Rafeal Herrera

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by GPater11093, Sep 16, 2009.

  1. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Just been watching some Olivares fights and i seen Olivares vs Herrera 1.

    Herrera really impressed me with a stand up tall boxing style with solid fundamentals and stiff precise shots. I thought he won every round bar the 6th against Ruben. And then KOd Ruben in the 8th with an amazing left hook counter.

    Wanted to know some more about Herrera and what else fights are available of him?

    also i really loved his double left hook to head and body was very crisp
     
  2. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Herrera is a very underrated fighter IMO. He doesn't get nearly as much credit as he should for beating Olivares twice - even though Olivares is often lauded by many people (particularly on this forum) as the best bantam ever. He beat Olivares at what was supposed to be his own game (on the inside) and exposed some of his limitations IMO.

    He was a very precise, compact puncher, and despite being an aggressive fighter, had very good defense coming forward and on the inside. He reminds me somewhat of Winky Wright, though not a southpaw obviously.

    His rematch with Olivares is also on film. That fight proves that the first result was no fluke. It was fought at a catchweight, so Olivares didn't have to struggle to make 118, and Olivares changed his style from the first fight and boxed much more. It was a close fight, but Herrera dropped him and finished strong to get himself at least a draw IMO.

    Sadly, Herrera seems to get "lost" among the crop of other great Mexican bantams that came around post-Olivares.

    There's a few other films of him out there, but I'm not sure what. I believe one of his fights with Chucho Castillo is on film. I'd very much like to know if his first title fight with Rodolfo Martinez is out there.
     
  3. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    I myself call Olivares the best Bantam i have ever seen and i still stand by that.

    Herrera should get heaps of credit i honestly didnt know he was taht good. Fought a really good fight.

    I think he figured out Olivares by being first and not letting Ruben get set and then countering what came.

    definitly his shots were very accurate shots.

    i can see the similarities with Wright quite a good comparison there :good

    Il have to watch taht aswell

    It sayed on my film Herrera was from Argentina?

    yeh but he does seem to be forgotten or 'lost' which is a shame i really like hsi style. And seems to be a great fighter.

    Ill have to look for the Castillo fight as Castillo himself was a good fighter
     
  4. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Really? I've never heard that. As far as I know, he always live in and fought out of Mexico.
     
  5. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    i just checked boxrec and he is Mexican

    i dont speak spanish (well i know afew words like colour of trunks, round numbers etc..) but im sure he said he was from argentina
     
  6. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Herrera was the matador to Olivares' bull, yet in losing the title to Enrique Pinder the next year ('73) the roles were reversed. Ahhh, boxing..a story of styles making fights.
     
  7. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Herrera was very Mexican.
     
  8. Sweet Pea

    Sweet Pea Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    Olivares was the one who finished the much stronger of the two in the rematch. Herrera won on the cards (in a 10 rounder, mind you) because of the work he did early on. Had that fight been a 15 or even a 12 rounder I believe the pace Olivares was starting to push by the end of the bout would've gotten him the clear nod. It was a pretty even fight as it was.
     
  9. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Yes, Pea, that's true...Olivares finished much the stronger, and in the words of a writer for Boxing Illustrated at the time, it was as if Olivares was saying "see, that's what I could have done all along" at the bell ending that second fight. Herrera did have Olivares down in the 7th, which helped tip the scales in his favor, I believe, I''m not really sure of the margin of victory.
     
  10. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Do you think it was a prime Olivares that Herrera beat?
     
  11. Sweet Pea

    Sweet Pea Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    I think he beat a weight-drained version in the first fight, but the version he faced in the rematch was more or less prime. Herrera only got the verdict in that one due to the 10 round distance anyway. I do think Herrera was a bad matchup for him, just not one Olivares was incapable of thwarting.
     
  12. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Olivares did look to take a while to get started and never really got into the first fight IMO but partyl Herrera never let him by being first and keeping him off balnce.

    Ill have to watch the rematch