On talent alone was he one of the best junior -Middleweight ever, or did his vulnerability s keep him below the elite ?
Being starched by Julian Jackson is no crime, but a truly great fighter beats him (see McCallum, Michael), and he also doesn’t get tripped up and stopped by a somewhat shop-worn Simon Brown. He falls short of being great, as his temper and frailties could never quite be held in check.
Good question,Fergy. I have him as one of the best Light-Middles ever but still a rung ot two below the likes of Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard.
He's certainly Top 5 greatest fighter at 154 due to his title defenses. Underrated fighter but I'm not sure if I would put him in as an ATG. He was skilled and very gifted offensive fighter but his chin and hot headed mentality really holds him back as being considered a truly great fighter. Plus his best wins were fighters who were smaller and no longer at their best.
I think that's a fair assessment. Awesome talent. Really good fighter. But falls a bit short of being an all-time great. He had great skills and abilities, but his fight IQ, while not bad, sometimes left something to be desired. It was just okay.
Agree with you there pal. At his best, absolute speed demon and vicious with it.Had some really exciting fights. A lot younger Leonard beats him imo. Hearns,he could very well send him out the same way as Julian Jackson!
I'm trying to do a few thread's on the lower weight s, Stevie. The heavyweight s are getting plenty of attention and the lower weight guy's don't seem to get a look in.lol
I think Norris is a better technical fighter, when he boxed beautifully like in Brown 2 and earlier in his career against big punching future 160 pound champion Quincy Taylor he had the tools to beat most of the best light-middle champs. Problem he never did, got embroiled in wars, his dodgy chin was a real weakness. Vazquez was a tough warrior, good puncher and had more skills than he is credited with. I actually think the rugged Argentinean would comeback from an early rounds pasting to knock Norris clean out.
