Several interesting matchups. Farhood has the big men from 1971 dominating, and the mid-sized and small fighters from '91 way ahead. Any of these seem way off? Steve Farhood, “The Battle of the Champions: 1971 vs. 1991,” KO (June 1991) Heavyweights: Holyfield vs. Frazier (Frazier, tko13) Light heavyweights: Prince Charles Williams vs. Bob Foster (Foster ko2) Middleweights: Mike McCallum vs. Carlos Monzon (Monzon UD) Junior Middleweights: Terry Norris vs. Carmelo Bossi (Norris UD) Welterweights: Simon Brown vs. Billy Backus (Brown tko7) Junior Welterweights: Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Nicolino Locche (Chavez UD) Lightweights: Pernell Whitaker vs. Ken Buchanan (Whitaker SD) Junior Lightweights: Azumah Nelson vs. Hiroshi Kobayashi (Nelson UD) Featherweights: Antonio Esparragoza vs. Kuniaka Shibata (Esparragoza SD) Bantamweights: Orlando Canizales vs. Chucho Castillo (Castillo UD) Flyweights: Sot Chitalada vs. Masao Ohba (Ohba wins by DQ, in a fight he was losing)
I disagree with the Featherweight prediction (I think Shibata is hugely underrated and would out-skill and outspeed Esparragoza, he is a higher class fighter despite sometimes being less than the sum of his parts. He also had better wins and a better career. Esparragoza would have to KO him to win - he isn't boxing with Shibata). I also don't think Frazier would stop a prime Holyfield, though I do think he would win in a great fight. The Flyweight DQ prediction is weird. I would personally pick Ohba to win a decision in a very tough, tit for tat fight. Both long skilled fighters - Ohba had the better comp and experience whereas Sot was very dominant and much, much bigger re-hydration wise but was also inconsistent performance wise. Both had ATG lead hands. Either is acceptable imo and I am flip flopping on it. All the others I agree with.
