Who was the better fighter, in your opinion? Who was greater P4P, and who deserves to be ranked higher at BW? What say you?
I'm just rewatching Zarate-Pintor, and I'm in the first round. This has to be the most inactive first round I've ever seen. A full minute and a half in, and I've counted one punch thrown, and it didn't even land.
Okay, so I finished it off and scored it. I had it 144-141 for Pintor, that is 9-5-1 with Zarate's KD for Pintor. I scored the first even coz nothing fucking happened, but was quite content with my picks in most rounds. Enough close ones to where you could say Zarate deserved it, or it was a draw. I thought Zarate showed Pintor too much respect and didn't throw enough to claim a robbery here, and it didn't help that he spat his dummy out and fucked off for seven years. I love Pintor's defence. Very subtle, but brilliant. He just parried everything at range, and rolled with the shots upclose.
I actually think it might be the other way around - I think it could be argued that Herrera rates higher based on better individual wins, but I think I'd favor Pintor in a H2H match.
I don't think Zarate was ever really the same after the Gomez shellacking. Even though I thought he beat Pintor (though I felt it was a closer fight than many make it out to be), he looked uncharacteristically very tentative and actually tried to "out-cute" Pintor for much of the fight, which was never his style. And I agree with Pintor's technique, very underrated.
I've also just watched Herrera-Olivares I, and I think in a vacuum, I'd say that Pintor is more skilled. But I'd pick Herrera to beat him. He just seems to have a bad style for Pintor, and I think he'd cut throught lots of Pintor's defensive tactics with straight punching. Pintor could well out-work him if he cut him off and went to the body, but I think Herrera beats him to the punch and does so enough to win a decision. No means any easy fight, I can definitely see Pintor winning. Greatness is definitely close. Let's just say that their wins over Lujan and the Olivares rematch count at BW, since they basically were give or take a pound here or there. Immediately, I'd say Pintor's win over Zarate is much better than Herrera's over Olivares. There was a notable decline between Olivares of the Rose fight, to the Herrera fights. This Zarate was no worse than the one of Davilla or Zamora fights IMO. So it's a BW great at his best, compared to one who wasn't. Then I'd say Castillo, Borkhorsor, Martinez and Olivares of the rematch, were better than Davilla, Lujan, Owen and Sandoval. One thing Pintor has, which Herrera doesn't, is that he was a two weight world champ. I don't know how much weight you'd put on that, but it's there I guess. I suppose you could argue it's good enough to rank him a bit greater P4P. So overall, my pick is Herrera for greatness at 118, him to win H2H. Toss up P4P, but I think Pintor is a bit better of a fighter.
Good contrast. I think I would go w/Pintor as greater and narrowly better as well. This is just off of the top of my head so I can’t say I am correct or even certain, just that it’s my initial thought.
Not sure if this is at me? But either way it was off the top of my head. But I am not sure about olivares (off the top of my head I say no), but also I am not sure how Harrera would fare against the Murata (fought Pintor and Chandler to a draw) or Zarate that Pintor fought. After looking through some older stuff I wrote I think Harrera might be marginally greater...better I am undecided on but initially still think Pintor...again I am not convinced I am correct....if it could even be proved
Bantam - I'd pick Herrera as greater than Pintor. P4P I'd say Pintor marginally due to picking up that title at super bantam. Herrera might be slightly better though. If they fought, it'd be super tight - a split or MD kind of fight. Yeah, they're really well matched I think.
Yes, I think those fights would've played out largely the same. I think Olivares was ready to be taken at that time. That's why I think Herrera could be considered greater (because he's the one who actually got those wins) but Pintor might've actually been better (because I think he would've gotten them too if he happened to be in Herrera's place).