mark johnson :why is he in the HOF ?

I myself think his resume is a bit shallow.


perhaps had he beaten Tim Austin and two more name guys like Tapia (who he claims avoided him).

 

There seems to have been a favouritism to induct very quickly the top Flyweight\Bantam fighters of recent years that were American or heavily American network based.

Bias or just ignorance of more or equally deserving(but generally older) fighters who were more well known abroad? i don't know.

As for Johnson himself, imo he was an excellent talent, but i'd agree he was no first ballot obvious candidate.His career was blunted by an inability to get the biggest fights while in his prime and from a mostly weak set of opponents.

He was a bit unlucky to be getting established just as a great 3 decades for the sub-bantam divisions were entering a barren patch(which continues to this day) and considering how tough it had been to get unifications\ big fights made even in stronger era's, he was pushing **** uphill right from becoming champ as far as being able to build a strong record goes.

He has a few ok wins here and there.The early close battle with Alberto Jimenez, who was a very solid fighter, but not great.Did a much better job on the awkward Raul Juarez than Arbachakov(arguably in decline) did.

Blowouts of Johnson and Tejedor were very impressive not because those two were any more than serviceable fighters, but because nobody else(Jimenez, tapia, Austin, Romero, PIchit)did so in as emphatic fashion.

Decisions over Montiel and Vorapin less impressive but could be added at a stretch.

That's pretty much it though, until you get to the Bantam battles with up and coming Marquez, where Johnson just didn't look physically up to fighting so high at that stage in his career.Maybe he would never have made a particularly special Bantam and he certainly wasn't one when he fought Marquez.

Montiel win was a good comeback win, though it did seem to me Montiel had choked and got the better of things over the 2nd half once he started letting his hands go.Fernando has always been an overrated fighter imo.Decent and dangerous, though rarely ever looked the good all-rounder he was said to be as soon as the opposition went above mediocre.

 

btw it's ridiculous he's in over the vast majority of the 60s-80s top Fly's.

 

As a big fan and someone who thinks he was a super talent that actually beat Marquez the first time round, he should not be in there.

Didn't achieve near enough to get in.

And I mean, how can anyone justify Too Sharp being in there before say Santos Laciar?

Problem is, guys that select the IBHOF fighters don't know that much about the lighter weight fighters.

 

As has already been said; it's because of bias towards western little guys.

Gushiken shouldn't be in there either IMO and neither should Yuh. Zapata should, as should Ebihara, probably Borkorsor and definitely Laciar.

Worst thing is, a bit bigger I know, but no Harry Jeffra or Ernesto Marcel yet!

 

True. But if Chang gets in it means there's some prestige

 

Very skilled fighter but his resume isnt that impressive.

Certainly not a good enough resume to be a first ballot HOF.

Thats a joke considering that guys like Watanabe,Arbachakov etc arent even in the ballots to be voted in not to mention others like Laciar,Curry,Zapata,Marcel etc that are in the ballot and still dont manage to get in and this guy with a weaker resume gets in at first try.

IMO even Hamed who has been in the ballot for a few years now has a better case to be inducted than Johnson.

 

I think he was put in the last induction? He was my all time favorite small fighter. A great fighter and great guy. I think he should be in

 

good post .

He is not HOF worthy .

Neither r Borkhorsor and Rafael Marquez .
Neither r Ricardo Lopez and Orlando Canizales whom both somehow got in .

D HOF commission is composed mainly of clueless idiots .

Santos Laciar is not such a clear example of some1 whom should b in either .

 

For those who saw him fight in his prime, he was a heck of a fighter, which is why none of the other champs and few top fighters wanted to fight him. They avoided him like the plague. He was a very fast and skillful southpaw with enough pop to get respect. He was a champ for a solid five years, which is pretty impressive at the lighter weights. He was basically forced to move up in weight to get fights. He was at his best at 112, pretty darn good at 115, and didn't get beaten in a title fight until he went up to bantam.

 

IMO he was never the 'champ' at fly.