Hypothetical Match-Up Game

[Goodnight, Irene]

Antuofermo by narrow decision. This'd be one of those difficult to score bouts, where five people might come out with surprisingly different cards.

Next up are a pair of men who achieved status in other divisions, but whom, for me, were never better than during their Halcyon days...their Lightweight days.

Mosley vs. Camacho Sr. Twelve rounds at 135...

[Counter-puncher]

Mosley vs. Camacho Sr. Twelve rounds at 135...

okay, i think Camacho does better and for longer here than people might expect. he can match (if not better) Mosley for speed and actually has better overall skills than Shane does, and the southpaw stance allows him to make a decent start; he frustrates Mosley giving him quick movement and amateur-style point scoring. as with all Camacho's fights post-Rosario, though, once Hector's taken the best punches of a strong opponent, he is put on the back foot and his mentality is too defensive to allow him to win rounds by letting his hands go. This is even after 8 rounds, but Mosley takes the last 4 rounds at a canter as many in the arena boo Camacho's unwillingness to engage.

Next up:

Marvin Johnson - Antonio Tarver at 175lbs

[NazNaci1]

Marvin Johnson - Antonio Tarver at 175lbs

I like Johnson, in this fight.

Although a peak Tarver had some ability, he would like to have boxed at range and tried to keep Johnson there. Tarver boxed best when he is allowed to dictate, as he was against Woods. Johnson was incapable of allowing anyone to do that.
Johnson was such a fearless and relentless fighter he would inevitably move forward, banging the body and firing crosses to the head.

With his tremendous fitness, he would have Tarver hanging on, clinching his way to the final bell.

Johnson UD.

Seeing as he is in the spotlight:

Flyod Mayweather Jnr (2009) vs Sugar Ray Robinson (1942) 12 Rounds - Welterweight

[hitman09]

Marvin Johnson - Antonio Tarver at 175lbs

I like Johnson, in this fight.

Although a peak Tarver had some ability, he would like to have boxed at range and tried to keep Johnson there. Tarver boxed best when he is allowed to dictate, as he was against Woods. Johnson was incapable of allowing anyone to do that.
Johnson was such a fearless and relentless fighter he would inevitably move forward, banging the body and firing crosses to the head.

With his tremendous fitness, he would have Tarver hanging on, clinching his way to the final bell.

Johnson UD.

Seeing as he is in the spotlight:

Flyod Mayweather Jnr (2009) vs Sugar Ray Robinson (1942) 12 Rounds - Welterweight

Robinson gets on top of Floyd early, pressurizing him and wearing him down before knocking him out in 8.

Chris John (now) vs Marco Antonio Barrera (prime)

[Goodnight, Irene]

Barrera buries John in the tenth with a trademark bodyhook, following a thumping along the ropes early in the round. Barrera takes six of the nine completed rounds during the fight, though, curiously, he dropped the first two. John looks as though he may be able to rise, but doesn't.

Barrera KO10 John.

He moves on to another FW showdown, over twelve rounds, with Azumah Nelson...

[My2Sense]

He moves on to another FW showdown, over twelve rounds, with Azumah Nelson...

Barrera uses his jab and boxing ability to hold off Nelson somewhat in the early rounds, but Nelson's aggression and harder, more precise punching bust up Barrera and stop him in around the 10th round.


Next up, another featherweight showdown:

Battling Battalino vs. Jorge Paez

[NazNaci1]

Battling Battalino vs. Jorge Paez

Paez, ever the showman, plays to the crowd, rolling, dipping and firing combos. Battalino is all business. Paez, with his back to the strands fires off some nice counters and even buckles Battalino at in Round 2 but Battalino posses the equaliser and in round 5, his left hook dumps Paez on the canvas.

Paez shows his heart to get up but is quickly put down again as the third man calls it.

Returning to the Featherweight theme:

Sandy Sadler vs Alexis Argeullo 15 rounds Featherweight

Willie Pep vs Salvador Sanchez 15 Rounds Featherweight

Manny Pacquia vs Kid Chocaolate 15 Rounds Featherweight

[Goodnight, Irene]

Chocolate & Pep win competitive decisions.

