Gushiken. Both had lapses but Jiro's were more fundamental and consistent based upon what i've seen. Gushiken was more correct and did the things he did best slightly better. Clear distinction IMO.
I'll buy that. I happen to like watching Watanabe a little better because he is a tad more stylish IMO, and I don't know, maybe his flaws make for better fights. Gushiken seems textbook flawless most of the time. For McGrain or anyone else. What about punching power? Resume? I've seen enough Watanabe to fully assess him. I got a bucketload of Gushiken fights I need to watch.
Watanabe was more physically gifted i'd say, but a bit more devil may care and sloppy in some areas technically.Usually a fighter who operated in 2nd gear. His bad performances tended to be through a lack of training and stamina issues more than anything else though, for me.He couldn't be relied on to turn in a top performance after his first 3 or 4 title defences, whereas Gushiken was very consistent until the end.He could be lazy in a Duran-esque way when he was facing someone focused on boxing and surviving though, see the Aniceto Vargas fight. Neither have the best opposition.Watanabe mostly defended against decent(at best) to mediocre fighters that were a couple notches up from the usual Ricardo Lopez opponent.Ballas was good when he was on and Poonterat was a fine standup boxer counterpuncher, Pedroza the limited big puncher with multiple title shots behind him.Obviously Roman as well, but Watanabe was aging and totally lethargic by that point. It's worth pointing out the fabled Watanabe ducked Galaxy and was stripped thing that sometimes comes up is a bunch of crap.He was stripped because he unified with Poonterat who was a bigger star and more highly rated in Thailand at the time.No reason to avoid Galaxy then. Gushikens best wins were against big punching Canto Foe Martin Vargas and Panamanian slickster Alfonso Lopez.
