He was sort of the Billy Graham of his day. "Up there" and brilliant, but not really grasping the brass ring.
I'm pushing toward very good, particularly in ability. He had a strong well rounded game and very good technically. Very crafty, but with some pop. I think he could have got more out of his career, a couple of injuries and other things may not have helped.
at the very least, very good. IDK, I think he was just as good as some who would be considered great, but he just didn't seem to have that flash that some people like. Didn't he hold his own with Whitiker with just his left, as his right was injured? Or was it Tayler?
Other with his same skill level, even slightly worse are called great. His career I would say was very good. So I'll go in the middle... he was very very good
McGirt was a very good, if not, great fighter. Certainly more skilled than Winky Wright (who seems to be getting an unusual amount of love on this Forum lately). McGirt went neck in neck with a prime Pernell Whitaker, and only lost to great fighters before injuring his shoulder. He would certainly be a long reigning titleholder in today's era.
I think it was his bicept that was injured, it was like huge! I guess he pulled a muscle? So, I guess he was jabbing with his right throughout the fight?
Very, very good ability. 'Only' a good career and overall CV in the grand scheme of things, but that was in part down to Al Certo's unsavoury reputation and injuries. I like Buddy. He's an interesting character to listen to and his fights against Pernell (the first one, anyway) and Gary Jacobs were superb. And as for his total dissection of Simon Brown, it was one of the best wins and performances of that time. But I don't think anyone in good conscience could call him great. Taylor dominated him pretty badly, as did Pea in their rematch when, on the face of it, Buddy was in better physical nick than he'd been for the first fight. Certo's management and his injuries stunted McGirt's career, and without them it would have been a better one - but he just wasn't quite good enough to be great under any circumstances, for me.
Very good. He had the potential to be great but some injuries slowed his rise. I will always remember his performance against Simon Brown at Welterweight. It was boxing 101. Buddy used his full bag of tricks that night. At the time Brown was a hot fighter and McGirt pulled off an upset even dropped Brown with that snappy hook in the 11th.
