Boom Boom Mancini vs Livingston Bramble

You would think so, but on paper he should have slaughtered the slower Ramirez as well.

One of those fights that could just as easily end in Rosario underwhelming and being run neck and neck, as it could an early blowout for him imo.

He should win though.

 

Ray wasn't as durable as Ramirez, and Ramirez was able to nail Chapo with a left hand which Chapo walked into and never saw coming.

You are correct. The fight isn't a lock, but common sense tells you that Chapo would have knocked Boom Boom out.

Mancini's wide open defense would have made for an easy target for Chapo's counters.

Rosario's power was pretty frightening.

 

True, Ramirez was the sturdier of the two and Rosario did seem to have him figured out until he got over-aggressive and his poor recovery skills let him down.

mancini could be hurt, but had lots of heart.Probably better on the whole against boxers rather than punchers though.

 

I think a BETTER matchup would have been Mancini vs Corrales. Now THAT would have been a war, and it's debatable who would have came out on top.

I consider Rosario to be a cut above both Mancini, and Corrales though.

 

I'd favor Rosario over Mancini too, but don't believe it's clear cut. Arguello was a huge puncher also and it took him 14 rounds to get mancini. Additionally, Rosario's style left him open to body punches and Mancini was one of the best at it. I think if Mancini could get Rosario into the later rounds (a big if), Rosario has some problems.
I also think Mancini in his prime was a slight cut above Corrales.

 

I used to believe Rosario's power + Mancini's porous defense = Automatic KO for Rosario. I no longer think it's that clear cut either. The way to beat Rosario, as we've seen, it to crowd him, which Mancini could do with the best of them. He was also a much faster starter than Ramirez, which could have been part of the reason Ramirez got dumped on his ass twice in the rematch.

 

Just because Chavez crowded Rosario, doesn't mean Boom Boom could.

It goes without saying but, Chavez was a light year above Mancini.

Rosario had enough power to starch Mancini early. Bramble was thought to have the best chin in boxing when he fought Chapo, and got starched in 2. And Rosario hurt Camacho worse than ANYBODY did with one left hook.

Boom Boom would only walk into but so many Chapo counters before ending up on his back.

 

I think you're giving Chapo juuuuuust a bit too much credit. By the conventional wisdom then, Howard Davis (who was as chinny as they come) should have been mortally wounded by this beast. He not only went the full 12, he damn near won and despite being featherfisted, almost floored Rosario early on.

 

Howard Davis however was an easier target to find than Mancini.

Mancini would be walking right INTO Chapo's bombs.

Not a wise idea, unless you have the unreal chin that Chavez had.

Mancini's chin is what's getting too much credit IMO.

 

Not saying I couldn't envision Rosario knocking him out. Extremely possible, but I think objectively and stylistically, one couldn't consider it a lock at all.

 

And I agreed with that 3-4 posts ago lol.

 

He wasn't that difficult to find against Rosario - he actually stood in front of him and backed him for much of the fight, and even stood in the pocket with him at times. Rosario was simply too cautious after being buckled early in the fight to let his hands go.

Rosario was unquestionably a big puncher, but his fights with Ramirez and Davis revealed a certain lack of versatility and resilience IMO. If he couldn't simply bomb-out an opponent early, as he later did to Bramble, he had trouble remaining focused and was vulnerable to being outworked. Those fights also raised questions about his chin IMO.

To claim that "Rosario would have slaughtered Mancini" is banking a lot on an early KO IMO - something not even Arguello could get against Mancini.

 

I would question either of those statements as well.

Rosario probably had the most natural talent of the three, but he was probably the least durable and resilient as well. IMO, his inability to beat Ramirez or Davis decisively weighs heavily against him, and his KO loss to Ramirez was arguably the most embarrassing loss any of these fighters suffered while in their primes.

 

Just finished the Mancini book which was very good+watched these 2 fights.The 2nd fight was a ******* a really gruelling close fight.

How the hell wasn't bramble stripped after testing positive for a banned stimulant?
Instead he was fined $15,000 + Duva $5,000

 

Mancini did stop Bramble in his tracks with lead rights several times in the rematch after having no such affect in the first bout, that made me wonder if the punches Livingston had taken during his career were starting to take a toll. Up until then he often said he had a coconut head and punches had no effect on him. Partially due to this I wasn't surprised when Rosario later blew him out.