oliverfennell wrote:Yes, he did do more than those you mentioned, but the fact remains that he lost convincingly at world level, regardless of what belts were or were not at stake.
Should he have had another chance a la Takaloo, Lockett et al? Maybe, maybe not. But the point is, he DID get an opportunity at the next level, and he lost.
No shame in that, and I too was a big fan of his, but perpetrating the myth about him being an avoided/denied world-beater is inaccurate. If it was true, he would have delivered on at least one of his THREE trips to world class (and no, I don't consider Shannan Taylor world class).
1) Glad you agree he did more that the others.
2) Martinez counts as 1 trip - its the opponent. Mosley lost twice to 1 man in Forrest.
3) Howard Eastman fight is no disgrace but a more active RW would have performed better even though he performed well.
All I will say is that there was too much inactivity that was not of RWs doing.
Shannon Taylor was considered World Class when he fought a PRIME Mosley 6 months earlier when he was something like 30-0.
Shannon Taylor was good enough to last 12 with Abrahams years later.
Richard stopped him in 4.
If you are World Class in June then you are World Class in December, imo.
And then to last the distance on a World Title fight years later against Abrahams shows Shannon Taylor had/has class.
Abrahams beat Howard Eastman and destroyed Miranda the other day.
None of the other Light Middles has a Taylor type win on their record OR had courage to fight Eastman.
And when up at Middle Wayne and Lockett swerved Eastman for the British -Commomwealth and European belts..why?
SO he would vacate and they would have an easy ride to the belts.
RW said yes to HE for the British!
Yes, Big Fan of RW myself but all bias aside.. he was smoooth!
Oh please if you want a debate on semantics find someone else. If you want to deal with facts take the blue bill and come and see me outside the Matrix.
