Pernell Whitaker: Most Underated Boxer on ESB By a Landslide

He beats Pryor but no way Duran. I see Duran having the stylistic advantage at 135.

 

One thing thing we can agree on, Whitaker was robbed against Chavez. And Whitaker did perform better against Chavez, especially during the mid-late rounds.

I will say without any hesitation. Whitaker's jab against Vazquez was much quicker than it was against Chavez, and noticeably quicker. I let my eyes do the talking and don't get fooled by the norm so to speak. Just because the Vazquez fight was a division up and 2 years later he's going to be slower?. Not the case when it came to the speed behind the jab.

 

Would you like to argue your point? Me and Robbi have done so numerous times and will continue to do so with anyone on this site. I believe fully that Pea would win this matchup. As I said, I actually think Pryor is a slightly harder stylistic matchup for Pea than Duran, though Duran would beat Pryor.

 

If I recall correctly He dose very well in head to to head match ups. I think Tommy Hearns is the only fanasty oppoent that most of didn't pick Whitaker to beat when it has come up. In the ranking sense I am surprised based on how we think he dose head to head as well as my own personail high regard for him. how many of us don't have him at least top 10. It would seem that he is underated in the rankings but not in the ring.

 

i love the fella
defensive genious

 

Most people don't pick him over Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, or several others at welterweight.

 

Most of ATG ratings have to do with resume and accomplishments rather than head to head ability. Although dominance and in-ring performance plays into my criteria as well. Still, you'd be selling other fighters who simply accomplished more by placing him too much higher in ATG lists. Head to head lists are a different story.

 

Whitaker would make Duran miss ive no doubt about that. However Whitaker is not a runner and would throw punches back. I believe at LW Duran will take everything Pea has to throw at him, chew it up and spit it out. When Duran starts landing those bodyshots along with the headshots, it will be a long tough night for Pea. Duran will feint, catch Pea's punches with his gloves, counter, sometimes missing and sometimes hitting. Later rounds he will be doing more hitting than missing. Durans defense is different from Pea's but IMO in this matchup, probably equal.

Durans great timing along with those feints, that offensive arsenal, countering skills, that relentless pressure would edge it to Duran in a tough fight. Im thinking Pea-Chavez except IMO Duran will be faster than Chavez both with his hands and feet with better defense and ability to catch pea with counters.

 

If the fight was at 147, I'd agree, as Pea was not as mobile, therefore not as good at fighting off the backfoot. At 135 though, he was the best I've ever seen in that regard. Watch the Nelson fight or the first Ramirez fight. That's why I'd give the edge to Pea at LW, his greater mobility and speed. At WW, I agree with your above analysis.

 

i dont think hes underrated almost everyone has him at least in theyre top 20 all time.what i think is underrated is his ofense cause people focus in his amazing defense and forget that he had great ofense with every punch in the book and a very good bodypuncher.

 

His resume and in ring accomplishments are pretty strong.

 

Very strong. Just not as strong as guys like Greb, Charles, Robinson, Armstrong, Langford, etc.

 

He was boring, and his lack of offense stop him from being top 15 ATG.








Apparently

 

sweet pea,

how do you think whitaker would do against emile griffith?