The classic is Saddler-Arguello. Saddler gets off the deck twice (once in the second, stunned early by Arguello's brutal power, & again in the seventh), to bully Arguello into a corner retirement around the eleventh. Afterwards, Arguello exhibits badly bruised hips to the press, claiming Saddler was the filthiest fighter he ever met. Saddler makes no apologies for, in his words, "doing what it takes" to win, tipping his hat to Arguello's punching power, saying he'd seldom been hit so hard, so accurately.

Haven't seen this one yet...

Twelve rounds at Middleweight --- Kelly Pavlik (2007) vs. Roberto Duran (1984)...

[hitman09]

Very difficult and interesting matchup that, I'd lean towards the much larger Pavlik stopping him in around 8 rounds.

Acelino Freitas vs Julio Cesar Chavez 12rds@LW

[Goodnight, Irene]

I was a big fan of Freitas around the time he decisioned Casamayor, but sometimes the gulf between two fighters is so great, you don't want to see a fighter you like test himself against such a foe.

This'd be that, & that'd be eight fiery, but largely one-sided, rounds preceeding a corner-stoppage. Freitas just couldn't take Chavez's heat. Chavez, at Lightweight, was an absolute beast.

Here's a close decision either way, for mine (I slightly favour Mayweather)...

Floyd Mayweather & Wilfred Benitez at Welterweight. Twelve or fifteen rounds, you can decide...

[Grimm]

I was a big fan of Freitas around the time he decisioned Casamayor, but sometimes the gulf between two fighters is so great, you don't want to see a fighter you like test himself against such a foe.

This'd be that, & that'd be eight fiery, but largely one-sided, rounds preceeding a corner-stoppage. Freitas just couldn't take Chavez's heat. Chavez, at Lightweight, was an absolute beast.

Here's a close decision either way, for mine (I slightly favour Mayweather)...

Floyd Mayweather & Wilfred Benitez at Welterweight. Twelve or fifteen rounds, you can decide...

Mayweather forced to come forward in this one.

Mayweather ends up feeling very uncomfortable and not able to land much loses in a boring MD.

Hector Camacho vs Manny Pacquiao at superfeatherweight.

[allworld80]

Camacho uses superior speed to nullify Pac's relentless attack, and takes a comfortable decision.

Billy Conn vs Winky Wright @ MW

[Goodnight, Irene]

Conn not at his best at this weight, but still an excellent fighter, decisions Wright. Speed kills, & Wright just can't get to grips with him effectively enough, 8-4, Conn.

What about this? It'd be competitive, & I haven't seen it before...

15 Rounds Of Heavyweight Boxing --- "Jersey" Joe Walcott (1947) vs. "Irish" Jerry Quarry (1969)...

[Robinson]

This is a good fight GI.

I see it being even early on, but Walcott slips and slides himself to a
good win late in the fight. He is able to counter well and works the
inside nicely.

Walcott gets the nod after 15.

Ken Norton (1974) vs Luis Firpo (1923) 15 rounds.

[Goodnight, Irene]

It's a dangerous fight throughout, perhaps with more than the odd hairy moment, but I fancy Norton's chances. I think he stops Firpo on a cut around the ninth-through-eleventh. Good battle --- Norton may be down early. He would certainly be at risk from Firpo's punch, which could be the equaliser in the end. Still, I like Norton.

Walcott returns to joust with one of Quarry's contemporaries --- a fifteen-rounder with Oscar "Ringo" Bonavena. Bull, or matador, gents?

[I Feel Fine]

Clearly Walcott. If an old Walcott could fight so well with Marciano, he should school Bonavena.

Tommy Loughran vs. Dwight Muhammad Qawi at 175, 15 rounds

[Goodnight, Irene]

It's a split for Loughran, who looks better outside than in the exchanges.

12 Rounds At Jr. Welterweight...Miguel Cotto & Alexis Arguello.

[p4p1]

It's a split for Loughran, who looks better outside than in the exchanges.

