Any comments on this Kronk lightweight? He won the title in a convincing performance over Harry Arroyo (and being an Arroyo fan it was painful at the time), and then looked quite good in stopping Robin Blake in his first defense. From there it got a bit dicey for him, taking close decisions over Cubanito Perez and old nemesis Darryl Tyson (who was really just a fringe contender who really hadn't earned a shot. The same could well be said of Perez). After that, his run ended at the hands of the tricky, plucky Greg Haugen, who outhustled him over 15. It's my opinion that he simply didn't get enough rest between hard, extended efforts. All but one of his title fights went the full 15 except Blake, and he lasted 14. He looked flat against Haugen, though Greg does deserve credit. Maybe weight played a part in those title efforts? I haven't read anything........ From there, he started losing to journeymen and took some time off, then rebounded in the early 90's with a great stoppage win over Olympian Todd Foster, before losing an odd 2nd round stoppage to Bolillo Gonzales. He just let the guy whale away at him until the ref kind of had to step in. Made me think he was supposed to lose that fight. Hard to say. In his time, very good counterpuncher though, if a bit one-dimensional. Nice, hard jab, true KO power in the right hand, and a nifty way of escaping shots with a shoulder roll before coming straight down the pike with the right hand counter. I also love his dismantling of Andy Ganigan on national TV.
I remember that dismantling of Andy Ganigan, also.Highly impressive.Actually though Jimmy was going to be better than he was, but it was not to be.
Tough 80s fighter, who lacked a big punch, after Greg Haugen beat him, he was never the same, nothing wrong with that Haugen in my opinion was under rated..
I always enjoyed watching Haugen fight, he was entertaining, and loved to fight. He showed balls of steel going all the way down to fight Chavez in Mexico many years ago, in front of a hundred thousand Mexicans that hated his guts.. Last I heard anything about him, was an article I read about him around 2011, he was broke living with a friend in some rural area in a place called Puyallup Washington..
I live about a five-minute drive from Puyallup. It (like Auburn) is a small, working class town. Greg actually trains fighters now at a local 24-hour fitness type place, located in (of all things) a shopping mall. By "trains fighters" I don't think it's anybody really any good, just whomever comes in the gym and wants to work out on the bag or sparring or whatever. Read that in a local paper a couple years ago, so not sure if it's still true.
i was never a believer i Harry. it was just hype. imagine, comparing him to Monzon My favorite memory of Jimmy was vs Alvin Hayes
