Is it because instead of facing the likes of David Benavidez, David Morrell Jr., or, for that matter, Terence Crawford, and rather taking on fighters like Edgar Berlanga, it often leads fans to wonder how the Mexican superstar would fare against some of the greats from the past? Canelo Alvarez has been a part of quite a few fantasy matchups. Now, the latest lineup seems to have roused everyone’s curiosity by miles. It involves a prime match between Roy Jones Jr. and Canelo Alvarez.

The premise appeared so attractive that many fans joined in sharing their viewpoints. So much so, that it even saw legendary announcer Michael Buffer joining the discussion. Returning to the present, Canelo Alvarez will step back into the ring next month, on September 14. He will defend his unified titles against Edgar Berlanga. As far as Jones Jr. is concerned, the legend still shows no signs of stopping. He fought Anthony Pettis last year in a professional eight-round bout. Consequently, rumors of a potential fight with Tommy Fury also emerged.

Roy Jones Jr. vs. Canelo Alvarez: And the winner is…

Boxing analyst Max Calendrillo had a simple question for everyone. “Roy Jones Vs. Canelo Alvarez Primes: Who Wins and How?🤔” He asked. “Over last half century, nobody beats prime 160-168 pound Roy Jones Jr! Nobody,” replied Michael Buffer. The ring announcer, who had enthralled fans over the years with his trademark, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” highlighted that in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions, not a single boxer could ever touch a prime Roy Jones Jr. “There was a 4-5 yr period where he probably never lost a round!” he added.

A brief review of one of the most splendid boxing careers in history might help in this regard. Beginning his professional career after the Seoul Olympics silver, the ‘Superman’ literally flew over five weight classes, winning championships one after another. Starting with the middleweight, he went up to the heavyweight. Nonetheless, it is unanimously agreed that he lorded over the middleweights for a significant few years. It was in these weight classes that he faced champions such as Bernard Hopkins and James Toney, both legends in their own terms.

Canelo Alvarez also moved through four divisions, from light middleweight to light heavyweight, before finally settling at 168 pounds. Perhaps, it could be the fighting style that might have been the biggest differentiator between Jones Jr. and Alvarez. The Mexican superstar has one of the strongest chins in boxing. But could he match it with the slick and swift hand speed of the ‘Superman’? Yes, Canelo Alvarez is deadly in pockets, but Jones Jr.’s unorthodox punching might have confused him.

Flawless and Indomitable

Understandably, to most fans, it would be a Roy Jones Jr. win if the two living legends ever fought. A few Canelo Alvarez fans tried to brave through. Let’s check what a few of the fans had to say about the hypothetical bout.

While certain that Roy Jones Jr. would dominate and outclass Canelo Alvarez, this fan nevertheless sounded skeptical about whether he would be able to score an early stoppage. “Roy in his prime smokes Canelo. I’m not sure if he finishes him, but he’ll take him to school,” the fan said.

Likewise, the next fan expressed confidence that Jones Jr. would decisively beat Alvarez. According to them, it would be an ever more commanding victory than the one Floyd Mayweather Jr. scored over Alvarez in 2013. They said, “Roy! Hands down! It would’ve be a worse a** whoopin than Floyd gave him.”

Going a bit technical, the following fan weighed in that Canelo Alvarez’s footwork is slower than James Toney’s. He cannot match the ‘Lights Out’s counter-punching expertise either. Given how Jones Jr. defeated Toney back in 1994 at ‘The Uncivil War’, the fan for ‘Superman’, it would be a walk in the park against Alvarez. “Roy wins comfortably, Canelo has slower feet and isn’t as good a counter puncher as Toney and we all saw how that played out,” the fan said.

One user decided to go against the tide. Though all for a Jones Jr. win, they acknowledged that Canelo Alvarez could potentially win. If the Mexican champion follows what former light heavyweight title holder Montell Griffin did in 1997, then he stands a good chance to stage an upset. The user said, “I would favor Roy, though would not be shocked if Alvarez pulled out the win, Alvarez can do things Griffin did but do them even better….”

The next follower confidently predicted Roy Jones Jr. winning a clear unanimous decision over Canelo Alvarez! “Prime Roy was untouchable…Roy by a clear UD,” they said.

As many experts used to say, in many ways, a prime Roy Jones Jr. was the finest example of a near-perfect boxer. He has thus far suffered ten losses, but unsurprisingly, unlike other boxers, they don’t seem to have marred his career. Rather, it only became an inspiring story given how he used to come back after every setback—stronger than ever.

Do you also agree with Michael Buffer and other fans on Roy Jones Jr.’s assured win over Canelo Alvarez?