Some time back, when the secretive lair was finally penetrated and the crown jewels sparkled in the sudden sunlight, I realised with a sense of wonder that every great thing ever said about Nicolino Locche was true. There he was, moving casually and almost cont emptuously around the ring, an imperious master of his trade, taunting his hapless opponent with gifts of body and mind that only come from the gods. The hapless opponent was Antonio Cervantes, who was only one of the greatest junior welterweights that ever lived. What does that tell us about Locche? It tells us volumes. He pitched a 15-0 shutout on the cards of all three judges in that unforgettable exhibition of pure boxing. Yes, the fight was in his native <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Argentina</st1lace></st1:country-region>. No, it wasn’t hometown favouritism gone mad. http://fightbeat.com/article_detail.php?AT=612
Good read. That is the styming element of Locche: he looked NOTHING like what his record or legend suggests; which is why many are flabbergasted when they see him for the first time. He had one of the most educated, well-used left hands I've EVER seen - and he could win fights using just that one limb (and his defensive skills, of course). He wasn't flashy, didn't exaggerate movement or use alot of footwork to touch the four corners of the ring....he literally stood in front of you, in the wheelhouse, and used subtle head movements, feints, subtle torso shifts, shoulder blocks/rolls and minute steps left and right to avoid the incoming and stay in position to continue to shoot that straight, sharp jab, a hook off the jab, or a solid left hook to the body. All the while looking casual, smug, sullen...almost bored. A more frustrating, paradoxical fighter there never was. Well, I can think of a few. :: And he just didn't LOOK the part at all. The article's got a bit of that "historical rose-colored nostalgia" as it goes on, but still a good read. Best quote: "The shame of Pernell (Sweet Pea) Whitaker’s magnificent career is that the tides of changing times forced him to display his championship wares in Las Vegas instead of more traditional and appreciative theatres. His silky artistry was deemed ‘boring’ by the new wave of ignoramuses and dilettantes whose perception of a good fight is twelve rounds of blood and thunder all the way. Idiots!" :: :clap: Peace.
Possibly he greatest boxing display in BOXING HISTORY! The words 'heavenly' and 'wonder' are not hyperbole here.:clap: He made Willie Pep look like Arturo Gatti that night. LEGEND.
Heavens no! :nono: :doh: You have GOT to be kidding me. BTW...for those that think the cross/shoulder defense started with Toney or the Mayweathers...you can watch Locche using it vs. Kid Pambele. Fuji too. You can watch Kid Chocolate using it even further back, also. Peace.
Whitaker would have indeed beaten Loche, but Loche was FAAAR from a fraud! He was a great fighter in his own right, but Whitaker was just better.
For once I thought I'd give the old-timer a compliment. Of course he is the slower, more mechanical version of Cory:clap:
He would comfortably defeat Fraud aswell, by around 8 rounds to 4, I'd like to say "He'd FUCK FRAUD UP!!" but that would be the emotions overriding the reality as you know best , Pernell didn't need any of that illegal backtwisting shit or elbows to his opponents eye to survive, any pro fighter can indulge in that kind've bullshit to avoid the heat, in my mythical matchup, Vic Drakulic:crafty: :crafty: :crafty: is the ref, so the elbow is atleast out of the equation.
The one thing no one is taking into consideration is that Locche was a 15 round fighter, while those other fellas were 12 round fighters, and that makes all the difference in the world. Locche was better conditioned than any of them, and the Argentine fighters of the 60's and 70's were perhaps the best conditioned boxers in history, the only thing that Howard Cosell and I ever agreed upon, btw. I personally did not care for Locche as a fighter, just as I did not care for Whitaker as a fighter. Locche was a very physical and strong fighter, regardless of his appearance, much moreso than Pete, and had a rabid fan base in his country. Locche didn't mind smacking you on the face with elbows, holding your head down, lacing you, hitting low, thumbing, wrestling, everything. Back then fighters were allowed to get away with much more than they are now. I don't think it would have been an exciting fight at all, but both are all-timers. I would take Locche here over Whitaker.
Well assuming Pernell fought back in the 15 round days, I doubt it woulda been a problem for him. Its not like Whitaker ever had stamina problems. Someone like DLH might have struggled in the 15 round days, but not Pea. And I disagree that Locche was stronger. Whitaker was physically strong as hell, and had a mean streak where he could get rough, and dirty as well. Whitaker beats Locche because he was just as smart, and technically skilled, as well as being more naturally talented.
Pea fought as a pro for almost 3 years in the "15 Round" era. Despite the fact that he never had a fight scheduled for 15, it wasn't like the notion was foreign. If Pea would have staked a shot at the IBF Lightweight title as quickly as his stablemate Holyfield got a shot at the IBF Cruiser title, then Pernell would have fought a 15 round title fight. The bottom line is that the 15 round limit is no seperation of greatness between Locche and Whitaker.
It is silly to assue that if a fighter has some stamina trouble in 12-round fights, he would have more of them in 15-rounders. It does not work that straight. If fights wer longer now, of course the modern fighters would also train different. Now they train so that their output (stamina, power, explosiveness) is ideal for 12 rounds
Typed by a true nobody that has "Never been there and never done that!":: . Stick to listening to another know nothing, Max Kellerman, on HBO.
I agree that fighters train appropriately for the # of rounds, so that 12 vs. 15 doesn't make that much of a difference and is relative. But this one doesn't compute, bro. "Off rounds" are dangerous and a gamble no matter what the distance; and if fighters train for 15, they go 15. I've seen plenty of 15-rounders and I've never what you've described happen "more" than in 12-rounders. If anything it happens a bit less so because refs were more lenient then so there was more of "anything goes." Peace.
Karl, that's not the attitude either. Keep it respectful. It is just an opinion, like any other. If you want to, then refute it with facts or your own opinion - not name calling. Peace.
Karl. Tell us when you've fought 12 rounds versus when you've fought 15 as a pro. Enlighten us with your pro experience.
