I`d pick Tyzu, Whitaker never faced anyone on that level at 140 or welter, Chavez didn`t fight that well at welter, Tyzu punched harder and at light-welter.
I think has a live chance. He was able to find a home for that right against quick opponents. Also, he did tremendous body work later in his career. I don't know if Pea could pivot away from that enough or if he had enough firepower to dissuade Kostya. I know it is not fashionable, but I think Tszyu is underrated.
Actually, Tszyu NEVER fought above Junior Welterweight. Conversely, Pernell took the Junior Middleweight title off of a very good Julio Cesar Vasquez around that time frame. If anyone was going to be confused by the opposition in this fight it would be Tszyu. I see Pernell taking Tszyu out of his game and winning a clear decision. Before drugs and age took their toll, Pernell had nothing to fear from a fighter like Tszyu. In fact, even after the wheels fell off of Pernell, he still went the distance with prime Trinidad and arguably beat prime de La Hoya. The version of Trinidad that Pernell fought would knock Tszyu out cold in a couple of rounds tops.
I agree with all of this except the DLH vs Pea fight. I know many like to say this was a robbery or gift but when we reviewed it in the FOTW threads the only person who scored for pea had him by a point and refused to deduct the point that the ref took away (otherwise they had a draw). Close fight and I can see a draw, but I find it a reach both then and now to score it for pea, and seems hard to say he arguably won unless we say every close fight is arguably won by the loser.
Jobbed? Whitaker won it clearly, and this is this first instance I've ever seen of someone arguing Vasquez's case. Even without the point deductions I'd struggle to see how Vasquez could have a shout in that one.
While I've always disagreed with Seamus on this point, he has remained consistent in that he feels Vasquez won that fight.
A little added narrative here. ChrisJS said he scored it for Pea but didn't produce a card. Flash also said it was even and he could see either winning. As you mention I had Pea also winning the fight or a draw, depending on the 3rd round. So there were a few of us who thought Pea won or it was a draw. Also, many people never submitted a card on that fight, so we didn't get many results. I don't have the stats in front of me, but it was like 5 people picked Oscar, 2 Pea, 1 Even. Something like that. Not a whole lot to draw upon, and I think that was partially because the thread had another fight mixed in there, so some just commented on that fight and not the other.
Sweet Pea. The way he leaned at the waist to set himself back a few inches more, would not lend himself to those right hands from Kostya. Between that and the southpaw stance, I think he not only nuetralizes that right hand of Tszyu's, he takes the punch away. And that does not leave enough things available to beat a guy like Whitaker on the cards.
Sorry for my error but Tyzu was also a bigger puncher tghan Chavez at light weilter and weren`t there fighters far less skilled than Tyyzu that lasted more than two rounds v Tito?
Kostya would land more shots than JCV but Whitaker was very slow at 154lbs compared to the lower weights.
The fact that Tszyu hit harder than Chavez would be largely irrelevant. Tszyu would have a lot of trouble landing hard shots on Whittaker, just like all of his opponents did. And, if Tszyu was fortunate enough to land that big right, Whittaker is the type of fighter who would get back up, regain his composure, and go back to outboxing Kostya. As to Trinidad, you are missing the point. Some fighters lasted a little longer than a few rounds with Trinidad if they were just trying to survive. But, the ones who came at him got battered more quickly. Tszyu only knows one way to fight.... to bring the fight to Felix. Tszyu would be one of the smallest fighters to ever share the ring with the murderous punching Trinidad. It would spell disater.