Sot Chitalada Miguel Canto Masao Oba Fighting Harada How does Too Sharp fair against the four best jabbers in flyweight history?
Had you asked me this 10 years ago, when I was a huge huge Too Sharp fan and thought he was the greatest little guy ever, I would have had a much different answer. Now much better versed on the flyweights in the history, I think he goes 0-4. Shit, you might as well just take Harada off - Mark has no shot in Hell against Harada. The first three we can discuss, but I think Johnson loses to all of them.
Yeah, I'd write him off vs Harada too. I just didn't wanna leave out Harada when I wrote: "the best x-amount-of jabbers in flyweight history".
Personally, I'd pick him over Canto and Chitalada. Too Sharp wasn't some Whitaker/Zapata type - which would trouble them more IMO - he was more of a front foot boxer-puncher, with extreme offensive talent and an iron chin. He could box too, but he tended to mix it up. That said, Chitalada and Canto both had trouble with guys like this. Chitalada went to war with Bernal twice, and went down for it and arguably lost. Bernal was a fantastic little offensive unit, with big power but not much speed. Even still, he landed on Sot clean and often. I think Too Sharp can definitely build on that. Great fight though, as Chitalada comes back with his uppercuts and short right hands. Oguma was a very aggressive southpaw who used his lead to set up his rear, and landed countlessly with his right hooks to the body. Canto's jab also seemed helpless against a southpaw, and it was a recurring issue given that he struggled in all three fights. He made Canto fight differently, focussing on counters. Too Sharp was much better offensively, and I don't think Canto could tame him, or out-fight him, without his jab. Too Sharp's aggression eventually catches up with Canto, as Mark pays Canto no respect, and he either stops Canto or makes Miguel go into survival mode. Up until Canto starts getting worn out and hurt, I think it's a great fight. Too Sharp was hittable, and in the pocket, Canto was very entertaining with his counters. My only concern here, is Too Sharp's putrid level of competition. It's very hard to feel comfortable picking a man who's best win at 112 is Arthur Johnson, over the Greatest Flyweight of all-time.
I have absolutely no idea how to break that one down. I think Oba is better, but Too Sharp could absolutely land and take him out. But he could also be out-boxed and kept behind that great jab. I wonder how Mark would do vs Betulio and Chionoi?
