Is Julio Cesar Chavez the most OVERRATED fighter ever?

Taylor was always going to be a shooting star rather than someone who stayed at the elite level for a long time. Terrific fighter with a short peak.

I'm going with the assumption that the claims of his weight problems at 140 were legit. It's definitely not hard to envision him having problems making 140 with his stocky frame. He did make it later in 1994, but I think that was partially because he was simply desperate for a big fight and a chance at personal revenge with Chavez.

How much different would his career go if he doesn't fight Chavez?

He goes to welterweight, wins the WBA title against Aaron Davis in 1991, but look at the talent level around him. Stablemate Pernell Whitaker goes to WW a couple years later. Cristano Espana would've always been a touch matchup for Taylor IMO due to his style and dimensions (or Taylor's lackthereof). Ike Quartey and Felix Trinidad rose to the top of the WW scene in 1993/94. Simon Brown would've been a real dangerous opponent for Taylor with his power.

Taylor might've lasted a little longer at the top of the sport since there's less damage to the body, but with his style and the talent around him, I can't see his career going that much different in terms of his stay at the top.

Welterweight was stacked. And Taylor, to his credit, fought tough opposition, not being careful with his choice of opposition.

http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?t=209299

 

You literally have no clue - everything about your phrasing is just so clueless, you don't know anything about Meldrick's prime (however short it was), just like you believe Duran isn't that great even though you don't know anything about Duran or his era. :huh

 

Rosario is a better win you damn fool it's not even up for debate he's a hof fighter a great fighter Taylor was a fighter who had great potential but didn't live up to it he's not on rosarios level. Rosario is better and more accomplished than Taylor period.

 

He isn't that well rated, really. You don't usually see him in top 10 lists, despite his record.

 

I honestly believe Taylor would have been an ATG or close to one had he not fought Chavez, Julio ruined him single handily. And what really makes me laugh are Chavez haters (Pimp C being one of them) saying things Taylor schooled, dominated or outclassed Chavez all fight long yet Taylor was the one who suffered a broken eye socket, broken ribs, badly busted up face, had a lot of blood pumped from his stomach, was ****ing blood for days and was in hospital for almost 2 weeks following the fight. Chavez on the other hand didn't even look like he'd been in a fight, not a single scratch or mark on his face.

 

If a fighter can be 'ruined' by 1 defeat then you have to question whether he could have been at ATG, surely?

 

I agree, and I think that's the general consensus about Taylor. They just see the surface level stuff, Chavez breaks his opponent down, and that's the reason why Taylor had nothing left by the end. Taylor in his short prime was sensational. Taylor just wasn't the same after the Chavez fight. Shame that is.

 

Again, how does Taylor's career really go that much different without the Chavez fight?

He still moves up in weight and defeats Aaron Davis for the WBA 147 lb. title. The division is about to be stacked, and Taylor was pretty short in height and reach, had modest power, and was too brawl happy. Felix Trinidad is about to rise onto the scene within 2 years, and Ike Quartey shortly after that. Pernell Whitaker is also going to go to 147 within a couple of years. Simon Brown remains a dangerous, powerful puncher with a respectable skill-set, and then there are other tough style matchups like Cristano Espana and Maurice Blocker, tall, rangy guys with that Taylor will have more than a slight disadvantage in height and reach and will have to work to get inside on to get in punching range.

I'm curious to know what people think will be so different with Taylor's career, given the talent around him and his physical limitations.

There's all kinds of talent around him at 147, from big punchers, to boxers with big height/reach advantages, to arguably the greatest fighter of the 90s in Pernell Whitaker.

 

Don't think this is a fair assessment of Chavez and being a multi-division champion doesn't mean much, since who you beat is what matters. You also have to take into account that there were less belts around when Chavez fought and he always defended his belts. Chavez was also a very active fighter and it wasn't until he was old and had over 90 fights that he was stopped for the first time by Oscar, who was much younger and was a natural welter with a huge reach advantage. Also, Chavez won and defended all his titles with no catchweights.

 

Lol.

 

Troll thread.

 

Yes.

 

Looks like someone was in dire need of attention.

 

Chavez beat several figthers who won titles in more than one division anyway.

Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Hector Camacho, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony Lopez.