In the long line of Italian boxers, "Rockford Sheik" seems to fly under the radar. With wins over Kansas, Petrolle, Fields, McLarnin, and Canzoneri in his heyday, was he in the class of his Italian brethren? How high could he potentially rate at 135?
I always think him, Ambers and Angott are interchangeable top 10 in traditional ATG lists. None make my to 15 at LW though.
Any notion as to why he often misses the mark even though Whitaker regularly makes it? Both were slicksters, with Whitaker generally receiving the edge in talent; but Mandell's competition was significantly better. Great blog, by the way.
One thing needs to be considered is whether bouts at jr. lightweight should be included in evaluation. Mandell's debut at lightweight was on March 24, 1924, but he had a few bouts above featherweight prior to that. Secondly, it depends on whether you consider his losses to Jimmy Goodrich as genuine, or as accidents. Thirdly, he suffered regularly from injuries during his career (yet was pretty consistent in winning most of his bouts), if we take his best version without injured hands, ribs and shoulder, he was a match for most of top lightweights in history.
Considered to possess one of the greatest jabs of all time.Trained by Jack Blackburn.His resume is excellent!
I wouldn't suspect that it would an easy night for either. Mandell often stuck the jab and Mosley had a tendency to flick it, so I imagine Shane working around it while cutting off the ring and trying to land against a very good defensive fighter. On strength of resume, however, which I find a bit more important, Mandell is clearly better.
He did indeed. I have revaluate my opinion of him slightly. Number 14 on my list, still behind Mosley though.
