Roy Jones Jr. would be many boxing fans’ pick for the greatest fighter of all time, while others would argue Muhammad Ali has that title.
As Ali is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, and Jones Jr. is a four-weight division champion, the pair both have had incredible careers.
Former ‘Fighter of the Decade’ Ali retired with a professional record of 56-5, while ‘Knockout of the Year’ winner Jones Jr. had a 66-10 record.
As two very different fighters, fans may have problems comparing Ali and Jones Jr. However, the multi-division champion has had his say.
Roy Jones Jr. on why Muhammad Ali is the greatest fighter of all time
When it comes to saying who the greatest fighter of all time is, Jones Jr. has no hesitation in his answer.
Giving the title to Ali, Jones Jr. explained in a podcast with Ring Champs why he wouldn’t put himself above the heavyweight legend.
Speaking on Ali, Jones Jr. said, “He’s going to be the greatest, forever, in my life.”
The fighter added, “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be here boxing myself. He’s going to always be the greatest, to me.”
Jones Jr. said that ‘he might do some things better’ in terms of boxing ability, but he learned his foundation from Ali, and that he will put ‘The Greatest’ above him due to that.
Jones Jr. finished by saying, “Muhammad Ali will still be number one for me. That’s why I look up to him.”
Teddy Atlas snubs both Muhammad Ali and Roy Jones Jr. as the greatest boxer of all time
Although the likes of Tony Bellew believe that Jones Jr. is the greatest fighter of all time, legendary coach Teddy Atlas does not agree.
Atlas did not even include Jones Jr. in his top 10 boxers ever when discussing the topic on his YouTube channel.
Ali was also not the top choice for the former Mike Tyson coach, being given the number four spot.
In the opinion of Atlas, Henry Armstrong is the greatest boxer of all time. Retiring in 1945, the American fighter had a professional record of 149-21-10, and was a former three-division world champion.