Where do you rank Jung Koo Chang in the skills department? In most of the fights that I've seen of him I'm really impressed with how he was able to keep a whirlwind offense along with good head movement. Very top shelf swarmer. Most of his losses would come while at the end of his career (his first loss to Zapata which was considered by many as a bad decision). How great is he H2H?
Incredible. In his very early days he could switch stance, keep a loose rhythm on the outside and pop off shots before jumping in, making him unpredictable as he would change up the speed and rhythm. Also, apart from swarming, of course made possible by his incredible radar which allowed him to slip shots and counter with alarming accuracy and variety with both his left and right hand, particularly the right hand, he had a Octopus-like inside game, reminiscent of B-Hop or Ward's for more recent examples, where he was always getting the better of the digs upstairs and down, and could cuff around the side/back of the head and make it look like he was being roughed up. He always used this when he knew he was out of steam as well, see the Tokashiki fight for instance, once he blows his load he stifles with his clinch whilst still working. Of course, past his best this was pretty much all he could do, as he could close the distance but didn't have the agility in his 'second career' to get back out of range, hence why Chiquita was able to outpunch him as he was fresher and stronger. Chang couldn;t build a rhythm, whereas against Sot, similarly past prime and far more weight weakened, he could get in his grill and chip away, IMO unfairly denied a lineal title in two weight classes. I'd say Chang is about as good as it gets in the lower weight classes, which of course are historically flush with technicians, savants, slicksters, speedy guys, hitters, all types of stylists of all shapes and sizes. Chang was as pure a fighter I've ever seen. Blended offence and defence seamlessly for his style no he isn't Floyd-esque in terms of the shots he took but look at him having exchanges with some monsters in his prime and see how often anyone gets the better of him. Look at the diverse list of stylists he faced. Heavy hitters like Ursua and Torres. Lanky southpaw Panamanian slick oddity, Zapata. Thai Ali-impersonator Chitalada. Look at the solid scalps he picked up really early in his career. Not an infallible fighter, but the supremely gifted ones that peak in their teens never are.
reminiscent of early Duran in terms of innate skills, though he was never given the refined textbook layer Duran was by Freddie Brown etc Hence why he wasn't half the fighter towards the end of his career when his lifestyle had taken a toll on him and his reflexes\hand\foot speed had fallen away.
I think the Duran comparison (sans obviously the concussive power) is spot-on. In contrast, I was never comfortable with the Pryor comparison, as I found Pryor a face-first swarmer who got hit a lot, had questionable footwork, and was generally very over-rated.
I think Mosley had a bit more natural talent but Pryor had more heart. I certainly can't imagine Mosley surviving all those shots he took from Arguello (though he probably wouldn't have taken as many shots as Arguello).
Pryor did not hev mor hart end woz no feic 1st swormer ez u posted . Pryor meinli boxt Arguello wum woz not de pancher hi woz meid 2b ider . Mosley, Vince Phillips , Kostya Tszyu end yes, DeLaHoya wud hev ol biten Pryor @ 140 . Hatton end Judah wud probabli du 2.
