Just re-watched this fight on youtube and was blown away, this fight had everything, both guys had the power to KO each-other. The fight had everything from beginning to end.
One of my favorite fights ever...Thank god Wilfredo was a little faded and underdone in that bout or it would never have been the ATG war it turned into. No disrespect to Lupe...It still would have been a brutally competitive fight but I just think Gomez would have controlled the fight better and thus it would have lacked a lot of the two way action we all enjoyed.
The fight took a lot out of both guys, especially Pintor; although to many people's surprise, both would become champions again.
As dominant as Gomez was at 122, this is the war which proved his heart and stamped his greatness, and like Frazier after the FOTC, he was never the same. In a losing effort, Pintor was finally able to surpass Zarate in a way, giving Wilfredo hell that Carlos only dreamed of inflicting. Unless the 15 round limit is restored, this is forever the greatest match in division history for me. For coming back from this carnage to become a champion again, Pintor may well eventually join Gomez in Canastota. (Hell, he has to. They're running out of options.)
Incredible intensity!! What always has stayed with me about this fight is the ref always yelling; Keep-em up Gomez:bbb Keep-em up Gomez:bbb He must have unloaded about 2 dozen+ low blows into Lupe's nuts & not a squawk out of Pintor:smoke
crazy how gomez's corner eventually had to pick him up and carry him at the end of the later rounds. the 3rd and 12th rounds especially are some of the best rounds you'll find in boxing.
Truly a great fight and one of my favorites of all time. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt3Om5g2WOE[/ame]
No question! one of the greatest fights that ive ever seen. The first great fight that i ever saw as a kid that didnt involve 'the big guns' (Ali, leonard etc video recorders, and access to the greats, wernt really about for most families back then). Another thing i'll say about Pintor is that hes a real class act. A year or two back, when the people of Merthyll (?) in Wales were erecting a statue of johnny owen (who,of course died after fighting Pintor), Pintor went over to Wales for the unveiling and stood alongside Owens' family. Fair play to all parties involved and showed what a true class act Pintor is.
Great great fight The thing that amazes me is that Pintor is walkign through everythign then all of a sudden just folds, the amount of punishment he took was crazy