Kid Gavilan Luis Rodriguez Jose Napoles Three all-time great Cubans and welterweights. Who comes out on top H2H?
Thanks man. No doubt Gavilan and Napoles are greater at ww overall. Thing is, H2H I think Rodriguez could come out on top.
I’d pick Rodriguez. I have an old copy of The Ring where they polled Hank Kaplan, Angelo Dundee and Emile Griffith and all three picked Rodriguez over Napoles in a MM. Enrique Encinosa, the Cuban historian who wrote “Hard leather” (excellent book BTW) said he’d pick Rodriguez and Gavilan over Napoles. He said all three plus Chocolate had a great case for being #1 from Cuba but he personally picked Rodriguez as his #1. Rodriguez and Napoles both could crack and take a shot so the only danger of stoppage is with Napoles skin. Napoles was the smoother and better pure offensive technician but Rodriguez has a big advantage in lateral movement, speed of foot, height and reach. Rodriguez and Gavilan would be close all the way and very busy. It would be hard to separate them but slight edge to Luis with his counters and his jab. Napoles-Gavilan? Flip a coin. Tempted to lean towards Napoles but couldn’t call it. Take cuts out of the equation I think Napoles would score the cleaner shots in a really close fight.
