Some of you guys seem to really like the little guys. I got the career set of jiro watanabe last year and after reading about him throughout the early-mid 80's, finally got to actually enjoy his fights. What do others think of him if you have seen his career?
Cracking little fighter, great fun to watch. Maybe a little overated on the board by some...i don't like his inside work I feel he's a bit lacking there but catches less flack for it than Lopez (although Lopez is generally the more overated of the two, so I understand that). Having said that, I haven't seen all that is available. Maybe there are fights i haven't seen where he proves himself as an infighter.
he had a terrific short right hook that was pretty handy on the inside. He also seems to stay pretty composed throughout rough patches in his fights. I would take him in a fight vs, Khosai Galaxy (who's career I also have).
Yeah the short hook that floors Poonterat in their rematch is one of the nicest punches you will ever see.He was an awesome short puncher in general. I don't think he was incapable on the inside, especially with those sort punches, but he definitely was of the mindset to keep things at an optimum range for him with his excellent footwork, then he would plant and hit the aggressor with combinations to deter them.The Oguma fight is the best example of that maybe, and one of his best performances.
I've only seen afew fights of him but he is the best stand up Asian boxer i have seen. Very composed and adept out fighter who maximises his long punches. I thought he had a superb offence consisting of dazzling combinations but i felt he could be lackadasical in defence.
I'd like it if he commited a bit more to the jab. Or if he had a more solid workrate in general. Technically he was damn near flawless, though.
Not sure i would have used that term describing him, as that brings more to mind the likes of Camacho, taylor or Leonard at his fanciest for me. Watanabe hardly ever flurried in that manner and tended to commit to almost everything thrown. That said, his straight left-right hook to the head combo was truly great.he mostly stuck to variations of that for his combo's and the sneaky straight-left down the pipe.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r_qK5VnyvE[/ame] there's some good moments in there that show off his straight left-right hook offensive style. Not really much of him there though.
Anyone else think Watanabe was robbed against Chul-Ho Kim?.I thought he had taken it by 3 or 4 points despite not fighting that well and showing some dodgy stamina late. He was maybe guilty of overlooking Kim who was apparently regarded as a very weak champ and sure looked ordinary in this fight.
