ATG FLYWEIGHT TOURNIE: Round 1, Fight 1: Kane eliminates Canto on a Majority Decision!

Damn, what a match up!

On the snippets of film we have, Kane looks like a versatile puncher, but primarily an offensive fighter. He fought at a high tempo and forced people's backs to the ropes, he also looked to a be a fair counter puncher, and one who wasn't afraid to jump on opportunities. As a top 15 flyweight ever, he's obviously very dangerous and very capable.

That said, I think I favour Canto. Canto's lead whip into Kane's face on the way in, and his feet should let him stay safe, like normal. Kane's pressure would give Canto major headaches though, as the higher pace would mean Canto threw more, giving Kane more opportunities to land. Should he land clean and hard, he probably has the goods to take this one. However, Canto made a career of feasting on far superior competition and would imo, do so again.

A style like Kane's would probably get Canto to change his own offence up a little though. More aggressive, more power shots than just a jab, and less going on the inside. It'd either be a masterful performace, or a come from behind KO imo. 60/40 odds if I were to number it.

Canto UD15.

 

I too am going with Canto on a 15 round decision. I have always been a great admirer of the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh flyweights back in the day. Amazing how the first half of the 20th century, those 4 countries really were the hub of the division as McGrain said. Wilde, Lee, Lynch, Paterson, Warnock, Curran, Doran, Brown and of course, Kane. Damn! The nearest comparison I can find on the Canto record that would resemble Kane would be Martin Vargas, who was also a big banger like Kane and Canto handled him twice. But Vargas did not have Kane's height, which throws another point in the mix. Perhaps Betulio Gonzalez and Ignacio Espinal would be better comparisons. Both could box and both could hit. Funny how Espinal fought Canto so tight in their first two 10 rounders, but it seemed Canto solved him in their 15 rounder. It was similar for Gonzalez, sneaking home in their first encounter before Canto solved the equation. But that is a thinking fighter. One who solves the dilemma. Again, Canto, but not by much.

 

My basic overview.

Kane has the length advantage, but not that lengthy (in a Zapata sense) to make this a sheer mountain for the midget master Canto - at least not by itself. Kane's power is self explanatory, and he has an extremely aggressive work rate to back it up. I think my favourite Canto would begin by setting his tempo, the masterful slip-and-counter slick pace, and win nearly every round from the first to around the tenth, with Kane steadily working his way into the battle, possibly using his length and discouraging power to dismay Canto's lead abilities. From 11th onward, I believe Kane would land some very punishing, telling blows and ultimately score a telling KO over maybe the greatest Flyweight of all time.

Canto is, and should be, the 'scientifically' probable favourite to win, due to his supreme boxing skills and his absolute amazing run throughout his career. I was honestly going to pick him at first, but the more I thought of it the more Kane seemed to work his way into a win, and we all know how heart, seemingly erratic strategies, power and violent intangibles can influence even the most masterful of boxers, making them slip up (like Park also did to Canto). Kane was sneakier than some give him credit for.

Here is an archived article by Kane himself, which I was lucky to find as it is now defunct.
https://web.archive.org/web/20110201033208/http://nipperpatdaly.co.uk/peterkanearticle.htm

VERDICT: KANE KO14

 

Kane was too tall and powerful. Canto was short and a weak puncher even by the standards of a flyweight. A puncher at the extreme lower weights almost always has some skill. I can't see Canto hitting hard enough to bother Kane. Kane on points or later round TKO.

 

It's 3-2 for Kane, though?

 

@PhillyPhan69 @Tin_Ribs @Russell ?

 

I was going by the posts, me and scar for Canto, whereas it's you, rough and Mendoza have Kane. 3-2.

@roughdiamond you need to vote.

 

Ah. Done.

 

Sorry Matt, I've bottled it and levelled the poll off again like a spineless fecker. Went for the wee maestro by close decision where he has to move his arse off for the 15 but gets by. The in-depth posts sort of sum it up well both sides of the coin. Kane was formidable more gungho and aggressive than Avelar or Vargas and showed that he could land frequently enough on a great fighter with defensive savvy like wee Benny. Harder to lead around the ring and establish a middle range comfort zone against to slip and counter. Just not sure if he was quite nuanced enough to make the not always textbook aggression and size count. I dunno though. I can't make me mind up how much better or worse he was than Betulio, Oguma etc. Some bugger else with more bollocks needs to split the vote again.

On that note lads, how's everyone doing?

 

Canto won the Ring's All Time Flyweight Tournament.

 

I'm good myself, hope you are too. You gonna pop back for the rest of the tourney? Could be interesting.