Who takes this prime for prime at 135lbs, and would the result change if the fight were at 140lbs? Thoughts.
Does anybody think that Carlos Ortiz would just stand there in fromt of Chavez and get ground up like an ordinary fighter? Ortiz would have outclassed Chavez over the old 15 round distance like the master that he was. A clever, resourceful, classy and versatile fighter Ortiz, was beyond anyone Chavez ever fought. The brilliant fight that Frankie Randall fought against Chavez to win the crown would have been eclipsed by Ortiz at his best. Ortiz would have hurt Chavez and would have had him down a couple of times en route to a clear, unanimous decision. A rematch would have yeilded the same result. As far as a matchup at 140 is concerned, I don't know as much about Ortiz at this weight, but I'm still sure that he was the same versatile, brilliant fighter that he was at 135. Beating Chavez is quite an achievement, but Ortiz is comperable to any great fighter in the history of boxing, a guy who could do it all, a smart, ringwise all around great fighter back in the era of 15 rounds, which seperated the men from the boys. Ortiz could have and would have beaten Chavez.
About as close to a 50-50 fight as you'll find between two elite lightweights. I think both are very well rounded and have few weaknesses, and i go with Chavez to pull out a close decision only because I think his body punching is a tad better. If I was priveleged to watch this fight, and saw Ortiz winning it, I wouldn't be surprised in the least. Just two of the most solid fighters of all time.
This is why I made the thread. There's been a lot of threads about how Chavez fairs against Duran, and I personally (as most people apparently) feel Chavez would be a little out of his depth in that fight, he simply has no edge. Against Ortiz, Chavez is fighting a man very, very similar to him. Much more evenly matched, and neither man really has much of an advantage over the other.
Ortiz was the more versatile fighter in my view. The better out-boxer, with similar skills from mid to close range. I don't think Chavez would be imposing his will.
