Roy Jones Jr believes himself and Mike Tyson would “probably” have had the better of World Heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in their primes.
Tyson, 54, reigned as undisputed Heavyweight World champion, having become the youngest ever Heavyweight titlist with victory over Trevor Berbick in 1986, whilst Jones Jr, 51, won the WBA Heavyweight championship beating John Ruiz in 2003, having reigned in three divisions previous.
And the Pensacola great believes himself and ‘Iron Mike’ would have proved too skilful for unified Heavyweight champion Joshua and WBC titlist Fury.
“It would be hard for us to last 12 rounds with any of those guys,” Jones Jr told Sky Sports News.
“They are skilled fighters, not bad boxers. They are not as skilled as we were but they are in their primes, and we are not.
“In our primes? We would probably have beaten them. You can never say, but I think we would probably have beaten them.
“They are good fighters, well-respected fighters, and my hat is off to them because they are at the top.”
Joshua and Fury had a chance meeting in Marbella with a two-fight deal already in place for 2021, providing both men come through their next assignments in Deontay Wilder and Kubrat Pulev respectively, although other mandatories are also to come before any meeting.
And Jones Jr, who had standout victories over fellow greats Bernard Hopkins and James Toney during an illustrious career says he would have had no issue meeting Wilder and Fury in the centre of the ring.
Asked how he would have approached fighting the Heavyweight trio, Jones added: “Joshua? I would have boxed, moved around and made him move his feet to punch.
“[Fury and Deontay Wilder]? I would stay close to. Just like Tyson does – I would have stayed on their chest all night.
“Joshua is the only one I would box on the outside because he isn’t as tall as they are.
“I would have boxed him on the outside, but the other two I would box on the inside.”
