Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather are at the center of a heated exchange that has the boxing world buzzing. It all started when Jones made a strong statement on a podcast, and Mayweather didn’t hesitate to fire back. During an episode of All The Smoke Fight Podcast with Andre Ward, Roy Jones Jr. stated that a prime Sugar Ray Leonard would have beaten a prime Floyd Mayweather.
Roy Jones Sends a Strong Warning to Floyd Mayweather originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After a viral Instagram diss, two boxing legends turn a debate about greatness into a public feud.
Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather are at the center of a heated exchange that has the boxing world buzzing. What began as a debate over all-time greatness has spiraled into a public back-and-forth, leaving fans wondering if this could lead to something bigger than words. It all started when Jones made a strong statement on a podcast, and Mayweather didn’t hesitate to fire back.
During an episode of All The Smoke Fight Podcast with Andre Ward, Roy Jones Jr. stated that a prime Sugar Ray Leonard would have beaten a prime Floyd Mayweather.
Jones broke it down bluntly, saying:
‘People always say, Floyd would have beaten Sugar. No way—Floyd was never as tough or ruthless as Sugar. Sugar was a real dog, and folks don’t give him the credit he deserves.’
Floyd’s response was silent but sharp, delivered with his back turned while watching a big-screen TV replaying Roy Jones getting knocked out, in a clip shared by Boxing Kingdom in a viral video. Without saying a word, the undefeated icon let the highlight reel speak for him, sending a message that he didn’t appreciate the comparison.
Floyd Mayweather getting back at Roy Jones Jr today. Roy stated last week that Sugar Ray Leonard would have beaten Floyd. pic.twitter.com/e1bSTqxzR7
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) July 7, 2025
That response didn’t sit well with Jones, who addressed the situation on Ring Champs with Ak and Barak. When asked if there was bad blood, Jones fired back:
‘One thing I don’t like is that he don’t respect his elders, you disrespecting the greatest fighter of all time, but when you see me you going to have some respect… If you got a problem with my opinion, whoever, call my house, it ain’t changed.’
“If you want to get it… we can get it.” 💨
— RINGCHAMPS with Ak & Barak (@ringchamps) July 16, 2025
Roy Jones Jr. talks his back-and-forth with Floyd Mayweather and more on the newest episode of Ring Champs! pic.twitter.com/ZyrX07SVMZ
This isn’t the first time Jones has taken issue with Mayweather’s remarks about legends like Muhammad Ali. While Floyd has often spoken respectfully of Ali, he’s never declared him the GOAT—a stance that continues to draw criticism.
Could this escalating war of words lead to an exhibition bout between two icons? It’s unlikely but not impossible in today’s era of spectacle fights. One thing’s for sure—boxing fans are tuned in to see how far this rivalry goes.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
