I don't know anyone who ranks Bernardo Mercado in the top 10 heavyweights of the 80s. I doubt even Old Bernie himself thinks that.
He was ranked way down the bottom of the 10 by Ring at one stage (for about 5 minutes) which is why alphabet ratings are being dredged up.......the likes of which ranked Obelmejias #1 at one point along with numerous other rumpers.
Good comparison. I was thinking Jun Suk Hwang myself, but Fully Obel is a good one. Still, if we're talking Leon on best night, surely we have to talk about a Spoon who'd laid off the pies or a Pinky who'd laid off the coke? etc
I think Obel is one of those guys who might have had a decent run as champion in the Middleweights had a certain bold headed man not been there, and before Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and even Wilfred Benitez got to them. Mustafa Hamsho, John Mugabi, and even Wilford Scypion, Juan Roldan, Frank Fletcher and Caveman Lee could have been champs from 1980-1983ish with a couple defenses each. They were all good but not super-good (Obel, Lee, Mugabi, Hamsho and company) like Hagler, Duran, Leonard, Benitez and Hearns. Not legendary-type good. Obel was a hard puncher, though I must admit most of his early wins came against suspect opponents in Venezuela. He could still hit hard, and his size also could be a problem to many. I guess that even without the five kings, the Middleweights of the eighties would still have been a super interesting division, with all those guys sharing the title in round-robin fashion, but we will never know. Plus Obel and Mugabi later did win titles...albeit having a very short run as champions each....
Holmes Tyson Witherspoon Page Thomas Dokes Weaver Cooney Coetzee Snipes Tucker Smith Williams Cobb Bruno Tubbs Tillis Ribalta Dimiani Broad M. Frazier I'd put everyone of the 80's versions over Mercado and Spinks too ... That said, I do remember the fight as it was on the Holmes - Ali undercard and it was without a doubt Leon's second best performance ever and gave many thoughts that he could be competitive with Holmes but ... (10:00)
If you'd take all of them over Leon Spinks, it just proves Leon was a mediocre fighter in the end who was incredible on one night. Again, it's not who is the best heavyweight ever ... it's about a guy who WASN'T great who was on ONE night. It's not a difficult concept. Side note: I only count nine guys on that list who even managed to go the full 15 rounds in a fight, and none of were still throwing close to a hundred punches in the last round.
Correct. Like you I dont believe any fighter is unbeatable. Somebody out there at some point is their kryptonite.
Bernardo Mercado was the WBC #1 contender after he knocked out Earnie Shavers. This content is protected Boxing Illustrated had Mercado #5 after that win - behind two of the heavyweight champions (Holmes and Weaver). This content is protected Ring Magazine had him #6. This content is protected Regardless, he was a top 10 heavyweight. I only brought him up because someone said Leon couldn't beat any top 10 heavyweights of the 80s. Forget I mentioned it. It isn't about Bernardo anyway.
Yeah, I've given Leon credit for catching lightning in a bottle that one night in history, but he ain't beating Holmes without taking a tire iron into the ring (and I still might bet on Larry).
I know. You replied to my post saying all the top 80s heavyweights would have beaten him, so his win over Mercado is more a 'nice to have', feather in the cap. By the way, me (and others) can understand the concept, some of us just don't think Spinks on that night would have beaten many top heavyweights on their best night, whereas Douglas on that night, would have.
I meant the top 10 heavies of the decade, not just the odd month here and there. Just like I wasn't referring to the likes of Gary Mason, as he wasn't one of the top 10 of the decade, just a fighter who appeared briefly in the top 10 , like many many others.
