I did this awhile back, and enjoyed it, but then I didn't really know too much about the weight and whilst I'm no expert now - I can at least pick with a bit more confidence. Like last time, I'm taking the big 3 out. Armstrong, Duran and Leonard need not apply. The will partake in a round robin vs the consensus winner. Should be simple to follow, so long as I can explain it properly.... In each bracket, the top name fights the bottom, then the middle ones fight. The winners of these two fight. After each bracket has a winner, the four remaining fight eachother (top vs bottom, middle vs middle - again), then obviously the rest fight eachother. Afterwards, you rinse and repeat until there's a winner. Here we go again! This content is protected • Ike Williams • Julio César Chávez • Willie Joyce • Tony Canzoneri This content is protected • Carlos Ortiz • Manny Pacquiao • Lou Ambers • Beau Jack This content is protected • Pernell Whitaker • Floyd Mayweather Jr • Freddie Welsh • Joe Gans This content is protected • Packey McFarland • Alexis Argüello • Bob Montgomery • Joe Brown
Will be interesting to see how this pans out in relation to the lightweight tournie round the corner from @McGrain.
This content is protected Canzoneri vs Williams - Hmm, interesting one here. I think that Ike's aggressive boxer-puncher style isn't at a serious advantage or disadvantage. However, Ike's bigger and longer, with bone-shattering power to go with fantastic skills at a high workrate. Canzoneri would be able to pick Ike apart if he wasn't neutralising that power. I don't think he can do both well enough, in tandem, to win this one. Ike's hellacious flurries and bullish attitude take him to a decision in this one. Chavez vs Joyce - I definitely know I'll be in my own boat here, but I'm picking Joyce. He did specialise in out-boxing swarmers, and the guys he did it to were IMO better than Chávez was. Joyce went 3-1 vs Ike IRL, so he wins the first bracket. What an upset! This content is protected Ortiz vs Jack - Awwww, what a shame! I love these guys, I don't want either to leave this tourney. I think Jack has a very love chance here, due to how much trouble Ortiz had with Loi, but I reckon Ortiz manages to pick Jack off at range and keep calm whilst out-boxing Beau. Ambers vs Pacquiao - I think Lou takes this one. As much as it pains me to see so many of my favourite LWs leave in just the first two brackets, I think Ambers uses his movement and straight rights to build up points here. Turning the angle as Pac comes in, shifting to his left and firing straight right-counters down the pipe, taking a clear unanimous decision. Pac has genuine power, and is one of the most dynamic punchers around this weight, but Ambers was tough and I think he'd grit it out. Ahhhh so: Ambers vs Ortiz? I think in a bout full of skills and knowledge, most people falling asleep, Ortiz's superior talent and just overall ability would win the day. He'd out-box the out-boxer here. Ortiz walks free from Bracket B
This content is protected Sweet Pea vs Gans - awesome match up, but I pick Sweet Pea decisively. Too quick and too savvy imo, plus Gans' boxer-puncher style of that time isn't really troubling for Pea, he's just gonna be out-jabbed and out-manoeuvred. I can't see anyone out-boxing Pernell at 135. Welsh vs Mayweather - ah, shame here. Welsh is soooo underrated but he doesn't have the goods here. His speed, reflexes and skills give Floyd Judah-esc issues but ultimately PBF takes over and wins a clear UD. For the winner of the bracket, it's Floyd vs Pernell? Well I'm picking Whitaker. The difference being his higher workrate, he's gonna jab more than Mayweather, and in a fight where very little lands, I think that constant jabbing is taking rounds. Not to mention the athleticsm advantage Pea has, which, like Welsh, gives Floyd Judah-esc issues early on. Difference being is that Floyd isn't solving this riddle imo. This content is protected Argüello vs Montgomery - Amazing fight. Ordinarily, I'd pick Argüello to pick apart and eat up guys who come forward and walk onto his punches, but not with the Bobcat. Bob was chiseled in iron, and given that it took bigger guys with cataclysmic power like Bummy Davis to get the KO, I can't see Argüello doing it. Alexis had a lot of trouble with Mancini's and Ramirez's pressure, and neither of them has a patch on Montgomery. I think the Bob cat claws his way to the next round. McFarland vs Brown - very intriguing battle here. A tactical affair, where, for money, it comes down to McFarland's bullish strength, as he'd trap and pin Brown in places he doesn't want to be. Winning rounds based on this. Old Bones is damn good though and gives virtually anyone issues. Edit: mistook my own fookin' system... McFarland vs Montgomery for this one, either way I still pick McFarland since he's basically a better, more technically proficient fighter, he also beat better guys. Bobcats aggression is just gonna make it easier for Packey here, since he'll be landing more.
This content is protected Ortiz vs McFarland - amazing fight, I lean slightly toward McFarland here. Based off the Loi fights, as the educated pressure from a bigger guy seemed to really mess with Ortiz. However, from footage I think Ortiz is clearly the better fighter (although McFarland is definitely more accomplished). Tough one to split, but I think I'll keep it classic and go with McFarland. Joyce vs Whitaker - Ooof, tough draw for Joyce here. He didn't like Pep's erratic movement and boxing, and if he don't like that he'll **** himself against the bigger, better and quicker southpaw in Sweet Pea. I can't see Joyce out-boxing him, although he is very good, and no-one stops LW Whitaker. Now, the finale.... This content is protected I pick Whitaker here. McFarland was a good pressure fighter who thought whilst on offence, but the issue is that he wouldn't force it fiercely enough to win on points. McFarland was a monster inside, but I think Whitaker's crazy reflexes and defensive trickery let's him clown his way to looking good up close, and his long, snappy southpaw jab lets him dominate the fight on the outside. Sweet Pea wins on UD!
