For me there are two fighters, that thrilled me the most... 1.The early Rocky Graziano before Zale,was the most heart stopping fighter I ever saw...Watching his slugging brawls, was akin to watching a wild street brawl...The dead end kid... 2. Beau Jack who sold out MSG about SEVEN times one year in the early 40s...Bolo punches, hooks, crosses etc.A Dynamo,was Beau Jack...
For this generation, probably Matthew Saad Muhammad, and Aaron Pryor.Marvin Johnson is up there also.
On second thought GP, those guys may have been right up there with Rocky..Chacon especially was a career-long exciting fighter..a guy all boxing fans should appreciate.
Chacon is definitly up there with Graziano, can you think of a boring Chacon fight? His most boring fight is probably, ironically, his bout with Arguello. And Arguello is never in dull one either, even the first Fernandez fight was amazing.
You know something GP, I just recently read a good article in the S.I. Vault on the 1st Fernandez-Arguello bout, now that you mentioned it..quite interesting from my viewpoint, as to how Villomar sprung, at that time a mild upset..and how he used good, sophisticated footwork as part of his defensive strategy in winning that fight. I was thinking of bringing it up as a thread topic, as I'm quite fond of defensive boxers using their strategies and tactics in upsetting big punchers. Quite a job Sr. Fernandez did in that fight, tho the great AA got him back in the rematch. On topic, you're right about Chacon..the Schoolboy was a thriller, a real gladiator, along with another compatriot of his that I'd like to mention, Bazooka Limon.
I think I have read that article. But Fernandez fought a hell of a fight, he was brilliant the best he ever fought IMO. Limon is brilliant to watch just pure thuggery in the ring.
I think it was Raging_Bull who descrimed him as a drunken ****** throwing punches, to describe his technique, I may be wrong, but it was apt