Orlando Canizales vs. Jr. Jones on Youtube - Fantastic underrated battle

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by My2Sense, Sep 30, 2009.


  1. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Aug 21, 2008
    I know there's a lot of Canizales fans on here; here's one of his fights that often gets overlooked:

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    This was one of the best fights of that year IMO. Unfortunately, it came on the undercard of Arturo Gatt's "breakout" win over Wilson Rodriguez, and it was quickly forgotten afterward.

    This was an important crossroads fight in both fighters' career. Both were coming back from critical losses, and both were eyeing a possible fight with MA Barrera. Although Canizales was 5 years older (at age 31), it was actually unclear at this point which fighter had slipped farther from his prime. Canizales appeared to have slowed down from his age, but Jones had suffered a couple of brutal KO losses and looked to be damaged goods. Jones had always professed that he had the right style to beat Canizales, but his upset loss to John Michael Johnson a few years earlier had prevented that fight from happening back when both were still in their primes. In this fight, Canizales, despite his age, turned in one of the most fiery and intense performances I've ever seen from him. Somehow, however, Jones managed to withstand his all-out onslaught and box his way to what should've been a clear decision (one of the judges somehow scored the fight for Canizales, making it only a split decision).

    The rest, of course, is history: Jones went on to get the shot at Barrera and "shook up the world" by thrashing him, and Canizales basically faded into obscurity.

    On a personal note, I was one of the few people on the planet to pick Jones to beat Barrera the first time, and it based on his performance in this fight. I'd always felt that Barrera was a flawed fighter and could be taken, and when I saw how Jones stood up to Canizales' pressure I felt certain he could stand up to Barrera's too. It's a strange quirk of Jones' career that he stood up to the best that guys like Barrera and Canizales could throw at him, yet was KO'd by guys like Johnson, Pinckney, and an old McKinney. :conf
     
    My2Sense, Sep 30, 2009
    My2Sense, Sep 30, 2009
    #1
  2. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    I thought it was business as usual for Marco Antonio Barrera until he was hit with a perfect right hand shot that he didn't see. Many people have their facts twisted as to what transpired immediately after the knockdown. Barrera was hurt, unquestionably, but he got up and dusted himself off and was then hit with another series of shots. The bell would ring a second before Marco hits the ground again, and his corner men would get him disqualified by entering the ring mid-action. There was no 'knock the **** out'. Marco was never knocked out in the proper sense, not during a 20 year career.

    I know this thread isn't about Barrera, and I very much intend to watch this fight in its entirety. I think Junior Jones is a perfect example for the term 'styles make fights'. He was never a superior fighter to either Canizales or Barrera in my estimation. He hit Barrera with a shot that would put most 122lbs down, and the rest was history. The immediate rematch was a very close encounter.
     
    Addie, Sep 30, 2009
    Addie, Sep 30, 2009
    #2
  3. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Oct 22, 2006
    Sadly Canizales/Jones came a few years and a few pounds past either fighters prime.
     
    TBooze, Sep 30, 2009
    TBooze, Sep 30, 2009
    #3