This would have been a lightweight WAR, and its almost a certainty that one of them would get stopped. Rosario was the bigger puncher of the two, and was quicker and a better boxer, but Mancini was stronger, had a better chin, and Ray's punching power was good enough to hurt Rosario. The differance in this fight would be I think that Mancini just got hit too much, and Rosario's power at 135 was just unreal. Rosario TKO 6 in a war! BTW- Livingstone Bramble took everything Mancini could dish out in two fights and was never even hurt, yet Rosario blew Bramble away in 2 rounds like he was nothing. Rosario was a beast! He'd easily rule 135 if he was around today.
This would be a great match! Mancini was all heart, but he liked to rumble a little too much. Rosario hits just too hard. The effects would start to wear on Ray and the tide would turn in Rosario's favor in about the sixth or seventh round. Mancini's huge heart would probably let it go to about the tenth or eleventh. And then Edwin would close the show.
Rosario, when he was on, was way too much power puncher for the defensively porous Mancini. A brutal 2nd or 3rd round ko for Rosario.
Disagree. That elbows out style of Rosario is not a good defense against the kinds of punches Mancini throws. And Rosario was a guy that could be hurt in there & when he was he had a bad habit of backing up to the ropes to recover. That's the worst place to be when hurt against a Mancini & he'll just wing away with hooks and uppercuts until the bell sounds, or like I'm guessing, the ref steps in & stops the fight.
..............I agree with you. I see no way Rosario can win this if it goes past four. He simply wasn't resilient enough. I can envision Rosario taking Ray out early, that's a very definite possibility, but my guess is Ray will successfully smother the Puerto Rican and take away a lot of his leverage. Once inside, Rosario will be mauled. There's no way he can hang with Mancini inside for very long.
Pick'em fight for me, and I think we can all agree that the shorter the bout is, the more that favours Rosario and the longer it is the more that favours Mancini.
I third that. Mancini never got blated out early. Arguello couldn't do it, I don't see Rosario doing it. Mancini would punish him to the body and overpower him on the inside for a late stoppage. Styles make fights.
I love Ray, but this fight is all wrong for him. This isn't an Art Frias left hook he'd be staggering from, this would be an Edwin Rosario right hand that would take him out. And Ray's style was just too inviting. Scartissue
.............One of the best punchers ever at that weight, but he needed room to do it. That's one thing Ray rarely allowed. Like I said, I could also see Mancini flat on his back in this fight, but I would still give him the edge.
It's the Rosario defense with both elbows out that's the problem. That's why the guy never held onto the titles very long & was never going to. And he was less effective when he was the guy backing up & that Mancini workrate is double Rosario's & he starts that high intensity at the opening bell. And he will include body punches to those wide open ribs. Mancini often started upstairs and finsihed downstairs which is the perfect thing to do against an Edwin Rosario. A few of those from a guy that hits like Mancini & Rosario will have alligator arms just like he did in the Chavez fight.
My initial thoughts were that if the, by comparision, upright and plodding Jose Luis Rameriez Could drag Edwin into a tough brawl ist time round, and actually beat him 2nd time round, then the quicker Mancini should be able to do the same, As with Rameriez, Edwin may look cool and classy for the initial few rounds, but Mancini's pressure will i think pay off, If backed up constantly, and hurt Edwin seems to lose something, I think Edwin was a great "On Top" Fighter, but if he loses the inititive it will be hard for regain control and composure, Ray we know will battle to the last ounce of Energy, I think Ray circa 7th
This is why styles make fights. If we were to follow a chart and boxer A beat boxer B and B beat C then it makes sense that A beats C, but that is never the case. Ali always had hell fighting Norton, Norton gets blown away against Foreman but why doesn't Foreman take out Ali easly also? Mancini was perfect against Ramirez, who had a terrific jaw but was not a one punch banger despite his KO average. Ramirez would always give Rosario hell because he could handle Rosario's one-punch knockout drops and keep coming, but those big bombs would level a Mancini who had a good jaw against swarmers but not a great jaw. Rosario within 5. Scartissue
Whoever can maintain their gameplan will win. Tho I'd favor Rosario, I won't count out Mancini either.... Tuff fight, And a WAR! would be the best guess.
