Harada is generally accepted as the archetypal dervish of destruction at both fly and bantam and a probable nightmare for anyone at those weights, but I also reckon that even the flabby, pear shaped version who slapped Famechon around the first time would've been a real threat to a lot of other great/near great featherweights. Particularly the pure boxer types with limited power (in the mold of Famechon etc). Tbh, if Harada were active today I wouldn't entirely rule him out of winning a belt as far up as lightweight. Famechon I was Harada's final stand and really should have ended with him obtaining bragging rights in 3 original weightclasses. So the question is, as stated, which other top level featherweights would you give that Harada (or a similar version) the best chance of beating? Note: I've been trying to purge my mind of this h2h thing and the concept of fantasy fights in general, but something like this worms its way out every now and again.....
Tough question Tin...... Just off the top of my head... he would have a chance to beat Kid Chocolate, in my opinion, but Kid was better and more agressive than Famechon.......so I´m not sure, Kid would be the favorite...... I think he´d edge out Hamed...... He would beat Legra, Barrera, and maybe Ismael Laguna and JMM..... Would be tough for Pep, like Famechon, a boxer with limited power, but Pep was a master of his style....He wouldn´t be caught with that right hand over the top like happened with Famechon....
Thanks Vic, at least someone replied . Interesting suggestions too; I'll have to think about them, although I'm not sure that suggesting that anyone other than Pacquiao - let alone a fat, decrepit midget like Harada - could beat Barrera and JMM at featherweight is exactly fashionable on here. I'm still a bit surprised that no-one went mental on the recent 'underrated fighters' thread when someone said that Chucho Castillo was probably as good as either of them and Morales.
Boxer-types are obvious answer. Could it be agued though that Harada only had sucess as he had an overwhelming stylistic advantage?
Yeah, quite possibly. I was sort of half thinking it myself when I started the thread tbh although Famechon was an excellent fighter even with the styles thing taken into account. But Harada was so adaptable in his ways that I wouldn't rule him out even against some of the more offensive types other than the absolute cream of the crop. If Armstrong had never faced the more rounded version of Garcia at lmw/mw, I might have expected him to have the kind of success that he did with Garcia's style. Or Harada against Jofre even. Then again, I would never have pegged Harada to lose against Rose so conclusively, even though he'd gone well off the boil by that point. Swings in roundabouts I suppose.
No, i think he was genuinely very good on the night of the first fight.It didn't last of course, but it would probably be easier to name fighters who he wouldn't be able to give a one-off tough competitive fight with on that form. Possible chin issues, or strength and stamina in a prolonged infight\war would be his biggest drawbacks imo, if using that version. I'm not really sure who i think is the best he could beat though.
Id say Harada would beat all feathers jr. light s right now. any idea where I can get tapes of him Jofre other great little guys? thanks