BoxRec

jas80s wrote: ↑08 Jun 2020, 23:18 I had an opportunity to watch the Kim-Mancini fight in its entirety the other day. I remember the day of the fight quite well, and I was already a boxing fan, so I know I was anxious to watch a live fight on TV, but for some reason I didn't see it. I can only surmise that I must have had something else I was required to do. Obviously, the tragedy of that day is what everyone will take away, but personally, I think it also necessarily obscures the reality that Kim looked like a pretty damn good fighter.

I'm not an expert on boxing at the highest level, but he seemed to tick a lot of the boxes that you look for in a fighter. To me, he displayed much more than just raw courage in there (though lord knows he did that). As I watched, I found myself thinking of another lefty who passed away at a young age (less tragically if you ask me, but it's still tragically) and, despite a limited run, many still hold Edwin Valero in very high regard wondering if perhaps the sport lost an eventual superstar with his passing.

I defend Valero as a general rule as I believe he fought at an entirely different level in his last fight than he had previously which at least allows me to wonder every so slightly just how far he might have gone. But in the end, while Valero may have had the glossier record, I was more impressed with Kim in the ring.