In his prime Fletcher could take ALOT of punishment, & if The Animal can get Briscoe into the late rounds, he might have a shot. That is were Fletcher did his best work.
I think Fletcher was not a full-size middleweight. Briscoe tangled with the best big middleweights. Going with Bad Bennie by late TKO.
A few People forget that Bad Bennie had a Punishing Jab that he used to come in Behind, so it would not surprise me if Bennie Dominated the Mid Range, Up Close and Personal was also Bennie's Game, With Frank we must not confuse Exciting with Effective, Frank had Life and death Struggles wit everyone of any degree of Talent, From Clint Jackson, Sabeter, Hard Rock Green, Anthoney Braxton, Singleterry, ect Frank had to put it all on the line to overcome these guys, Bennie is a class above, Being pounded by that Jab, and Outfought o the Inside, Frank may be forced into the New position of being forced onto his Back Foot The Prey not the Predator... But Frank was tough and would give it his all, but does get insulted if you miss him, And Bennie is not a guy that you want to be punding on you Consistently, Even a young Hagler used his Footwork to Matador Bennie, and this Option is not Available to Frank... I think Bennie's Jab Closes one of Frank Right Eye, And with Frank not seeing Bennies Left-feild Jab's and Hooks he is Gradually Battered to a Stumbling wreck Circa 9th and the Ref Intervenes Frank Brave and Exciting, But Baaad Bennie is a big Step up from the Lt-Middle Hard Rock Green's of this World that Frank Feasted on.
MGUNZ48 - Not sure If Bad Bennie and the Animal were ever part of the philly Gym Wars thing, ? Although could it of been Frank and Curtis Parker ? I seem to Remember something About Curtis being something of a Drednought in Sparring,
Is this the article you were referring to AREA 53? http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=2061&more=1 Briscoe wins this one inside the distance eventually backing Fletcher to the ropes where he goes to serious work on the inside. Bennie was definitely a class or two above Fletcher though it would be an entertaining fight, but then what Fletcher fight wasn't?
Fletcher and Briscoe were the same fighters physically and stylistically, but Briscoe was much better. The critical difference here is durability: Fletcher could be hurt and beaten down. Briscoe was extremely difficult to hurt. "Bad Benny" also had advantages over Fletcher in experience and ring savvy. It's hard to say if Briscoe would have beaten Fletcher inside the distance. Even though Benny could hit and he scored many kayoes, he also often beat his foes down over the distance to win on points. In the end, Briscoe beats Fletcher in a big way, either by stoppage or by a wide decision.