What Did Jones Really Accomplish?

Who knew that a victory over John Ruiz meant that much? It's amazing, Roy Jones toys with 'the Quiet Man' for 12 rounds this past weekend and all of a sudden he's thought of as a superior fighter than guys like Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Roberto Duran. Folks, it's Johnny Frickin' Ruiz!!! Let's keep this in perspective, this wasn't Archie Moore challenging Rocky Marciano, or Bob Foster taking on the likes of Ali or Joe Frazier or even Michael Spinks facing Larry Holmes. This in fact, is closer to Spinks' blowout of Stefan Tangstad, than anything else. Yes, it was impressive that Jones would move up and take on a much bigger man- but don't forget this key element- he also took on someone much worse. The disparity in size wasn't nearly as great as the disparity in skill. Remember, boxing is a skill sport( which Jones can put on layaway because he has so much of it), not a sport predicated on strength and bulk. The latter two only comes into it when the skills are about equal. Here, it wasn't even close. Again, it was a masterful display by Jones, it did cement his status as the games best pound-for-pound performer. But what irks me is that many in the media are talking as if Jones is the only light heavyweight to win a portion of the heavyweight title. Spinks, did it against the recognized champion in Holmes in 1985, and Michael Moorer held the WBO light heavyweight crown in the early 90's before capturing two heavyweight titles. And Ezzard Charles is considered by many to be the best light heavyweight that ever lived and he captured the heavyweight crown. And they didn't have the luxury of facing a John Ruiz. You gotta give Jones this, alongside Robert Fitzsimmons he becomes only the second man in the history of the game to win a middleweight championship and then a heavyweight title. Fitzsimmons, would knockout 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett in 14 rounds in 1897 for the heavyweight title. Now, I know it's impossible to compare era's- especially in boxing- but Corbett was considered the sports top heavyweight. As were Holmes, Ali and Joe Louis( when he took on Billy Conn in 1941 and 46) when they were challenged by smaller fighters. Ruiz, at best was considered a top 10 heavyweight in what can be called one of the worst era's in heavyweight history. The biggest indictment of Ruiz as a champion was that he was listed as an underdog to a fighter moving up from light heavyweight. That's all you needed to know beforehand. They say that a good big man always beats a good small man. But Jones proved that an exceptional small man can easily handle a mediocre big man. Jones took a very calculated risk in facing Ruiz. He knew that Ruiz was a plodder with limited skills- in any other era, he is journeyman. If you don't think so, ask yourself this: Does he beat guys like Jimmy Ellis, Jerry Quarry, Earnie Shavers, Michael Dokes, Tim Witherspoon or Jimmy Young, Oscar Bonovena and George Chuvalo? I don't think so. As good a fighter as Jones is- and he is very, very good, perhaps great- he is a better manager. Think about it, he has gotten himself a deal with HBO that has allowed him to basically pick and choose easy targets for $4-5 million a pop and then for this pay-per-view event he got himself a guaranteed $10 million plus 60-percent of anything above that, while Ruiz's purse was dependent on how well the fight did at the gate and on pay-per-view. That's what I call great managing. And now, he has put himself in a position where he can take on the likes of Evander Holyfied and perhaps even a Mike Tyson for huge money against fighters who aren't that big and have been declining in skills for years. 'Doc' Kearns or Shelly Finkel couldn't have mapped this out any better. No, I'm not saying that he should be expected to face the likes of Lennox Lewis, the Klitschko's or even a David Tua- that wouldn't be fair to Jones. But what I am saying is that we have to keep this victory in perspective. Jones beat one of the most maligned heavyweights in the history of the sport, a guy that isn't considered a very good fighter in his own era. And in doing so, picked up one of the title belts that he cherises. Which brings me to this point, HBO, which carried this bout on it's pay-per-view arm, has for years leading into Jones-Ruiz, had made it one of their traditions to devalue the importance of these alphabet titles and also questioning the merit of Ruiz as a so-called champion. Now, all of a sudden, Jones is given credit for beating this guy? I don't get it.