yes, 175 wasn't jones' best weight but i'd take your bet in a second on this fight. saad was exciting to watch but i see him being bludgeoned in this match.
Saad was much more than just "exciting to watch". That is a rookie statement to make. The man's skills get so overlooked by the casual fan it's sickening. Jones never faced anything like him at Lt. Heavy; a long, strong boxer-puncher with exceptional offensive skills, massive power, and fantastic instincts. If there's a type to deal with Jones, that's it.
I think outside of Loughran being robbed against Tunney (I will stick with the Philadelphia Inquirer verdict), this would be the 2nd fight I would love to see him in. This should be a brilliant chess match, and xtremely close....or so I thought. It seems thatmany more see a Conn win than I would have excpected. I would have thought more of a 50/50 poll.
Loughran boxed Baers ears off, whipped a young Braddock, and made Dempsey look bad in sparring leading up to the Tunney fight (and of you know how Dempsey treated his sparring partners you would be even more impressed). I think he has even odds of equaling what Conn did. Brilliant boxer, ATG jab, tough and clever. Real pick 'em fight. Also I think we're looking at this wrongly if we look at who was better at beating heavyweights. How Conn and Loughran did against boxers, stylist, and movers would probably be more revealing.
And that's were it gets complicated. Conn's most impressive feat against stylists was his competitive set with a prime 50 fights more experienced Yarosz, who, like Loughran, was a tricky SOB with no punch who worked extensively behind the jab and was very good at tying his man inside. Their set went 2-1 to Conn officially, though his two were SDs one of which was a highly unpopular decision. Hardly conclusive. Loughran's best stylist opponents I know of were Tunney and Jack Delaney. He also fought both when he was green and was also very competitive against them (fought Tunney to a controversial draw some thought he won and Delaney on a set that ended 0-1-1). Not that conclusive either. The reason I'm giving a shade to Conn is cause the style he showed against Louis was not the only one he knew (he could box smoothly from the outside) so I think he could do well enough from the outside and get the better in close. UD Conn for me.
I love this series but the decisions were a raging controversy. To Billys credit he was very young and pre prime. Yarosz was arguably past peak with a torn up knee. Billy always said Yarosz was unhittable.