Ricky Hatton, there’s a blueprint. You look at him, you know what he is. He’s simple…I’m not saying nothing against Ricky Hatton, Ricky Hatton will never beat a Floyd Mayweather.
“Did he fight Kostya Tszyu? Ok. Did he fight Paul Williams? All right. Did he fight Vernon Forrest?..I never said he wasn’t a great champion, I’m talking pound-for-pound, the GOAT. Kostya Tszyu stopped (Judah) in two rounds, took you all night to beat him.
“(Canelo), at 21 years old…he got what he asked for, too early.”
