Am I alone in thinking that prime for prime, Oscar beats any version of Chavez from LW-JWW? No doubt that was a faded version of The Beast from Culican, but the result of this fight was so decisive that I can't help but think Oscar dispatches even a prime JCC. Am I overreaching?
I think Chavez always has fits with Oscar. There's a significant size disparity there, and couple that with Oscar's hand speed and proven toughness, I actually think Hoya beats a prime Chavez, too. Don't kill me, Classic.
Same. For me someone like Meldrick Taylor is a cut under Oscar from a toughness, power, and skill perspective, and judging from that fight i think Oscar would school him pretty bad, not just in a sweet pea style outboxing show but a pretty legitimate beating.
To be fair to Chavez, Oscar is a true 147-154lbs fighter. A lot bigger than Chavez, and when you couple that with his speed, skill, and toughness, I really find it hard to believe that Chavez could win this one. Even at his brilliant best.
I think you could say that in some respects he was better, but DLH overall has the more complete package. Taylor was better on the inside and threw higher punch combos. He could also be a solid body puncher when he put his mind to it. On the outside though I think Hoya was a cut above, he has a fantastic lead and better footwork for my money. He threw damaging, heavy combinations at those lower weights too. Maybe in terms of size he belongs at those divisions, but I think most people will agree his best weight was at 140, he really is a nightmare for anyone between 35-40 H2H.
That's what I meant. Compare the size of Oscar to the other greats of Junior Welterweight. Pryor? Tsyzu? Hatton? Chavez? Size isn't always a sure sign of victory, but when you have that in addition to the ability Oscar possesses, and the speed of hand? It's all stacked up against Chavez here.
outside game doesn't matter. de la hoya fought more effectively on the outside than chavez but chavez was far more technically competent
Word? If so then how did Whitaker-Chavez end up the way it did (bull**** decision aside)? There was infighting in that bout but a great deal of Whitaker's success certainly wasn't at that range.
Dlh had speed power and good movement even though he was a one armed fighter. He would have always troubled Chavez
because whitaker was a more versatile technician than chavez. de la hoya can't ever approach the level of complexity at which whitaker operated. de la hoya thrived athleticism and speed
Defensively speaking.... Chavez was pretty well rounded offensively. Whitaker could have more success against a guy who boxed from the outside because he was so difficult to hit and setup on.
It is worth noting that at lightweight, Oscar should have less durability than we usually attribute to him. Like most fighters who cut weight severely, he seemed to be more easily stunned than at welterweight and junior middleweight. This might factor in gravely in a war with prime Chavez. Oscar has all the physical tools to get a good-sized UD, but it might all be for nothing if he can't go a grueling 12.