Mustafa Hamsho. Thoughts on him?

I hated Hamsho, dirty fighter. Him and Anterfermo would have been a good fight! I miss those days of fights on tv during the week and wknds

 

Strong as an ox. Almost as smart.

Seriously, a one-trick pony pressure fighter who crowded and brawled and wore a lot of people out. Class (his lack of versatility and fundamentals) showed when he stepped up.

 

This is my take. An elite level champ and an average bunch of contenders. There were some good fighters among them but they didn't stand out. Hamsho may have had a bit of a reign without Hagler, he was probably the best of the rest for while.

Hamsho wasn't very skillful and he was more of an arm puncher than anything, on the plus side he had sensational durability in his prime, was tough and determined and went hard all night. This was enough to put him at the head of the 160 bunch but he was cannon fodder for a top fighter like Hagler.

 

He beat everyone but Hagler, beat Benitez like no one else did (a Benitez who 7 months earlier fought tit for tat with Hearns so no washed up crap),

 

Beat the crap out of and stopped Watts before Hagler ever did. Beat and stopped undefeated Scypion, rolled over undefeated punk czyz and ran him out of the middleweights . Beat both Parker and Minter. Hell of a career for anyone. Smart as an ox hey? Yeah, but Hearns can fight Joe Louis? Give me a break.

 

But yet you wrote a book about Harry Greb? OK

 

Lost his first fight to Pat Cuillo. It was also Cuillo’s first fight. Cuillo was another real good fighter that was lightly heard of.

 

Truth be told Hagler beat Watts convincingly 2 1/2 years prior to him fighting Hamsho. It was a big enough robbery to cause a substantial uproar.

Watts was stopped in 4 rounds by David Love 2 fights prior to fighting Hamsho. He never won a notable fight after the first Hagler stoush and it's safe to say he was on the way down. He was a reasonably skillful fighter at his peak.

 

I sure did. Read it some time. Youll learn something about that alleged dirtiness.

 

I did read it. A terrific book indeed. But fighters do what they have to to win. HAMSHO is no different. I saw him live many times and every fight was worth the price of admission.

 

In retrospect, yeah. But at the time I recall it was viewed as a coming out party for Wilfred at middleweight and a stepping stone for a Benitez-Hagler fight.

 

I think Wilfred had left his father's management thumb by then.

1997 NY Times excerpt:
''Wilfred, Wilfred,'' Luis Rodriguez, the psychiatric nurse, said, ''it is such an honor to have a world boxing champ at my home. Can you still do your kicks?''

Mrs. Benitez looked nervous. But this turned out to be an irresistible request. The champ stood up and started boxing. A left hook, a right, a left kick, a right. His fists danced in the air. Then his legs. The room cheered. Benitez sat down, closed his eyes and smiled. ''I would like to start boxing again,'' he whispered.