Two HOF fighters who were feared due to their savage bone crushing power. Both fighters were pretty limited boxing ability wise and their defense were porous which made them vulnerable but their fierce punching power helped them get by that resulted in some nasty stoppages. Who has the greater resume and at their best who was better H2H the better fighter overall? This content is protected This content is protected
I think these two had pretty underrated boxing ability despite their overly offensive go for the kill mentality. They're by no means crude unskilled brawlers. Jackson is probably the better technician of the two. Interestingly their most notable losses were against fighters who were either the better boxers (Roberto Duran, Mike McCallum) or rangier fighter with just as much power (Thomas Hearns, Gerald McClellan).
Wasn't Cuevas only 18 years old when he lifted the WBA title from Espada? I'd say he improved technically over the course of his title reign, but he was never going to be considered a 'technician', for sure. There's not a lot in it between him and Jackson, IMO. Pipino's defenses of his welterweight world title run into double-figures, even though he wasn't 'the man' of the division for that time. Jackson is a multi-division titlist. He had solid but shorter runs at both 154 and 160 but he never dominated either of them. Was he ever the man at 154? I'm not sure. Either way, I'd say Jackson has the better 'best win', in Norris at 154 — and Graham (160) was an excellent scalp too — while Cuevas has the better collection of wins – Espada (x3), Gray, Weston, Ranzany, and Shields. I'm not sure who to pick as either the better or the greater. But I prefer to watch Cuevas fights, if I'm being honest.
