@ 154. You have 2 tricky southpaws known for their quickness, counterpunching and outside fighting style. And they both beat the brakes off Paul Williams. Who do you think gets the better over the other?
Good matchup. I'd go with go with Martinez, I think he peaked higher. Lara was obviously more technically sound and skilled, but prime Martinez had a dynamism to him that Lara lacked. He also had a second gear, which he showed in the last 4 rounds of the Pavlik fight - Lara had no extra gears. Martinez by UD.
Agreed. I think that dynamism is key here. Could be a big difference maker, or at a minimum provide more for judges to appreciate when then there's not a lot going on.
Lara ahead 4-0 until Martinez lands the windmill left hand. Martinez scores a 10-8 round and Lara goes straight to the stink for the rest of the fight, allowing Martinez to win the close decision
Close fight I reckon. Martinez had that extra gear and the sort of unorthodox edge that could unsettle a one-paced textbook operator who liked to keep the distance like Lara. I dunno though. I don't like Martinez's sloppy way of slipping straight punches against a good long straight punch picker, and I've always though he looked a shade more comfortable matadoring slower footed fighters at ring centre than having to systematically cut off the ring and punch moving forward. He wasn't much of an infighter either where Lara could be gotten at.
