Greg Peralta Vs Bert Whitehurst

On the basis that you do not have to match great fighters to produce and intriguing fight, dipping into the “Good Boxer” pool for a change, how about two boxers who were indeed good, on their night, Greg Peralta and Bert Whitehurst both might have achieved a cruiserweight title if one (– or four !) had been around then.

Greg was an excellent Lt Heavy before jumping up to take on some of the Big Boys with mixed fortunes, Points Losses and Draws with Bonavena and Lyle showed Greg was no easy nights work for anyone, Greg did prosper (compared to Bert) for having a good career guidance, proper training and many fights on the happy soil of Argentina and Spain

Bert on the other hand had little by way of Career Guidance, and was in fact something of a high class journeyman, A have bag will travel merchant, often pulled in without adequate Prep, Bert who was studying for Medical Exams often had to take what was given, his record is not statistically good, and often does not reflect his “with Preparation” capabilities

Having to cross swords with such as Moore Johnson and Machen was probably never going to increase the “W” column but Bert had his moments.
What links Greg and Bert in my mind was their amazingly similar results against amazingly similar opponents Sonny Liston and George Foreman, Both Sonny and George were bowling over opponents like skittles on both their respective marches to the Title, until they ran into Bert and Greg who were unwilling to fold like the other intimidated sacrificial lambs.

Both Sonny and George had to go the Full 10 to beat Bert and Greg, and whilst Bert and Greg lost they were competitive. So rematches were arranged so that Sonny and George could write this wrong and restore their destructive images, - again Greg and Bert, went 10 rounds, with Greg being stopped with only 8 seconds left, and Bert arising from a knockdown at the final bell, Losses again, but if they were not dragon slayers they were certainly Dragon stayers ! and also similarly both Bert and Greg were both giving away 20lbs to Sonny and George. ! If only they’d had a cruiser title to go for what might have been ?

So one for the “Good Guys” not great, - The Bert Whitehurst of Liston fights Vs the Greg Peralta of Foreman fights

 

Hi McGrain, Yes that old Generational Allegiance can persist, but there are many old sage's around here who perhaps will have an opinion based on unbiased Viewings ? we shall see. But i am a believer in that you do not need to match great fighters to produce a good/interesting fight.