Take a look at who he fought! What a resume. He fought a hell of alot of greats and alot of punchers. Was he ever down? Its amazing that he doesn't get more mention when it comes to great chins along with the usual suspects... He should be one of the usual suspects. He may have lost most of his fights to the better opponents, but I'm talking about chin.
LaPorte was a superb operator, and I would like to think he is actually mentioned amongst the dynamite chins of the era. We in the UK got to witness McGuigan/LaPorte. And those who saw this and knew the career of the Clones Cyclone, knows it actually peaked with this war, not Pedroza. And the fact McGuigan is a Hall of Fame fighter has ton to do with that win; thus I would like to think it shows LaPorte was not that shabby...
I always throw out his name on best chins lists. The guy went the distance with Sanchez, Chavez, Gomez, McGuigan, Pedroza, Tzsyu, Teddy Reid, Nelson, Molina, and a whole host of others. Its just a shame he had that Mike Weaver/Dominic Guinn like tendency to sleep walk through an entire fight averaging 15 punches a round. If he'd had a great work rate he would have had every credential for success: invincible chin, power, counter punching, etc.
Yeah I'm about to go on a study of him... Seen only the Gomez and Sanchez fights. Just got a bunch of others. Chavez will be first. It seems he lacked that one higher gear to get him over that hill that seperates the champions from the contenders.
A very thoughtful question. Yes, he had a great chin and fought the best. He had a cousin who was a buddy of mine and we spoke of his great chin and durability back in the day. But he had one major problem: a lack of aggression. If his aggression could match his durability he would be mentioned as being one of the greats of that era.
Padilla? Not that I'd read. He just lay against the ropes and imitated a heavybag from what I gathered, but not sure. He certainly has the best chin I ever saw. Not only was he (I think) never floored, I never saw him particularly bothered by a punch.
He is. Just that not a lot of people that write in those sorta threads have much of an interest in 80s featherweights.
He certainly springs to my mind when great chins are being discussed, but perhaps one reason he may be fogotten on occassion is because he did also have excellant boxing/defensive skills, and powerful punching power so opponents (apart from Lockridge..and he paid the price) respected him and could be cautious with him...Someone i rate with him in the chin Dept is Marcus Villasans..who did not have Laporte's Boxing Skills and had take more flush shots from his own meeting with the elite... Two great Chinsall the same,
