Could Roy Jones Jr. Beat David Haye?
January 3rd, 2009
By Jason Kim: With the recent news that Roy Jones Jr. (52-5, 38 KOs) will be moving up to the heavyweight division if Joe Calzaghe doesn’t give him a rematch, it interesting to consider who Jones, 39, will decide on fighting if/when he does make his move back up to the heavyweight division. Jones will be turning 40 on January 16th, and doesn’t have a lot of time to waste in working his way up to a big fight like younger fighters. With his excellent talent, he probably doesn’t need to, either, because what can a big, crude, slower heavyweight teach Jones? probably not much, I’m afraid.
But Jones needs to seek out a big name fighter first of all, who better than former cruiserweight David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) as his first opponent. Though Haye has a fight lined up with Vitali Klitschko in June, it’s a fight that Haye will probably lose quickly in the 1st or 2nd round TKO. After a loss like that, Haye will be badly in need of a rebuilding fight, and with a chin that has a history of being weak, it would be smart for Haye to be matched selectively against weaker punchers in the heavyweight division rather than pushing him into another fight against a slugger like the Klitschko brothers.
Jones, even though he’s lost four out of his last seven fights, still is a big name in boxing and can bring in large audiences. Obviously, it would be a fight where most people would give Jones little chance to win because he’d be making a move up from the light heavyweight division to the heavyweight level, where he hasn’t fought since 2003.
However, Jones fought incredibly well the last time he fought as a heavyweight, beating WBA champion John Ruiz by a lopsided decision. Naturally, after five years Jones isn’t going to be as good as he was then as a heavyweight, but then again, it might not matter. Haye is a kind of a wild heavyweight, who takes a lot of chances by lunging in and throwing a lot of big home run punches.
Haye has poor stamina and when pressed hard, he sometimes tires out in the later stages of his fights. All Jones would have to do is stick around in the fight, make Haye miss and expend a lot of energy, and then go for the kill in the 8th or 9th rounds when Haye has nothing left.
Jones, 5’11”, would be giving up four inches in height over Haye, which sounds like a lot on paper. But when you consider that Haye, a heavily muscled fighter, doesn’t use his reach to beat fighters, then the size difference basically is meaningless.
If Haye is going to beat Jones, it’s going to be by knockout and knockout only. Haye probably doesn’t have the stamina to beat a fighter as good as Jones over the course of the fight, and would be looking to take him out as fast as possible.
Jones would then be ready to take over the fight after the 6th round, hitting Haye with fast combinations and avoiding Haye’s big, sloppy-looking right hands. At this point in the fight, Haye would likely be totally exhausted, fighting flat-footed and throwing mostly arm punches and hoping for the best. It won’t take much for Jones to knock him out, perhaps a few well aimed right hands and Haye will be finished.
Haye is a good fighter, but there’s really no comparison to his skills and that of Jones. That will ultimately be Haye’s downfall. Whereas he’s spent most of his career facing limited opposition in Europe, Jones has fought the best fighters in boxing for his entire career, fighters like James Toney, Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe. In Haye’s case, his weaker opposition has given him no preparation for a fight against someone like Jones, even though Roy is well past his prime. Even a faded fighter like Roy can beat someone that has never proven themselves against top echelon opponents.
Tags: 17 Responses to “Could Roy Jones Jr. Beat David Haye?”
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After Roy “Superman Jones” takes care of Lacy in July, this fight to happen sometime in early 2010. Jones mentioned, that his intention is to move to the heavyweight division after the Lacy fight because a rematch with Calzaghe is unlikely to happen at this moment but we all know nothing is set in stone in boxing. If Calzaghe does creep out of retirement like Mayweather and others; who mentioned that they were not coming out of retirement thus, was enjoying spending time with family and friends, I believe Jones will be at the top of the Calzaghe’s list because it makes busine$$ $en$e. Nevertheless, A Jones vs Haye match would be a great for Jones and Boxing fans in my opinion. RJJ fans would like to see Jones get another heavyweight win. Haye is currently ranked 9th and Jones already knocked off Ruiz who is ranked 10th(According to Ring Heavyweight Ratings-2009). A fight of this magnitude would be excellent for Jones’s resume and a jones win would be detrimental to Haye’s future.
This article is about something that will never happen. Then you start dreaming up some far-fetched story of haye losing to vitali in the 1st of 2nd round and then he would want to rebuild his career so he would fight jones and get knocked out. If half your article is going to be fiction whats the point of reading it?
Hey Lee i am an arrogant child.Sorry man,i just don’t know when i am going to grow up.And i’ve been trained by the 1000′s of boxing matches i have watched over the last 25 years.Boxing and football are my fav sports and i have the most respect for them because of the mental tuffness it takes for these men to put the gear on knowing they are more than likely gonna be hurt some way or another.And they love it.The amount of traing and work these guys put in is second to none in the world of sports in my opinion.As for my arrogant(which i dont mind being called)childish behavior?Anonymous called me a scrawny little runt.I have to say something dont i?I said anything about him personally.so i feel it was called for.My opinions may be a bit harsh but their truthful,honest and entertaining.
