In 1978-79 James Scott reaked havoc on the Light Heavyweight division from behind the confines of Rahway State Prison. First, he easily outpointed Eddie Gregory (Mustafa Muhammad). Next, he stopped Richie Kates in the 10th round. Finally, in late '79 he outpointed Yaqui Lopez. At this point, according to sources I have read, the WBA, fearfull of the negative publicity (in reality, probably fearful he would beat the vulnerable Galindez) it would garner if a convict was allowed to fight for a world title, stripped Scott of his ranking. Instead of Scott getting a shot, Marvin Johnson was matched with WBA champion Victor Galindez and won the title. If Galindez and instead fought Scott, who would have won? I think Scott would have won a late rounds KO, probably similar to what Johnson was able to do. It's too bad Scott was denied his opportunity. He was more deserving of a title shot than Johnson, who had just lost his WBC title to Saad Muhammad a few months earlier. Scott went on to fight a few more times, losing decisions to Jerry Martin and Dwight Braxton. It is likely being stripped of his WBA ranking and denied a title shot affected him.
I agree Scott would have had a really decent chance of beating Galindez at that point. Especially with his home court advantage of Rahway Prison. However, it would all be academic shortly thereafter anyway since Dwight Qawi would have been waiting in the wings for Scott. Qawi was always going to have Scott's number. Especially since Scott did not enjoy the same home court advantage with Qawi (who had previously served time there) . Hell, Dwight voluntarily fought Scott even before he won the title. (A risky move to say the least). What an exciting division Light Heavy was back then when the best sought out the best, rather than manufacturing reasons to avoid them.
he wasn't deserving anything, he was in prison! He's lucky he got the fights that he did. But yea, he was good, and the division was great back then
Scott by UD, working the body and pressuring with a high punch rate. IIRC, Scott tried a legal petition to be allowed to fight in Atlantic City (taken straight from prison to the fight and straight back after) so he could fight for the title. The petition was turned down. I think the WBA put him at No. 2 in the rankings and kept him there (until he lost to Jerry Martin and Qawi) -- he wasn't stripped of being ranked, but of being a mandatory. A champion could have still voluntarily gone to Rahway to fight him, and NBC seemed willing to back it financially, but wisely Galindez wasn't interested.
Victor was an excellent fighter......a tricky boxer with ko power. It was Scott who was the fighter with limited skill who became a media star due to being incarcerated. Victor would have outboxed him and knocked him out.
Another overlooked lightheavy of that era was Jorge Victor Ahumada from Argentina (fought Galindez 4 times) and got that controversial draw with Bob Foster in a title fight that convinced Foster it was time to retire.
Scott could possibly win, but he probably would get stripped of the belt.Who the hell is going to go to Rahway to fight for the belt.
I think Galindez would have been too much of a counter puncher...and too dangerous for Scott. Victor could fight off those ropes and fire those counters all night....and he probably would as he was so adept at the 15 round distance. Scott or the Rahway confines wouldn't have intimidated Galindez.
It's just that Victor was ready to be taken, at that point in time. And I think an earlier version of Galindez would chew him up but that later version would be in for a tough close fight. It would have been a nice match. But Scott was not going to go undefeated for very long with all those tough hombres around at the time to start making his title defenses.
Sorry.....James Scott was never that good. I lived through that time. The media (NBC) grabbed hold of this story and ran with it until Scott lost. You never heard about him again.
Scott and the prison environment basically intimidated...or tried to imtimidated anyone who entered Rahway to fight him. Eddie Mustafa just wasn't "together" for his fight with Scott....he certainly wasn't the same guy that totally dominated Marvin Johnson and Scott's conqueror Jerry The Bull Martin. Qawi took his measure...and even a '78-'79 version of Victor Galindez would have eked out a win...the '74-'77 Galindez would have trounced Scott...probably over the 15 round distance to be sure, because that was Victor's modus operendi to rely on decisions...countering cleverly and outstrengthing his opponents, though he had sneaky, lethal power when he needed it.
