Tony Ayala Jr. was a very exciting fighter...

You're starting to become RedRooster's protege, Benny. That's not a good position to be in.

 

Terry Norris and Tony Ayala..yes I see a pattern here.

 

I welcome your interest, Mr. Blanco, El Torito is the man!

I guess Robbie Epps ended too quickly. That one showcased what Tony could do if he was really pissed off. The Maldonado fight was more telling. Mario did put him down early, although Tony looked to me like he was sleepwalking into the bout. Then he got serious and simply ended it in 3 short rounds. Scoffers seem to focus on Tony getting knocked down as opposed to his response to it.

I love the fights on youtube. I just wish they'd come up with a better quality video of his 1979 National Golden Gloves Championship bout with Lamont Kirkland. Lamont was taller, bigger, stronger and more experienced than 16-year old Tony. Plus this was at a catchweight of 165 lbs. As with the Maldonado fight, Tony was floored early. He got up, shook it off, and then beat the **** out of Kirkland. Tony busted his ribs badly enough to the point where Lamont had to be given a standing 8-count; Torito subsequently won the fight by decision. Tony would've most likely KO'd him had the fight been longer than just 3 rounds. The body punches were wearing Kirkland down.

Tony Ayala Jr. had the talent, guns and rage to become dominant. Really a shame his extracurricular habits nicked any chance of that.

 

Don't listen to him Benny. Pea very intelligent. I will be the first to vouch for him but he doesnt appreciate brawlers the way LAXPDX and I do.

Many of the fighters Matt and I like sometimes go ignored by others here. And it could well be lack of exposure which is the problem Tony had since his career was cut short.

But back in the day the big news was Tommorow's champions. That is, team Duva with their squad of Bumphus (a wimp), Ayala, Czyz, Ramos.

Of those four, Ramos got the most notice and exposure but the problem was that unlike Norris, he really didn't have a chin and was bombed out by some clubfighter in much the same way Andy Price was bombed out by Jose Baquedano and Ray Leonard.

Anyways, then there was Czyz who I felt was second best all along, and gained the light heavy title. I fail to see how a mediocrity like Dennis Andries topped him. And then Bobby went on to a career in broadcasting.

Tony, the best of the lot by far, was a murderous puncher, a non stop threshing machine that was within an inch of facing Duran who actually had the guts to take him on. On the verge of superstardom when his career ended

And Bumphus you don't even want to know about. Okay but I'll make it short. he was a flimsy southpaw

 

Ayala was a very good PROSPECT who never became more because of his personal problems. I'd figure he had a good chance of claiming an alphabet title against the likes of Davey Moore or a Buster Drayton. Suggestions that we saw anything from him to beat the likes of Hagler, Duran, Leonard, McCallum are absurd. He beat guys like Epps, Maldonado, and Chiavarini and had his rough spots there. I think he would've smoked another limited bomber, Cuevas, who made a brief appearance at 154.

 

there was talk of pitting tony ayala against roberto duran back then. at the time, duran had just lost to kirkland laing in a huge upset. this was the first time duran's career was going somewhat downhill and the public was very interested in this fight. in fact, many people felt tony ayala would KO duran if they ever fought. well, the fight didn't happen because ayala was convicted of **** (what a stupid ass) so this matchup never happened. i am one of the few that felt duran had too much class and experience for the younger ayala and would have KO'd him in the mid-late rounds.

 

Excellent post. We know (almost, anyways) in hindsight that Duran would have come into a fight with Ayala in fantastic shape given the Moore and Cuevas insights. IMO he would have schooled Ayala.

 

Ayala gets kudos for **** all, on film he is sloppy and inaccurate and fought middling opposition at best. He was that generations James Kirkland I don't understand the nuthuggers on here for him.

 

No way Duran would've KO'd a bigger stronger man. Not at 154, Duran was too pudgy and didn't have the stamina he did at LW. Tony would've set a pace that Duran wouldn't have been able to keep up with for long. I am one of the few who feel that Tony KO's Duran, early-mid rounds.

 

I agree with the first sentence. But it is ludicrous not to think Tony wouldn't have beaten any of those guys. Duran...he was too fat at 154 and a natural LW. McCallum a good fighter, but didn't have the guns that Tony had. Leonard was a WW, and while he could hit, he didn't have the muscle to keep the bigger, stronger Ayala off him. Hearns could win, as he could KO anybody at any given time, but he also has glaring weaknesses that are made for a pitbull like Tony. Unlike Duran and Cuevas, Tony was also a natural 154 lber. IMO only Hagler had the tools to handle Tony Ayala.

Not that I don't respect your opinion, though.

 

laxpdx,

i know tony ayala was a great prospect! but at that time that's all he was. indeed the kid had alot of natural power and with very little experience compared to a duran. duran would have given him a nice little boxing lesson and possibly KO'd the stronger ayala. remember, duran was a great defensive fighter and would have studied and adapted to ayala's onslaught. duran was a master at ad******g to various opponents' styles. while ayala was a great prospect with alot of upside he wasn't in the same league of the great duran.

 

mccallum beat a far better puncher in Jackson, and Duran beat and dropped a strong guy up at 160 in Barkley. I can only assume your nuthuggery of Ayala is down to lack of knowledge, there have been countless better offensive fighters on film yet you continue to hype Ayala.

 

Ayala wasn't in the same league with Duran...yet.

The thing is, these characteristics that made Duran unbeatable for so long at LW are not nearly as sharp at 154. He's considerably heavier and tires much quicker. Roberto certainly had his moments here, but in no way dominant. Tony, meanwhile, is a natural at that weight, hits way harder and would just keep coming with a nonstop attack. He had punching power comparable to Hearns. Duran may showcase some defensive strategies early on, but power would ultimately rule the night as Tony's unrelenting onslaught wears Duran down.