What makes me laugh here is the idea of 2008/09 Roy Jones throwing combinations and his superior stamina. Maybe 10 years ago this article would have held some legitimate ground but in his last fights Jones has looked sluggish, slow, gone are the 4-5 punch combo’s and against calzaghe he was holding on for the last 4-5 rounds!
Haye might be a loud mouth but i think that everyone on this website is letting that point overshadow which is obvious talent. Im not saying he’s gonna beat a Klitschko or a Arreola but until we see Haye tested against these bigger guys he cant be counted out!
I do agree man! Nice article.
1. “another fight against a slugger like the Klitschko brothers” Since when are Klitschkos sluggers? Exact opposite perhaps.
2. “Haye probably doesn’t have the stamina to beat a fighter as good as Jones over the course of the fight” I’m not saying that Haye does have a good stamina but common Roy Jones is almost 40. Against Calzaghe did not look as a marathon runner. Or did you build up your argument watching Jones from 95?
I agree with much of the above, this is a pointless article written to stir up everyone’s emotions (which it did), by someone who knows nothing about boxing.
Its funny how none of the so called writers on this website back up any of their arguments with fact. Its just pointless rhetoric and garbage which seems to have come out of a 5 year olds mouth.
Makes me chuckle though so at least its good for a laugh!!!
sorry i ment calzaghe would be unable to beat haye and who ever the joker below me is, why would joe give haye a shot when he has never thought at heightweigth and never will tit
please please please this is the worst thing i have read on here jones would be completly destroyed by haye, im welsh and i dont think haye will be able to beat the russia monsters just because of there shear size, but to say a week shot fight like jones would knock him out is a joke.
come on yanks, i know u dont rate the british but behave, calzaghe is a legend to me being welsh but even he would be able to beat haye due to the size and power advantage he holds.
Haye would jump at the chance 2 fight rjj at heavyweight in my opinion the fight wouldnt last 2 rounds with rjj getting knocked out in a fashion.would b a nice payday 4 haye while he waits 4 the klitschkos and would probly be as hard as the bonin fight.
Its claimed that in training Haye often does a sprint test with Adam Booth in which he sprints 100m in 15 seconds or under which is followed by a 30 second rest and this is done 100 times while his heart rate is monitored. According to Booth when he got to the 75 mark Haye’s heartrate wasn’t going hard enough for his liking so for the final 20 odd sprints the rest was only 15 seconds.
Now that may well be slightly exagerated on Haye and Booth’s part but if it is slightly true that is impressive athleticism for a heavyweight and I’d back Haye’s fitness to prevail against an overly bulked up Roy Jones who has not fought at heavy since 2003.
Against Calzaghe Jones threw next to nothing and spent a lot of time curled up on the ropes taking shots. Calzaghe is not well known for his power, could you imagine Jones doing the same against any Heavyweight out there and lasting 12 rounds?
‘Could Roy Jones Jr. Beat David Haye?’ in a word no!
What a stupid question to warrant an article, even in his prime he wouldn’t have much chance as he would be too small to KO Haye and one punch from Haye who is undoubtedly one of the hardest punchers in the heavies would knock Roy out flat.
Judging from his performance against Calzaghe it wouldn’t take long before Haye landed one on him either.
Roy just can’t get out of the way anymore.
Shut up adam u full of sh*t all ur comments mean nothing.Adam lieberman
Do they pay well for these articles? They shouldn’t. There is no point discussing this it isnt going to happen and shouldn’t. Holyfield and Jones need to leave now, and with their heads held high. Two truly great champions are clearly getting the wrong advice from somebody. Holyfield its the money, Jones I really don’t know.
You guys make it sound like it was some fantastic as* whoppin when Calzaghe took on the 39 year old Roy Jones.It was a boring dull fight.Granted Calzaghe won but boring which is the way he wins his fights.And i have no problem with Calzaghe,he is a true champion.I don’t have one bit of respect for David Haye,but i dont think that roy could beat Haye at any weight.He’s just to old.Although Roy has more power than Monte Barret and is much faster than Haye so im sure if Roy got a shot in on Haye the fight would be over.But Roy hasn’t been getting shots in on anybody lately.But on that note i do have to say that Roy’s Heavyweight debut was against a much better boxer than Haye took on and he also won.In my opinion they both suck.
Haye would drop him in under 4 rounds no doubt about that. Haye can punch hard, Calzaghe cant.
I have not idea why Calzaghe doesn’t take the money and end Roy’s career. If he doesn’t, someone else will.