I take Lopez. I recognize Chang is a great fighter and a favorite around here whereas Lopez isn’t (a favorite that is) but I think Lopez was such a good boxer, threw with accuracy and power it’s hard to imagine many fighters below flyweight beating him best vs. best. He’d need to create distance but he was creative, powerful and accurate so I think he’d get that respect. Close, hard fight. Probably a classic.
Chang gives him Finito absolute hell, a much tougher fight than what Rosendo Alvarez gave. I think a prime Chang would have been able to outwork and swarm Finito to a decision win.
We never truly saw Lopez struggle (Correct me If I am wrong it has been a bit) In his prime at all. Chang was great both are among my favourites but I have to go with Ricardo as the epitome of boxing.
I've always thought Chang would be a horrible H2H proposition for Lopez, given he's at his best (likely turns it into a maul fest or a KO loss otherwise). I think Chang would actually make Lopez's ultra fundamental style work for him, in a similar manner to Park making Canto betray his game plan and become confused within his Boxing. If Lopez found Alvarez challenging, he would be shocked by the ultra-talented and intuitive stylism of Chang. Chang was built to go through orthodox Boxer-Punchers. Chang also tested himself at a higher weight, against the best, even past prime. I doubt he would get KO'd, but he would most certainly have to watch the power, since Lopez, unlike Torres, would be able to put it together better. Going by resume, Chang by far has the higher calibre. Ohashi, one of Lopez's best wins, was beaten x2 by Chang years earlier. Wins like Chitalada or Zapata are better than Lopez's entire resume, both legacy wise and H2H. I just find it hard to pick Lopez when Chang consistently fought the best around his class whilst Lopez hung around a dead division for years and then struggled against the best man he faced. Honestly, I don't think this fight would be as exciting as people think. I think Chang would skirt around, constantly feinting in his bebop style, and pick his spots for a competitive but clear decision victory. If Lopez ever got him in trouble, Chang would probably consistently maul him and make it ugly. I could see it being an 8 - 4 type victory, probably 10 - 5 in a 15 rounder (which favours Chang's swarming late).
Not sure I ever saw Lopez "struggle" against anybody but Alvarez. And that was towards the very end of a 15 plus year career. And, Lopez had other good wins as well. He destroyed Sorjaturong shortly before Sorjaturong ended the career of Hall of Famer, Chiquita Gonzalez.
