BoxRec

I'll throw out the first two and I'm sure they'll anger a few posters.

Wilfred Benitez W15 Roberto Duran. At this point, Duran had alot more left in his career than Benitez, and was better rested. When they got in the ring however, Duran ended up having an off night, and that off night's name was Wilfred Benitez.

Joe Calzaghe W12 Bernard Hopkins. I'm convinced Joe C won fair and square, albeit very closely, and the guy he beat had dominated Winky Wright in his previous bout and shutout Kelly Pavlik in his next.

This is a good topic.

Couple of the Pep -Saddler fights come to mind I guess.
Willie was one of the greatest ever. However, Sandy did take the series.

From the old timers, Jeffries got no respect after coming from behind to beat Corbett in 1900 and following his second fight with Fitzsimmons.

Benitez-Duran is the best example so far.

People want to pretend it didn't happen

Expug wrote:This is a good topic.

Couple of the Pep -Saddler fights come to mind I guess.
Willie was one of the greatest ever. However, Sandy did take the series.

Sandy Saddler stopped Pep in three fights out of four.

I'd say he did "take the series."

It wasn't the best Pep --- to the extent it diminishes what are nonetheless, all-time performances from Saddler. Would he repeat it all against the pre-crash Pep? No, he would not, IMO. Pep's record after the flight is deceiving. History has forgotten how damaged he really was.

Saddler knocked out THREE lightweight champions

Joe Brown

Laura Salas

and Paddy DeMarco.

Pep couldn't stay in there with him at any stage of his career.

Then again Joe Brown was a kid when he fought Saddler while DeMarco took the series with Saddler 2-1 (Pep beat DeMarco too), winning the latter two by split decisions. And keep in mind that Salas & DeMarco weren't exactly the most notable lightweight champions of all time.

At the same time Pep KO'd Charley Riley, whom Saddler struggled badly against, and Pep also KO'd Humberto Sierra, who downed and won a decision over Saddler.

Pep also "stayed in there" with Saddler in their second bout, winning a decision by clear margins. So he could, in fact, stay in there with him.

TheGreatA wrote:
Pep also "stayed in there" with Saddler in their second bout, winning a decision by clear margins. So he could, in fact, stay in there with him.

Pep stayed in there (just barely) in one fight out of four.

In the other three fights out of the four Pep was stopped.

Not too good a 'staying' job.

granberry wrote:

TheGreatA wrote:
Pep also "stayed in there" with Saddler in their second bout, winning a decision by clear margins. So he could, in fact, stay in there with him.

Pep stayed in there (just barely) in one fight out of four.

In the other three fights out of the four Pep was stopped.

Not too good a 'staying' job.

He was stopped in the third fight, by an armlock which dislocated his shoulder, after having a decisive lead on the scorecards. This was after having nearly died in a plane crash.

Pep defended his featherweight title 9 times in 6 years. Saddler defended his title 4 times in 8 years. I know who will go down as the greater, more consistent champion for me.

Willie Pep was bordering on perfection at the time of the crash, and was even showing power. If it's the pre-crash Pep with a no nonsense referee, I'd take Pep to beat Saddler every time.

Foreman - Frazier (1)

Seamus wrote:Willie Pep was bordering on perfection at the time of the crash, and was even showing power. If it's the pre-crash Pep with a no nonsense referee, I'd take Pep to beat Saddler every time.

Saddler stopped Pep in three fights out of four.

Subject closed.

Seamus wrote:Willie Pep was bordering on perfection at the time of the crash, and was even showing power. If it's the pre-crash Pep with a no nonsense referee, I'd take Pep to beat Saddler every time.

People continue, to this day, to under-estimate the damage Pep sustained. It was the difference when he faced Saddler.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:
People continue, to this day, to under-estimate the damage Pep sustained. It was the difference when he faced Saddler.

Yeah, Saddler's punching power had nothing to do with it.

Maybe you didn't hear me the first time.

Go away.

Duran-Leonard I
Leonard-Duran II

Lennox over Vitali.
Holyfield over Tyson
Hearns knockout of Duran

Tyson v Douglas was more about Tyson losing and how bad he looked compared to Douglas looking good and outboxing him.

alexpaterson wrote:Tyson v Douglas was more about Tyson losing and how bad he looked compared to Douglas looking good and outboxing him.

i don't know about that.
tyson did not look great
but douglas looked perfect in that fight

this was the one fight where buster proved he could of been something special

Lewis-Tua... as if it's that easy to keep the Tuaman at bay with your jab.
JCC-Taylor I... the controversial stoppage and the flashyness of Taylor makes it seem as if JCC didn't slowly wore his opponent down and softened him with his body attacks.

anything pacman has don in last 4 years

i agree with calzaghe-hopkins, also what about taylor-hopkins

Norton-ali 1 seems to get dismissed as a fluke

I wish he'd post that magazine cover with those 4 guys on it. I'd give their names if I knew them. Wasn't one Kid Something?

Jaywheel wrote:Lewis-Tua... as if it's that easy to keep the Tuaman at bay with your jab.
JCC-Taylor I... the controversial stoppage and the flashyness of Taylor makes it seem as if JCC didn't slowly wore his opponent down and softened him with his body attacks.

Couldn't agree with you more on the second point, but I really felt Tua froze completely.

The two that come to mind for me are Frankie Randall-JC Chavez and Vilomar Fernandez-Alexis Arguello.