Lopez was tough as nails, but no welterweight in the world wants to fight a peak Trinidad the way Lopez went at Quartey. Tito by TKO.
I'd give Lopez a better chance of beating Tito than Ike, Mosley, Forrest, Pac or Mayweather actually.... That said, I would probably still favour Tito to win by a late round ref stoppage.
You think Tito beats Floyd? Glad to see that as a lot of people seem to think that Floyd would school Trinidad in much the same way Oscar did with his superior skills plus his edge in speed of hand and foot. I've always thought it wouln't be so easy for Floyd as Tito was naturally a lot larger than Floyd and in his prime was determined, methodical and a brutal puncher both upstairs and down. Mayweather has never faced anything the calibre of the Tito of the Carr or Pendleton fights certainly not above 135 anyway. Personally I reckon Tito gets sold a bit short nowadays as in his 147 prime he was a beast, one of the best offensive fighters I've seen and a tough matchup for anyone except the absolute elite welterweights of all time. He'd beat Lopez without too many problems imo.
Yeah I've never been sold on Floyd's ability at 147, and as you say, Floyd hasn't fought anyone near as good as a prime Tito. I can see where people are coming from in thinking that Floyd wins though, because Tito is rather robotic and one dimensional, similar to how Corrales was, and Floyd toyed with him, but imo Tito is a lot stronger than Corrales and a better straight puncher with more power, stamina and reach. His chin is better too overall. But more importantly, Floyd is not as quick of hand and foot at 147 as he was at 130. Floyd would have to basically run for the whole 12 rounds because his arsenal isn't going to faze Tito once Tito adjusts to getting hit. At 147, I just don't think Floyd has the necessary movement to avoid Tito for the whole 12 rounds and avoid being taken out at some stage. He may be able to avoid the Baldomirs and the ancient Oscars and Mosleys, but not a prime Trinidad.
Yeah I'd agree with that for sure. The thing with Trinidad was his body attack (and even lower) was an essential weapon of his to break down and take away the legs of movers. I remember the Oba Carr fight and after being outsped and even dropped early Trinidad hammered Carr's ribs and balls until by the middle rounds Carr was virtually stationary and had to mix it up with Tito and soon after that the fight was over. Floyd's better than Carr but that was a textbook example of how Trinidad could deal with slick movers and end up destroying them. Floyd would be up against it and shoulder rolls or not he couldn't stand in the pocket with Tito and win and I don't think many could trade with him aside from a Robinson, Hearns or someone of that ilk.
I don't think mayweather controls the mid-distance and\or steps, or turns around fighters at ring-centre well enough to beat Tito at 147.Smaller size and physicality would see him on his bike not generating enough offense , or foolishly going to the ropes for breathers too much. As for Lopez, it could be dangerous if Tito takes him slightly lightly as i think there's a good chance if he gets caught enough to go down hurt, he'll soak up enough damage before recovering suffciently, that the fight will turn into a gruelling war of attrition where his chin and legs could see a possible upset. More likely he'll do what he did against Thiam etc and use his better skills, range and athleticism to awkwardly matador the more ponderous puncher, slowly landing enough shots for a stoppage or 8-4\9-3'ish decision.With a lot of relatively competitive rounds and maybe a few scares thrown in, but mostly staying a step or two ahead in controlling exchanges. Trinidad was adaptable and skilled enough to do what someone like Benn would also do when fighting a less talented, durable huge puncher.Probably similar to something like Benn vs Henry Wharton.
Tito a puncher is always at his best against a come forward fighter who will be in front of them there to exchange. Tito's speed and quality of punches sees them get their first Should be the other way round. All of them outbox him bar Mosley and Pac who likely brawl with him in a who lands first scenario. Tito's wasn't the best at applying effective pressure or cutting off the run. DLH when he wasn't doing his 10seconds of flurrying was doing a poor man's Mayweather. Maybe he stands a chance against Forrest who wasn't the best going backwards.
Tito would knock Forrest out within 8 rounds imo. Forrest doesn't have the chin to stand up to the shots of Tito. He may be up a couple of rounds when he gets stopped, but he'd never last the distance with Tito. Quartey would outbox Felix for however long it lasts but with his tendency to drop the right after popping the jab, it's only going to end badly for Ike facing the left-hook-happy Trinidad. Add in Quartey's tendency to fade and it's almost a lock for the marathon runner. IMO the DLH who faced Trinidad is a superior fighter (at welterweight at least) to Floyd Mayweather, with a much better rhythm breaking jab. Oscar flurries and still couldn't get many punches off against Trinidad. Mayweather will have a hard time winning rounds with his workrate if he similarly does a one-punch-and-run routine.
Forrest you have a point, Tito may have a pace that's difficult and he has the power to do it. However whenever he throws them Forrest's jab and right will land and he can punch. Who's to say Forrest can't KO Tito? Quartey is a mirror image of Winky Wright, you have a point about him at times dropping his right. But other than Hopkins and maybe Winky, Quartey is the best defensive fighter Tito's been in with, best jab Winky aside. I'm not counting a Whitaker who's reflexes and legs weren't what they were. There's always a chance Tito lands some of his big punches but Quartey has never been stopped and he'd fight back pretty effectively when hurt. I can see the argument that Delahoya is better than FMJ on the front foot, no way on the back foot though and his jab that night against Tito was usually a timid flick on the backfoot. Against Trinidad Delahoya didn't counter punch as you're supposed to on the back foot he flurried then ran and put out a weak jab. The movement though and radar was enough to largely nullify Trinidad. Now the faded 2012 Mayweather, I'd give Trinidad a shot against, but I don't even see that as given with the styles. Forrest though, I'd probably pick over Mayweather, Mayweather doesn't like to come inside against taller men
