Can you make a top 10 P4P case for Rigondeaux?

No chance, for me.

But I'm not sure I'd go that far.

 

Gamboa would be in there on talent, but his record is shite.

It's not likely to get any better in the forseeable either, fighting Rocky Juarez of all people, the ultimate loser at world level. So it's likely to be the back end of this year before he fights again, with no guarantees it'll be against anyone good.

What a waste :-(

 

Gamboa seems very high there.

 

Wonjongkams legacy is so meh though.

Rhino; Bob Arum doin' his usual atsch

 

The bottom half is very hazy for me, tbh. There are six fighters I'd have in those 5 spaces - with Wladimir Klitschko being the other - and I could move anyone from 6-10 around at the moment. I should probably give more thought to it and have a more comprehensive list and reasoning for the rankings, but I'm Scottish - comprehension and rationalisation are not my strong points.

Actually, I suppose Gamboa is a bit high there...

 

I'd say he has a better overall record and was more impressive against his best opponent than what Rigo was.

 

1. Mayweather
2. Pacquiao
3. Marquez
4. Donaire
5. Ward
6. Klitschko
7. Martinez
8. Bradley
9. Wonjongkam
10. Mares/Gamboa/About 5 others

I'd probably come up with a different one every time, but I'd imagine it'd always be pretty similar to the above.

I don't think it's all that superior, personally, and I've never really rated Sithsamerchai. I don't consider him a superior fighter to Cordoba in all honesty. I always felt he'd get battered pretty comprehensively by the real top guys at straw(Gonzalez, Joyi), he has far too many flaws defensively and no truly noteworthy tools to make up for them, I always felt that if you gave a guy at fly/super fly Sithsamerchai's talent he'd just be an average fringe contender-level kind of fighter. Cordoba was never really an established elite 122 pounder and is still more proven than Kittipong, who had looked poor into the run up to the Ioka defence anyways.

I'd concede that Hernandez is better than Ramos though, but that doesn't make a huge amount of difference considering Rigo's a better fighter than him Ioka in terms of talent. Segawa and Kunishige had alright looking records but in truth they really weren't up to much.

 

Gamboa - Rocky Juarez is an awful fight I agree

 

I knew I'd posted a P4P Top 10 at some point on here before...

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10352175#post10352175

Floyd only fought once in 2011, granted, but I still have him at #1 and that's that. I guess saying I'd have Wlad go from #4 down to not even making the top 10 is drastic, but I did.

I'd drop Segura out as I don't think 2011 was a great year for him. He won the Calderon rematch at light-flyweight, had a nothing bout at super-flyweight, and then was stopped by Vilora at flyweight. I like Viloria, but wouldn't have him in any P4P discussion - though Miranda and Segura are good wins for him.

I'd drop Froch out too. I guess, tbh, I just moved Gamboa up by default. He doesn't belong in the top 5. I guess I'd have him anywhere between #6 and #'8 tbh.

And I did consider Mares as well, along with one or two others. The top 5 was a doddle for me, but after that it gets trickier!

 

I wonder if Bob Arum will go down the Allegedly route of "never been stopped" to hype up Juarez as a genuine test for Gamboa at 135lbs?

I honestly thought it was Rocky Martinez he was fighting, as when the fight was first announced some sources close to Gamboa were rubishing that it was Rocky Juarez as his opponent. I like Gamboa - obviously - but I'd laugh my head off if Juarez got a draw or win here. I hate matchmaking like this.

 

If he fights and beats Nishioka, I would gladly stick him in the top 10. Until he fights another top 122 pounder though, he isnt in my top 10.

 

Juarez has been stopped now I think......

 

He has? I thought the Litzau loss was a technical decision?

 

It's not that superior, no, but I still think it's better overall than Rigo's record. I also think Cordoba is the better fighter than Oleydong, but the manner in which they were defeated levels things up a bit for me (and in no way did I think the Cordoba fight was a split decision).

You also say that Segawa and Kunishige weren't up to much? Well, Kunishige was unfortunate not to be Japanese champion at the time of his fight with Ioka, whilst he was still world ranked with the WBC/WBA. He also had a valiant effort against Edgar Sosa despite being outgunned and held good wins over Ken Nakajima, Katsumi Makiyama and, as aforementioned, was unfortunate not to hold at least one win over the-then Japanese champ Munetsugu Kayo. Despite not having a punch, he is a tricky operator to work out and certainly a decent scalp on Ioka's record.

As for Segawa, he took the unbeaten record of the highly regarded Ryoichi Taguchi (recent winner of the JBC's eliminator tournament for a title opportunity) and has some other decent domestic victories. He has been ranked in the top 10 in Japan for the last six years, including being number one before his fight with Ioka (as well as number one with the OPBF). Didn't have the best 2011, but another good win for Ioka.

Plus, some of his lesser wins are decent. Scoring a second round stoppage over veteran domestic gatekeeper Hiroshi Matsumoto is impressive, especially when you factor in that he took Roman Gonzalez the full ten round distance a year before. Although Ioka didn't have the best two last rounds against Heri Amol (including being dropped in the 9th), he decisively won the rest of the fight against a tough gatekeeper. Even his win over Albert Alcoy is enhanced by the fact that Alcoy beat Philippines prospect/contender Roli Gasca in his previous fight.

Like I say, it's close, but Ioka is the winner for me here. If my P4P list was more subjective towards ability/potential, then Rigo would be higher in that case.

Neither would be in my top 20 :good