Why did n't Eusebio Pedroza move up throught the weights ?

Arguello grew in to 135, fought well at 140 and was contemplating a fight (ill advised) with Leonard at 147. He was a bigger man than Pedroza and grew into the weight over several years. Pedroza wasn't growing anywhere. He was a career featherweight. Do I think he could have fought fairly effectively at 135? Yeah, sure. I just don't think he would have gotten it done against Arguello. And yes, I agree Pedroza is a notch above Watt. Watt went tooth and nail with Ken Buchanan (maybe not peak). I'm not prepared to say Pedroza could have been better at 135 than that version of Buchanan and Buchanan could bring a lot of the same stuff to the table as Pedroza would, and again, Buchanan was the naturally bigger man. As for a speed advantage, if pedroza carried his speed well to 135 (a big if), Watt handled Howard Davis, probably faster than Pedroza (albeit not as good a fighter) and certainly a bigger man.
I think Pedroza could have picked off a Claude Noel or an Art Frias for a 135 title.

 

Could see Pedroza maybe beating a Navarette, or Chacon, but a Boza-Edward, or Verderosa may have given him problems, not to mention a Camacho, or Rosario.

 

Questions such as the OP's are a mark of the times, I suppose. Nowadays, with "world titles" meaning almost nothing anymore, the only way to gain real cache' and glory in boxing is to continually jump weight in search of multiple titles. A world title actually meant something in Pedroza's time, and defending it as many times as possible was considered to be kind of a good thing . Now, every HBO-backed prospect at every weight is destined to be assigned some belt of some kind.

The playing field is just different now.

 

Weight-division jumping is overrated.

 

Exactly this.

I rate holding a top spot in his division for 7 years much more important than jumping weights and beating Claude Noel or somone similar.

 

Yes Pedroza was on the way down when Barry got him, but he went out on his shield, a tough, proud man ,and a fine champ ,he took his title on the road and still won .A mean SOB between the ropes, he asked no quarter and gave none, a modern day Saddler.
" I am a champion and champions don't cry".

I give him a great shot againt Sanchez, one of the greatest of fights ,we didn't see.

 

I admire the **** out of Pedroza for doing something like that...he didn't get to be the great, proud champion that he was without thinking that very thing. It was just his time to go vs McGuigan..I believe that he was a better champion than Barry...though I was a fan of mcGuigan...and I think he would have beaten the Irishman a few years earlier.

 

Yes...very....some great champions like Monzon, Pedroza, and Hagler, to name a few...proudly and wisely stayed right where they were and racked up the defenses.

 

Eusebio was talented, but the most he could have gone to, like Sanchez, was the 130 pound title.Too much talent out there that could beat him.