Your opinion is not widely shared. Losing to an ATG, albeit older, by 7-5 in a fight you were taking over down the stretch... versus Getting dominated, shut out, and stopped by a blown up LHW in their first fight at CW, the one where YOU are champion against someone who is very much NOT an ATG... Not quite the same. Its true they were both losses, but one was a SPLIT decision and the other a shutout and stoppage. Do you see how the context matters?
It’s natural for the older fighter to fade as the fight goes on, so it makes sense that a 40 year old Pacquiao would lose the later rounds. Thurman did fight better in the later rounds by using more movement, but his early tactical mistakes cost him the fight. Pacquiao won his rounds clearly, Thurman edged most of the rounds he won. If Pacquiao had been in his prime, Thurman would likely have been KTFO. That’s a widely shared view. I’m a Thurman fan, not a hater, but the tactics he used early in the fight made him lose. If you get knocked down in round one, you’re doing something wrong tactically. Context matters. Thurman lost to a way past his prime Pacquiao, while Ramirez lost to a prime (from what we know) Benavidez.
It does look that way but I still need to see him win versus a top guy. His best win is...Demetrius Andrade? A 154lber at 168? Is that his best win? By all means he has LOOKED good every outing, but I wasnt impressed against Gvodzyk. He won most of the rounds but he was no monster on that night. And Gvodzyk was years removed from his prime, after being brutally stopped by Beterbiev in an amazing fight, taking soft touches with journeymen beforehand. Benny shouldve been a Monster that fight.
the thing that impressed me most was his power at CW. He looks small and he’s got toothpick arms, so you wouldn’t think he’d be a banger at CW, but jesus, every power shot he landed hurt Zurdo and he absolutely destroyed Zurdo’s face — and Zurdo is durable (had he ever even been knocked down before?), it’s not like Zurdo is some glass jaw fighter.
Context matters. Usyk is a counter-puncher and a thinker. Those fighters have historically handled weight classes well. Volume power punchers almost NEVER do - historically at least. Benny beating Zurdo for a token belt doesnt do much for me. Its nice that Benny stopped him but its just beating a Bivol survivor to me
I thought so But “El MonstrOooo” made him look terrible Maybe it is Benevidez that I have underrated. Didn’t think he could acclimate to these heavier weights so quickly.