Who Ranks Higher, Azumah or Fenech?

Definitely Azumah. Their records and quality of opposition, longevity and honours all favour 'The Professor'.

 

Azumah

 

Azumah but I prefer to watch Fenech the arrogant Aussie psycho.

 

Nelson by comfortable margin.

 

Nelson had a fair few close calls and **** performances.

I think he's overrated.

Fenech is underrated because people don't realise how amazing Samart Payakaroon was.

 

Fenech was huge at the lower weights...it was more a case of not drying out as much as it was 'moving up'.

 

I really can't see too many ( if any ) people above bantam or below lightweight beating a prime Azumah Nelson. In his first attempt to capture a world title, Nelson had 15 pro fights and was facing Salvador Sanchez - an already established champion in the peek of his prime and future ATG. The fight was a war that extended into the 15th round. Nelson would go the next 8 years without a loss and would accumulate 12 world title bout wins in two weight classes before picking up his second loss to another prime great in Pernell Whitaker.. At this point, Nelson was 32 Years of age and fighting in Pernell's division. Not long after, he faced a hot young commodity in Jeff Fenech. Fenech deserved the decision, while Azumah claimed that he fought the bout with malaria. The result in the rematch ( while being on Fenech's home turf ) pretty much confirmed that what he said was valid in the first fight in my eyes. The remainder of his blemishes occurred when he was a fairly diminished fighter and all of them going the distance.. Overall Nelson retired with a title fight record of 18-4-2-12 and held belts in two divisions. He was beaten primarily by elite fighters and stopped only once in the 15th round against a prime ATG while being in the embryonic stage of his career and suffered the rest of his defeats while being past his own prime.. The man was truly something special.

 

nelson, not by a mile but more technical and professional.

 

Really? If Nelson had malaria he wouldn't have been able to stand.

Fenech had actual ailments going into both fights. His hands were a mess.

 

And did Nelson really beat Martinez the first time?

 

Weather he had malaria or some other ailment I doubt that he was healthy. He fought Jeff on his home turf several months later and clobbered him at princess park. I remember that being a great performance. Nelson was past it anyway. I can't comment on the Martinez fight as I haven't seen it.

 

Nelson, but both were good to watch in their own way.

 

I was never 100% convinced by the malaria, on the one hand he did seem to be lacking energy but on the other fenech landed good body shots, he fought 12 competitive rounds and won a few( 3 or 4 rounds on my card) vs fenech, which most couldn't without malaria.

I'm also conflicted on rating guys with chronic hand issues, is it an issue only superior boxers can overcome or is it as simple as great boxers shouldn't have weak hands? probably a bit of both but fenech's style makes the problem harder to overcome than others.

martinez did deserve the decision to me, but not by enough to call it a robbery or anything.