So, give examples of MMs that are impossible to pick because the chances are 50:50 or very close to that. Fights between chinny bangers are the most obvious ones, but there can be others too Shavers - Bruno Morrison - Sanders Benitez - Whitaker at 140 (?)
Benitez-Whitaker at 140 is a good call. I'll add: Foster-Spinks Hagler-Monzon Pedroza-Sanchez Zarate-Olivares Arguello-Chavez @ 130 Carlos Ortiz vs Chavez @ 135 Duran-Napoles @ 147 Trinidad-Jackson Cuevas-Palomimo Mayweather-Pryor Ward-Calzaghe Tyson-Foreman Liston-Frazier
PBF vs. Pac @130 Toney vs. Hopkins DM vs. Adamek Bradley vs. McGirt Pendleton vs. Fortuna Dorin vs. Ivan Robinson Vazquez vs. Pintor G. Hernandez vs. Casamayor Estrada vs. Chiquita Gonzalez
I disagree with three of yours. Floyd beats the shit outta Manny at 130. Far from 50-50 imo. McGirt was a level above the extremely overrated Tim Bradley. And DM was a lot better than Adamek at 175. The rest I can see as 50-50.
I watched Monzon vs Bogs yesterday and based on that I'd make Hagler about 70:30 favorite over him. Monzon was much better than he looked, but he was slower than I remembered and pretty easy to hit too. He roughed Bogs up easily, but Hagler is the one guy against whom his big right hand wouldn't be as effective. Also, Monzon always finished strong but Hagler had an astonishing stamina as well. I'd pick Hagler to win 8-4ish decision based on edge in clean punching
Bogs isn't really the best example to use for Monzon. I think he was at his best in the first Griffith fight - which should be on YouTube, I re-watched it recently. Monzon had the most effective ugly style ever. The way he fought, you would think even a scrub could beat him, but he was incredibly effective and a very high ring IQ. I think his jab, and range presents a lot of problems for Hagler. If one were to make a pro-Monzon case, you could say that Hagler struggled with a faded, former lightweight great in Duran, and Monzon likely would have beaten Duran far more decisively.
Hipp fought all even for eight rounds against Tommy Morrison and had some solid wins too. Him vs Butterbean is closer to a 50:50 fight as a sumo match
Even though he gave Spence a tough fight, Spence still won 8-4 with a KD. Thurman beat him 8-4. Brook arguably won 9-3. Porter's three best wins were: Alexander, Garcia, and Paulie. And what do all three have in common? They all had their primes at 140. Porter falls short against elite welterweights. It's a fact thats been proven 3 times. You could make an argument for Spence being on Ike's level, but Thurman and Brook were damn sure not on Ike's level. Quartey beats Porter up.
I had him losing the Ugas fight. And Thurman would lose to just about any credible welterweight at this point. He's washed.
I'm surprised at people think Ike easily beats Porter. Porter has a GREAT chin and IMO Ike was only really awesome when fighting bums.
Not sure about that. I think he was, but his resume is so putrid its hard to say if its actually the case
I'd say tougher yes actually yeah, better i kinda feel like Wlad was a bit smoother, more refined but he was also softer and not as strong
Better technician!!!! No fucking way. Wlad technique was flawless, while vitaly was sloppy as fuck. He was much much tougher than wlad though
Wlad had basically one gear. Jab. Right hand. Hold. Vitali could shorten his punches. Throw double and triple jabs. Pepper his opponent. Fight going backwards. And you know why he didn't hold and lean on his opponents the way Wlad did? Because, unlime Wlad, he had a good defense and knew how to fight tall (besides being able to take a punch).
Wlad had a good.defense. he was holding so much cause he was terrified in there. Its nonesene so say vitaly was a better technician. Wlad technique was much more textbook and fluid. Vitality might had better instinct, but ia technique sure wasnt.as good
Vitality was not as slick and smooth but if you threw them both in a cell and locked them in there, Vitali would RAPE Wlad then shoot JIZZ in his eyes!
Ward would be the clear favorite over calzaghe. Dont see this as a 50-50 matchup. Also think hagler is a solid favorite over monzon