IrishRufusMurphy wrote:I'm sorry but I don't agree with everyone just going on and on (well mostly its been Barry) that Butterbean is worse than Clark. Least Bean has beaten people with records all over the world---he wasn't some oddity that just fought in his home state like, for instance, Monte Masters.
I'm not saying Esch is just a great fighter, but I believe he is better than what most people would give him credit for. I mean ffs, when he was supposed to face off with Bob Mirovic he was the betting favorite, and Mirovic was the former champion of Australia and fought for the British title.
I am not saying Esch would be top ten, top twenty or even 30 material, but I do believe he could beat some more "accomplished" boxers. He is unfairly judged on appearance alone cus he's a fat man, and he has, despite having over 80 fights, fought mostly 4 rounders.
The four rounders bit isn't really his fault, he got the moniker "KING OF THE FOUR ROUNDERS" from Art Dore, and that was what made him marketable---he tried to break free of that stigma two times, once against Peter McNeeley and the other against Larry Holmes, as well as a scheduled 8 round fight against a Tyrone Muex.
.
Butterbean has lost to guys not even in the top 80, so to claim he'd beat top 50 HWs is stretching it.
The guy was pegged in the 4 round fights b/c that was how he'd be successful and marketable. If he'd fought longer fights vs tougher comp like most prospects, he would've become a tomato can.
This guy got schooled by a 55 yr old Lary Holmes. End of story.