BOXING
Roy Jones Jr reckons that he would have beaten both Beterbiev and Bivol
In a recent interview, the retired American four-weight champ says that he would have knocked out both Beterbiev and Bivol in his prime.
Roy Jones Jr. is one of those fighters whose name still echoes whenever boxing fans talk about the best to ever lace up gloves. The former four-division world champion was untouchable in his prime, especially at light heavyweight, and my gosh, doesn’t he just know it. Recently, Jones made a bold claim: he would have beaten today’s light heavyweight champions, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, if he had faced them at 175 pounds during his peak.
“Bivol, because of his boxing skills and his feet, would have been a difficult task. He’s not as easy to catch as people think he is because of his mobility and his legs,” Roy said in an interview with talkSport Boxing. But, in typical Roy Jones Jr. fashion, he followed up by saying he would have eventually gotten to Bivol. And not just Bivol. Roy believes he would have knocked out both Bivol and Beterbiev.
Now, let’s set the stage. Bivol, with a flawless 23-0 record and 12 KOs, is known for his mobility and ring IQ. He’s a slick boxer, relying on his footwork and sharp counterpunching. Beterbiev, on the other hand, is a wrecking ball. At 20-0, with every single win coming by knockout, he’s a force of nature who breaks down opponents with brutal power. These two stand atop the light heavyweight division, with a clash between them feeling inevitable at this point.
Roy Jones Jr., though, doesn’t seem impressed. He reckons that, in his prime, he could’ve handled both of them. But would he have?
If we’re honest, Roy’s argument has some cracks. While he was undoubtedly a great fighter, the style he relied on - potshotting and low punch volume - might not have fared so well against the likes of Bivol or Beterbiev. Roy’s approach was built on reflexes, hand speed, and timing, with a reliance on single shots rather than combinations. It worked against a lot of guys, but today’s top-tier light heavies, particularly someone like Bivol, are built to neutralize that style.
Bivol, with his slick footwork and ability to avoid punches, would have been a tough nut to crack. Jones himself admitted as much, saying it would have taken him longer to get to Bivol than Beterbiev. Bivol’s ability to control the pace and distance of a fight could have made things frustrating for Roy. But Roy still claims he’d have figured him out, eventually landing the shot to end it.
When it comes to Beterbiev, Jones says it would have been a quicker fight. “Artur would have come right into my front door,” he said, which makes sense given Beterbiev’s relentless pressure. But would Jones have been able to handle that power? Beterbiev doesn’t just punch hard - he breaks his opponents down, dragging them into deep waters before finishing them off. Jones was backed up plenty of times in his career, and against a powerhouse like Beterbiev, he might not have had the luxury of potshotting his way to safety.
In the end, it’s a fun thought experiment, but the reality is that boxing has evolved. Fighters like Bivol and Beterbiev aren’t just great athletes; they’re also highly skilled technicians who might have exploited the weaknesses in Jones’ game. His low punch output and tendency to clinch when backed up would have made him vulnerable against guys who thrive on work rate and pressure. Beterbiev, especially, would have been a nightmare for Roy on the inside.
It’s fun to imagine, but sometimes even legends need to accept that the sport moves on.