Honestly, I'm surprised these never actually fought. Two of the best BWs to never win the title. So, who wins? Say its for a vacant belt over fifteen with supplemental scoring, so one of them has to be crowned champ.
Agreed. Medel sometimes boxed (too) cautiously, but once he lets the bombs fly I think he can outslug/overpower Rudkin.
AlFrancis actually gave some insight here. They were talking about having this fight in the UK around the time Rudkin lost to Harada.
I like watching Rudkin. Very tidy little fighter, with the capacity to both swarm and box. Just watching him you can see an array of advanced techniques and perfected basics which clearly took years to learn, as well as a physical condition which rivalled that of Harada's. He seems to have a workman feel about him, combining the aforementioned and a lack of irregular athleticism and flash as a fighter. I really like how versatile he was. He seemed happy to fight on the back-foot vs Harada, and didn't mind having to make the fight vs Rose. I feel like he'd have to do the later vs Medel. That, to me, almost guarantees a loss. Medel was absolutely awful for a swarmer. He was a well-schooled, massive punching boxer-puncher who's skill off the ropes is almost unprecedented at 118, with a good defence, unbelievable timing and good punch selection. Swarming him is almost asking to get KOed, he'll light you up on the way in and be absolutely more than happy to draw you in when he's on the ropes. The only issue with him vs swarmers is that he, like other power-punchers, had a tendancy to lull and box within himself while waiting on the perfect shot. A more refined, experienced and defensively responsible Harada out-worked him and did his utmost to not get clocked. For the most part, it worked, but he was still wobbled a little on their rematch (IIRC? Will rewatch that tomorrow). I actually rate that win over him extremely highly due to the style match up, and obviously, how damn good Medel was. Anyway. I think if Rudkin chooses to be more aggresive vs Medel, or better yet, is drawn into leading by Medel, then I think Rudkin's output wins a few early rounds before Medel's firepower starts to dissuade him from throwing quite so much. Through the mid rounds, I feel like it'd full of those exchanges which are so close they can go either way, but you have to really think about it because they'd decide who deserved the round. At some point, I just can't not see Medel nailing Rudkin on the way in. Although I suppose Rudkin could win. Like I said, Medel had a tendancy to box within himself, and I feel like that'd manifest itself in dropping close rounds in which Rudkin is coming in with jab, quickly darting back out of range and then moving laterally. Medel could be out-worked and beaten in that sort of fight. Although he did still manage to find and drop Rose, so maybe he could do the same to Rudkin here, too.
