How Good Was (or could've/should've been) Jeff Fenech

Dave Sands anyone?

 

Sorry, and you are right, but of course I'm mearly just a serious Fan/researcher and by no means historian.

and thank God too, because that also is a more honest approach when compared to 'some' of the fellas that are 'called' historians or think they are.

yes, of course Dave Sands, another reason lists are BS, because not only do too many get overlooked, but even obvious ones can be forgotten too.

 

I highly recommend watching these fights in this order; Steve McCrory, Samart Payakaroon, Callejas, Marcos Villasana (if you only watch one, make it this fight), Azumah Nelson I.

That should give you an indication of Fenech on top form at different stages of his career, and he does undergo changes due to wasted hands, and you'll see how his chin erodes over time due to wars with top class opposition.

Very talented fighter though, could box, accurate right hand when it wasn't mangled and a very quick two handed swarmer with a non-stop engine.

 

basically if you lace up the gloves, thistle will call you a great.

 

Fenech was a world class fighter with a "come at you" brawling style on a highly skillful level. He was similar to Roberto Duran both in skill and as far as his boxing style is concerned. He was very very good.

 

i've seen you rank, write off and downplay fighters you don't personally rate on here plenty.as much as anyone else does.

Enough of this holier than thou pish.

I think most posters on here know fine well there have been hundreds and hundreds of fine fighters that can compete with almost anyone on their day.

It's only a minority that seem to think boxing only goes to about 20 or 30 great fighters and a few of the glamour divisions.

 

Well, I'd always thought he'd be more of a pure boxer. A few things; some of those Kronk guys around that time, Milton MCrory is a good enough example, where not quite the talents they were touted to be, or maybe had the Kronk sparring mentality ingrained in their DNA a bit too much. While the little McCrory's Gold medal would seemingly dispel such a criticism, the few times he tries to get on his bike a bit Fenech cuts him off and hammers away. I actually think he did alright on the inside in the early stages, was cute enough to deflect some of Jeff's work, but agreed, terrible thing to continue with, unless he fought Jeff's stamina would fade due to the weight. Which it didn't, he got his second wind and was savage down the stretch. Beforehand Manny Steward protested vehemently that Jeff did not make weight. Fenech was incredibly weight weakened at that point, and had rehydrated earlier as he thought the fight was being cancelled so he found it hard to get back down again. That's his excuse anyway.

Fenech is an awful matchup for light hitters. Saying this, McCrory did stun him in the sixth. Good fight though eh? And a meaningful win for Fenech too.

Jerome Coffee bout is a better example of a top amateur taking the right approach with Fenech and still losing over 15.

As for it resembling the first Nelson fight, you'll find this a lot with Fenech, even with bigger stronger guys, he was an expert of forcing his fight on his man, turning them, drubbing them relentlessly, head and body, rapid-fire combos. He did sometimes hold his head up and keep it static when he flurried with straight punches, something which would prove problematic as his durability eroded.

Enjoy the Villasana fight. After you watch the Payakaroon fight let me know your thoughts and chuck any questions at me, I know a fair bit about that fight, and others have got fond memories of it as well (was sorta' supposed to be like a little weight Leonard-Hearns unbeaten super fight from what I can gather)

 

A couple of Fenech fights to avoid...Greg Ricardson and John Farrell. Avoid the Richardson fight as it's embarassing watching a superflyweight in Richardson trying to fight a big superbantam. And avoid the Farrell fight because you'll feel so sorry for Farrell it may put you off boxing forever

Besides the suggestions already mentioned previously, a good one to watch is the Daniel Zaragoza fight. Watch a 10 - 12 fight novice fight a seasoned campaigner and dominate easily

 

atsch A stupid omission from me! Good shout, a fun ten rounder too. I wouldn't say he dominated easily, Zaragoza had his moments, but Fenech won clearly in a good fight between two very good fighters.

 

There were rumours even before the fight that Payakaroon had been hitting the nightclubs instead of training. Assuming the rumours were right then he would have been weak coming into hte fight. The Fenech camp had heard the rumours so were going after him although Fenech would have been wary of Payakaroon's power in the first round. The KD was a flash one

The KO was pretty vicious and Fenech looked to the ref to stop it before the final uppercut. Payakaroon ended up in hospital but was ok. He allegedly joined a monastery after getting home, probably because his countrymen may have killed him. Apparently they'd bet heavily on their man and considering the partying he'd been doing it may have been best to keep a low profile for a whie :bbb

 

Payakaroon is an absolute legend in muay thai. He was undefeated in boxing as well, so Fenech could have been fighting Ray Robinson reincarnated for all he knew. I can understand the elation after it went so well for him.

Sometimes fighters turn up their best efforts when they seem insecure about the fight. They train hard, and fight like a challenger.

 

Yup, that's Thailand alright. Neat little tidbit.