I'm talking about the best Whitaker in the division Chavez was best at. I've heard a few people say that Chavez was already on the decline, and thus, the version Whitaker beat was past his best weight and past his best. So, which version of Chavez do you think beats Whitaker at his best. Or does no version beat him?
If Chavez wouldn't have moved up to LW, and after losing to Ramirez Whitaker was offered a shot at the then SFW champion in Chavez, he might have been just drained enough for Chavez to pound out a decision.
I think if they fought at lightweight in 1988, Chavez had a shot to win. Whitaker was still not quite at his prime, yet. Still, it would have been nearly a pickem fight . By '89 Chavez had moved up in weight. Whitaker stayed at lightweight until 1992. By the time he beat Pineda in '92 I think he had enough to beat Chavez. I think if Whitaker moves up to fight Chavez at any time between '89 and '91 he would have beaten Chavez. Yes, I think the fight happened too late. It was also marred by the fact Chavez had to move up to 147 for the fight when he had never really fought at threat weight. Whitaker wasn't really at this best at 147 lbs, either.
Don't ask Seamus that. All you will get is a big speech about what Whitaker held a holistic advantage, Chavez did enough to win 6 rounds. Not that I disagree with the necessarily, btw, just that when you've been posting for the best part of a decade you get used to what's gonna be posted. I find after an initial couple of years, people's opinions rarely change that much.
Why would the older former S / Feather NEED to beat Whitaker, when the naturally bigger, younger Pernell showed he couldn't beat JC when they did fight? Seems similar to the stupid Lewis / Vitali rematch threads to me. Whitaker had his chance against a guy older, smaller, and slower than him, but blew it.