Jon Thaxton & John Murray vs. Joel Casamayor

Do you think either fighter could give the current version of Casamayor problems? :think

 

I don't think so. The current version of Casa is described by some, as a 'walking corpse'. Thaxton was, up until recently, considered fringe world level.

I actually asked 'would they give Casa problems'.... which is a slightly different question to 'would they beat him'.

 

Pathmanc (inadvertently) makes a good point about Murray though - whose style I like - but he's definitely a graduate of the Arturo Gatti school of defence.

Casa would catch Murray straight down the middle.

Every time Murray launched into one of his blistering attacks and left himself wide open, Casa would counter punch the **** out of him, and then be out of the firing line before Murray has time to respond in any kind of effective way, I. e something that doesn't involve flailing arms and thin air shots.

An experienced champion like Casa would exploit those defensive lapses and gaps and have Murray out of there inside 4-5 rounds. I just don't think Murray's pressure or power would be any advantage, because crafty fighters (especially southpaws) usually find a way to negate those attributes when they are being used in a very raw and unrefined way.

Thaxton would give Casa more problems. Thaxton is a durable character, and a seasoned professional - he wouldn't make the same crude mistakes that Murray would, so there would be less for Casa to exploit. If Thaxton could get his jab up and running, and stay mobile, I could see him going 8-10 rounds.

 

Murray is one step removed from Valero in the defensive stakes. He might get the basics right, but he leaves himself wide open very often when he is throwing punches in bunches or working the body.

Casa will see those gaps and for every punch Murray lands, he'll have to take 2-3 in return. That's if he can pin Casa down long enough, or get close enough, to land anything of substance. Otherwise Casa just works the double jab and brutalizes Murray from the outside with straight lefts.

Casa's legs are pretty much gone, but he's still mobile enough to turn Murray around in the blink of an eye and make him like very crude and stupid.