I had no idea what to title this thread. The idea is to pick a fighter, and find the perfect match-up for him stylistically - across any weight. Obviously Mike Tyson would annihilate Dick Tiger, but stylistically, he's awful for Mike. That's what I'm aiming for. And please don't just pick someone who's way bigger to annihilate someone who's way smaller because they're so much better. Make sure they're on even levels (to a degree), before going with them. You could also go the opposite. And pick someone, then try and find the style to beat them, rather than the one for them to beat.
Let's try go out of the box. LaMotta's style is a nightmare for Ali imo. He does all the stylistic components of Norton (regarding jabbing with fighters) but much, much better. Does Chang's style bother Robinson? I can see it. Donaire would be a bad style for GGG, and anyone else who likes to initiate then reset. Here's a weird inversion. The style of bigger man Billy Conn would absolutely outbox Roman Gonzalez's style imo.
Yeah, completely agree on those four. Conn was like all of the good parts of Lightning Boy, plus all the beans that make an all-time great. I think Donaire is an awful match-up for Tito, too. An extremely aggressive, upright boxer-puncher who's always been open to left hooks? Yeah.... Sandy Saddler in theory is horrendous for anyone like Pep. Floyd, Pernell, Leonard, etc; all of them could definitely drop some to Sandy. For a couple of inversions, Tommy Hearns is pretty damn bad for Lora, Rose, Canto, etc; as well as guys like Olivares, Pintor, Harada and Castillo. Mike Tyson's style is perfect for beating the likes of Samart, Roman, Zapata and such.
Ismael Laguna would be Hell for Mike McCallum P4P. Sal Sanchez would pick apart Aaron Pryor P4P. Mike Spinks would imo school Chavez P4P. Wilfredo Gomez would beat the shit outta DLH P4P. Pedroza vs Hopkins would be one ugly, dirty fight P4P, but I think Pedroza had a style edge. Qawi vs Fenech would be one BRUTAL fight P4P, but I think Qawi's more sophisticated defense and counterpunching would be the difference.
Canto would lose so badly to Armstrong, Saldivar and Saddler. He'd be awful for Sanchez, though. I actually think his jab could lead him to beating Pep. Laguna vs McCallum? What'd you see there aside from Laguna being well better. Hilario Zapata is absolutely awful for Sanchez and Marquez.
I think Yuh is better for Sanchez. Chang could box on the outside with that weird body shape and unorthodox, but insane movement. If he boxes a la Torres I, I think he could really cause Sal some problems. Fenech is awful for Tzysu, never would've thought of that one. I don't think there's ever been a fighter more made to beat a prime George Foreman than a prime Marcos Villasana.
Think you might be overrating Villasana. He never showed he could beat a great fighter, and George was an ATG. I dont think i would take Villasana over an ATG in any division. He was simply a guy who was good enough to beat good fighters, but who would come up short against greats. George would beat the fuck outta Villasana P4P.
I thought he beat Nelson, and showed he was at least on par with Esparragoza. His showing vs Femechcis excellent as well, even if he didn't win. I don't think he's a bonafide great, but I do think he's a bit if a menace head-to-head. It's like he was made in a lab to beat punchers. The capacity to push two elite level boxers like that, with the constant showings of a great chin throughout his career, plus great stamina and a heavy dig of his own makes him a sort of 'third tier' guy IMO. If the absolute best are the likes of Sanchez, Saddler, Armstrong, Pep, etc; and the second tier are your Fenech's, Nelson's, Pac's, and such, then I like Marcos to be in the tier below. So, definitely not a guy I'm rating massively highly, but a very respectable placement. Even still, it's the style match-up which is why I pick him vs George, P4P. Which is the aim of the thread, they don't have to be on the same level. I suppose there's a good chance it'd go like the Chuvalo fight, but Villasana was a lot better than George. I think George would try and take Marcos out, and would be met with retaliation. He'd try and overpower him, win all of the exchanges, etc; and he'd probably have him looking a little defeated. But as/if it progresses, I can just see Villasana coming back into it and beating George up down the stretch. Like a Mexican verison of the Rope-a-Dope, the hope-a-dope.
Ummmm yeah, no, not seeing it. Villasana just wasn't that level. It took the smarts and mastery of a top 10 all timer to take apart a prime Foreman. A crude guy like Villasana would get butchered, I don't care how durable. Marcos Villasana was just a "good" fighter. At best, he fits into the very good category. He falls well short of the great category. There's not a chance in Hell that I'm taking a Villasana level guy over one of the greatest offensive machines in boxing history.