12 Rounds At Jr. Welterweight...Miguel Cotto & Alexis Arguello.

at jr welterweight cotto is still a young fighter and cannot match arguello at this stage of their careers im picking arguello by KO say 8th round

next up Floyd Mayweather vs Alexis Arguello 12 rounds LW

[harrygreb]

its not been seen before but floyd is clearly intimidated as he warms up in the ring to face arguello. round one sees floyd run like a hare away from any contact with the leather of arguello's gloves. this continues until he finally settles his nerves in round 4 as he lands a picture perfect left right combo to AA'S head and on his bike again to win his first round of the fight. floyd takes no chances in round 5 but is more expansive in round 6 and his flurries win him the round. he takes the 7th and 8th in much the same way and it appears AA is getting a touch frustrated with PBF's tactics. round 9 and floyd slips and slides and sometimes jabs but alexis has more success in cutting off the ring in this one then BOOM!!!

arguello KO 9

Billy Conn v Gene Tunney in Pittsburgh PA

[Goodnight, Irene]

Tunney wins a tight decision, & he does so on the back of a strong showing in the last few rounds when he needs them. He'd have trouble with Conn's speed of hand & foot.

Zab Judah vs. Jose Luis Ramirez in a twelve-rounder at LW...

[My2Sense]

Zab Judah vs. Jose Luis Ramirez in a twelve-rounder at LW...

Judah's speed troubles Ramirez for a few rounds, but eventually JL catches up with "Super Zab" and he characteristically falls apart soon after that.

Ramirez by mid or late round KO.


Next up:

Carlos Ortiz vs. Meldrick Taylor at 140.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Tough fight for Ortiz (who, incidentally, I consider an appallingly forgotten fighter) because Taylor's speed & work-rate are not well-suited to the somewhat smaller man's game.

You do, however, have a very good, larger fighter, going up against a truly great, smaller one, here --- kind of like Marquez-Diaz this year. The winner is again the greater man, though there'll be no spectacular uppercut finale. Ortiz by competitive decision.

Jack Dempsey tackles Larry Holmes over twelve rounds...

[allworld80]

Think this is a good style matchup for Holmes, and I'd favor him to pump that jab all night, and win a decision with some hairy moments.

A couple of legends, not at their peak or prime...

Pernell Whitaker (1997) vs Shane Mosley (2009) @ 147

[Goodnight, Irene]

Very difficult matching to project. Both have been unpredictable at this stage. Whitaker was wrestling with Rivera & enduring life-&-death with Hurtado, but then turned around & almost (some say did) bested a young De La Hoya. Mosley only lost by a hair to a peak Cotto, clobbered Margarito without pause or mercy, but struggled with an old Mayorga. Each man was a better Lightweight than Welter, too.

It really could depend on who shows up wanting it more. Mosley, for mine, is a little more together upstairs (laying off coke will do that for you), so I'll take him by a tight decision, in a lacklustre affair.

A trilogy between Arguello & Pacquiao. 12 rounds at Feather, Jr. Light, & Lightweight...

[generic screen name]

Very difficult matching to project. Both have been unpredictable at this stage. Whitaker was wrestling with Rivera & enduring life-&-death with Hurtado, but then turned around & almost (some say did) bested a young De La Hoya. Mosley only lost by a hair to a peak Cotto, clobbered Margarito without pause or mercy, but struggled with an old Mayorga. Each man was a better Lightweight than Welter, too.

It really could depend on who shows up wanting it more. Mosley, for mine, is a little more together upstairs (laying off coke will do that for you), so I'll take him by a tight decision, in a lacklustre affair.

A trilogy between Arguello & Pacquiao. 12 rounds at Feather, Jr. Light, & Lightweight...

Arguello takes the first one. He has the technical style to adjust to Pacman in the first fight, takes a UD

Pacman becomes a whirlwind in the next two fights, but it's still going to be close. It's going to be similiar to the Marquez bouts in which Pacman gets the benefit of the doubt rewarded for his power. Pacquiao close SD in the latter bouts.

Gerry Cooney vs David Tua