Fenech was a monster. Its like he imposed his actual spirit on his opponents. Underrated skills too IMO. I need to watch more of Valdez. He looks very impressive to me, though slow feet.
Ah, well Villa ran into a guy who absolutely nullified him in Genaro. Genaro was actually a guy I really did think about but there's not enough footage I fear. I think Wilde's loss to him may be a little misleading, but Villa's definitely not a bad shout.
Based on Fitz record against swarmers and brawlers, I wouldn't put much chance on anybody brawling with him. At least within reasonable size difference. He dominated Sharkey twice, who was heavier and more powerful than him. He stopped the hardest HW puncher of his era twice, once destroying him in one round. His domination over Creedon and Ruhlin also proves my point (both tried to brawl with him).
Fenech had a great classic high guard, chin down defence on the way in, nearly always coming in behind accurate and well-timed punches. Very skilled fighter imo. Yeah, Valdez was slow of foot and fairly easy to turn and force a reset upon, but he was was an amazingly fluid punch-slipper and deathly explosive counter-puncher with great power and timing. Great from the waist up really, it's hard to imagine many if any middleweights doing him in in a firefight.
Good call on Fenech. I recall Victor Callejas tried brawling and fouling early with Fenech but Fenech responded with interest with some back alley street fighting tricks and quickly took over as Callejas went from brawler to a punch bag. Nelson also welcomed a brawl off the ropes in Las Vegas and lost that battle as well (judges decision not withstanding). Nelson learnt from that for the rematch, great fighter that he was, and was awake to Jeff's willingness to brawl also leaving him open coming in (which Payakaroon also briefly exploited until Jeff took his distance and destroyed him subsequently)
Ron Lyle came damn close but it was Foreman at arguably his worst and sloppiest in his first career and George still won that brawl so good call.