@ 118 or 122 lbs how do you see this fight going? Could Fenech overwhelm and bully a power punching technician like Marquez or would Marquez be able to find his mark and stop Fenech? Fenech at his best was a machine and I think he would have been able to outwork Marquez and avoid getting stopped. Would have been a hulluva a match up.
Interesting one. I think Fenech was less effective at 118 and at 122 to a degree, perhaps due to excessive weight cutting. He could be shaken up at those weights and could take a few rounds before finding his rhythm. He was starting to get there at 122, but personally I think he reached his very best and most devastating at 126 (and 130 for one night only against Zoomy in Vegas). I guess 122 is the fairest weight to imagine this one at. In that case I'd still give an edge to Fenech; Marquez would cause him problems, but I think his propensity to be a little too brave for his own good might cost him. He could be a dirty fighter, not averse to low blows and rough house tactics, but he'll come off second best if he tries that against Fenech. Marquez loved throwing those double, triple left hooks and Fenech is going to have to take some serious leather coming in, but if the fight went past four or five rounds, I'd expect Fenech to be in command and probably stop Marquez late.
It is possible that Fenech would have too much strength for Marquez, but he is not the harder puncher. And, I am not sure Fenech is even the better boxer. People seem to forget that for many years it was Rafael Marquez and not Juan Manuel Marquez that was considered the superior fighter. One thing is for sure, neither Marquez nor Fenech would back down from making it a fight. Would be a fun one to watch. Most Rafael Marquez fights are.
The Marquez brothers were my favorite boxers. I think people considered Rafael better based on his resume for some time having scored wins over Austin and Johnson but Juan Manuel was always considered the better, more talented fighter of the two. His resume was always a lot deeper too but it wasn’t until he defeated Barrera did he have a win with as much cache as those two Rafa wins. Re: Rafael vs. Fenech. Damn that’s a tough one. Marquez could outbox him, beat him up somewhat but Fenech would keep coming and coming. Not sure Rafael holds him off. I’d say it’s a 50/50 fight.
Fenech brings to much pressure for me. I like Rafa but think he would be in over his head. It is difficult to get a lot of power into your punches when your back is pinned to the ropes, and I think that is where he would find himself most of the night. I think Jeff’s chin sees him through those moments if or when they come. Jeff tko 10
Marquez had the better power, jab, and probably boxing ability but his defense was porous and he could be hurt and not recover as well, plus his tendency to slug it out. Fenech was much like Izzy Vazquez without the left hook and power but with much better stamina, toughness, nonstop punching and relentlessness which would be the difference against Marquez.
Rafa would start strong but he had a weird habit of fading in the middle rounds and then eventually getting a second wind. I think that would come into play here. As Rafa starts to deflate, Fenech would surge. I think Rafa rebounds to net a few late rounds, but Jeff gets it done on points.
