Ken B. vs. Pac @ 135

Buchanan by decision.

 

Really? Break it down.

 

I don´t see Pacquiao beating a boxer so good like Buchanan....that jab would be there all the time hitting PAc in the face...

 

I like Pacquaio. Nice thread BTW.

Pacquaio at or near 135 was still at his aggressive peak but, he was starting to become more conscience of defense. He was not prone to getting hit by jabs but counter-punching could be done on him with varying success.

I think the Buchanan is not a counter puncher. He is a straight ahead boxer with nice movement. I don't see him having much in the way of power to keep a fighter off him so he has to be at top form with his movement against Pacquiao.

This is style problem for both men. I think Pacquaio would present similar stylistic issues that Duran bought, plus added bonus of being a lefty. Buchanan is not similar to any of the major fighers of Pacquaio. I am tempted to say Marquez, but Marquez was a in your face, set traps, counter-puncher. He looked for KO's. he outboxed his opponent only because the KO did not come and he was into their timing. However movement as good as Buchanan is always going to be a problem against aggresive fighter.

Buchanan isn't like that to my eyes. He would try to establish a jab and movement. I think Pacquaio would be tempted to go after him and have success. I pick Pacquaio on points. Close but clear.

Hard call for me because I have only seen the Duran loss. Anyone with more viewing time on Kenny would be appreicated.

 

Ken B probably rapes Pac, and any other pinoy midgets he could find.

 

Pac would win every round using his combo then move tactic.

 

I think Buchanan probably comes through a two-way bruiser - especially over 15 - though not without taking some hammer. There are a few things to consider both ways as far as I can see.

You could argue that super feather Pac was still a touch unrefined and left hand happy at the time of the first Morales fight and that Morales put in his final really good performance. Buchanan though was clearly imo a better lightweight than Morales was a super featherweight, and if Morales at that stage could bruise/box his way by that version of Pacquiao using the tactics he did, I think Buchanan could at least do something along similarish lines even to an arguably slightly refined version at 135 (though I think that his 'improvement' was limited at best).

Pac's straight left, sneakyish angular counters, fast start and sporadic herkyjerkyness would have given Buchanan a good bit of trouble, but I've never been convinced that Manny can punch consistently off the front foot against a good mover/jabber, and Buchanan was definitely that. He (Pac) has fast feet and some good lateral pivoting movement, but it's served him better against the more static or come forward types who struggle to read it. When having to press the fight, I think he reverts a little bit too much to overextending, not moving his feet into position with the punches and throwing slightly predictable flurries, though the latter are still formidable because of their speed and power. Even Cotto, who can't really fight on the back foot and only did so out of near desperation was able to make him look pedestrian at times. His overall footwork isn't quite on the same plane as Buchanan's, so he'd have to make Kenny come to him more often than vice versa.

Buchanan was upright and could definitely be hit flush fairly frequently or knocked out of his rhythm, especially by well-timed straight punching, which Pacquiao would probably do heavily at times. He wasn't a counterpuncher per se in the mould of Marquez, and although he was hittable, could get sloppy/overeager and drawn into fights, he was still a bit better as an overall defensive package - waist/upper body movement etc - than JMM or Morales imo and maintained/dictated range at least as well. Better, in fact, and he was at least as good a ring general as the former with more of a unique, idiosyncratic edge to his work. Less stiff and rigid than Erik too.

His feet and jab don't need mentioning really; he'd constantly be circling, moving in and out and tripling the jab to head and body to enough of a degree that I don't see Manny being able to get set quite enough to frequently unload enough of his own shots over the course of the fight. His head would be snapping all over the joint from Kenny's left. That being said, he WAS very aggressive with it, and a guy like Angel Robinson Garcia was able to disrupt Buchanan in the midst of his jabbing prowess and counter him enough to cause problems. Jim Watt too and Navarro on occasion before Buchanan upped it down the stretch and bullied him. Thing is though, their styles, the first two in particular were geared around this approach, so it's whether or not you think Pacquaio could do it often enough with the slip-counter jab or straight power shot over the top, especially with Buchanan circling away from his left. And even Laguna with all his slickness, speed, footwork, brilliant straight punching and countering wasn't able to take the play away from Kenny, though obviously Pacquiao hits a fair bit harder than Laguna did.

Buchanan was a big, powerful lightweight too with a granite mandible and extraordinary stamina and work rate. He was Pac's match physically and could take whatever got dished out during in the fireier moments while digging in and punching back with just as much grit and intent. He wasn't a huge puncher by any means, but he hit hard to rattle Manny and make him think twice imo (although the potential problem here is that it would happen too often due to Buchanan' fiery nature with his bonce getting knocked about like a bobble head doll as it occasionally did). He was the better inside fighter too despite his classical stylings; Manny's game is almost non-existent there and I could see him getting pushed around and hit with quite a few uppercuts. I also think Buchanan would be the one coming on down the stretch, driving up his workrate and finishing powerfully as he did against Laguna and Navarro.

 

Tin_Ribs. Thank you for that breakdown. Excellent, and I agree with much of it. A couple of things I just wanted to extend the conversation on.

On the inside Pacquaio is underated. In the first Barerra fight Pacquaio when to the inside continously. I have seen him throw hard and effective punches on the inside especially his right hook. The right hook is also has one punch KO speed and power.

Ken's Movement. I think he has great footmovement but he he was cornered by Duran who was only 21 fights in and was reckless footwork wise. Pacquaio with his speed, southpaw angles and aggression who be just as tough for Buchanan.

I think Cotto fought great off of his backfoot. He looked like Robinson to me in the first Margarito fight. He was sticking and moving, slipping and sliding and countering like a champ. He lost because Margarito took everything but still he looked great. That Pacquaio could back him up when he was so much smaller is a testiment to Pacquaio's ring generalship and offensive prowess.

Thanks again for the breakdown.

 

You don't?

Buchanan's chin was iron and if he boxed he pisses all over Marquez, as he can actually jab, and had a brilliant, consistent jab.

Competitive throughout but if he doesn't fight and boxes as he could, Ken wins a decision over 15, in what would likely be a very entertaining duel.

 

Buchanan was a very good straight up European style boxer my worry for him here is that for all his great boxing skill he may be to upright and PAC may find him with his power shots.

Saying that Buchanan I think could well win five of the first six rounds and PAC maybe landing those power shots fighting desperately after the 7th trying to get back into the fight . By that time what sort of damage would buchanan's jab done to pac's face. Buchanan also could land to the body quite well and had decent power add the fact that Buchanan had a good chin and was a tough/hard man and for me over 15 rounds he is the better man

 

I wouldn't say so, he had great and fairly unorthodox upper body movement was he wasn't trading on his dense chin.

 

Barlow by ****, like luf said.

 

Sorry flea but I am sticking with mr arcel on this one Buchanan was a very good European style boxer . I don't think though that I really implied he traded on his dense chin . I thought I was just pointing out his ability to take a very good punch would help give him the overall edge here