5. ROY JONES JR KO 7 GLEN KELLY – 2002
One of the last performances of the one and only Roy Jones Jr at his magnificent best. Roy still possessed phenomenal speed, timing and reflexes at this stage of his career.
Roy was having his problems during the first half of this scheduled showdown.
However, Jones emphatically dispatched Glen Kelly with an audacious shot which was in typical Jones fashion.
Jones placed both hands behind his back and then leapt at Kelly with a dynamite straight right hand on the button rendering him unable to continue.
4. ROY JONES JR TKO 6 VINNY PAZIENZA – 1995
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FDpsJfXJw0
Roy Jones Jr had his reservations about taking this fight. It is common knowledge especially after Pazienza’s recent biopic movie ‘Bleed For This’ came out that he suffered a horrendous neck injury following a severe car crash.
It became clear during the early exchanges of the fight that Pazienza was badly out of his depth against an opponent of a different calibre and class.
Pazienza was rugged and game until the very end. But he was being badly beaten and he was absorbing a fusillade of blows which was coming from every angle like a wave.
The final combination came when a seemingly reluctant Roy resembled the image of a fighter who was bewildered as to why the fight was being able to continue.
Nevertheless, the man who was dubbed ‘Captain Hook’ on the count of his lethal, lightning-fast, left hook knockout blow unloaded a series of uppercuts which made the referee step in and mercifully wave off letting ‘Paz’ absorb any more punishment.
Roy shared that this was the fight where he felt he was at the peak of his powers.
3. ROY JONES JR KO 1 ART SERWANO – 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1SYo1qeHiY
There are knockouts and then there is removing a man from the consciousness of the earth. This brutal dispatching of Art Serwano falls under the category of the latter.
Roy’s ability was clearly evident and his record stood at 17-0 at this stage. But bad matchmaking and limited connections within the business left the Olympian fighting on small shows.
Nevertheless, the graphic way he absolutely bulldozed through poor Art Serwano inside of two minutes of action will continue to live in the memory for a long time.
Art Serwano’s face, when the camera zoomed in on his fallen carcass, told the story. It was almost as if his eyes were screaming ‘what on earth was that’. The answer? a flush shot on the chin from a prime Roy Jones will turn your lights out.
2. ROY JONES JR KO 1 MONTELL GRIFFIN (II) – 1997
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Goj-6yneb4
There was a lot of bad blood coming into this highly anticipated rematch. Jones was disqualified following their first meeting.
With the legendary Eddie Futch in his corner, the man who masterminded the first defeat of Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield’s professional careers had devised yet another solid game plan for Jones.
Griffin seemed to offset Jones with his awkwardness and Jones had problems finding his mark. Roy finally broke through in the ninth round and put Griffin on the canvas.
However, perhaps overeager and frustrated with the way the fight had gone so far, jumped the gun and hit Griffin again leading to the DQ defeat.
Griffin who was fading in that match-up said that post fight he was on course to claiming victory and Roy had no answers for him. Those comments did not go unheard and they silently lit a fire inside of Jones.
Jones unleashed that fire on Griffin while the echoing of the first bell was still fresh in everybody’s ears and it was all over inside of one round.
1. ROY JONES JR KO 4 VIRGIL HILL – 1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfJ32vKuCYQ
Possibly the most devastating body shot knockout of all time? It just makes you wince in agony every time you watch it.
The knockout was deemed the RING Magazine’s knockout of the year for 1998.
Roy was a 2-weight world champion by this stage, he boasted a record of 36-1. Roy had earned a reputation for being somewhat laid back and a fighter who did the bare minimum.
But Roy was a dangerous man when he wanted to go for the kill.
He proved as much in this fight as he cruelly stole the wind from Virgil Hill’s body with a left hook from hell in the fourth round. The hook left Hill withering on the canvas in agony.
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Muhammad Ali: Top five knockouts