Pernell Whitaker vs Jose Napoles

I really don't pick anybody to beat Whitaker at 135 besides Duran (slightly). I'd still expect Pea to win at 140. Napoles was likely the better WW with the better career there... So I'll give him the nod at 147.

 

I think Napoles beats him 7-5 over 12 or 9-6 over 15!

 

Fixed

 

Napoles slipped shots better than Whitaker because he didn`t move to evade te shot as much as Pea his head just moved off the center line a little so he was always in a better position to counter, I feel he would have also landed more on DLH than Pea did even though I watched a film study showing how great defensively Oscar was v Chavez. I feel Napoles would also have had less trouble with McGirt. I feel Whitaker was faster at lightweight, so Napoles would still edge him at light welter I feel but Pea would give him a great jabbing contest at lifgtweight, his jabbing and movement were like Ray Leonard and Ali`s, he was that good.

 

Pea at 135, Napoles at 147. Draw at 140.

I never really consider Napoles in hypotheticals at Lighweight. To me, he was a natural Light-Welter who was great enough to dominate at Welter. Most of the fights he had at Lightweight or lower were when he was a kid and against non-descript opposition.

I actually think there is marked decline in Whitaker between 135 and 147. He was an excellent Welterweight, but he struggled physically much more with the additional pounds than Floyd or Mosley. To me, he always looked ever-so-slightly loose as a Welter, and didn't quite have that same balance and sharpness he had at Lightweight, or in his pit-stop at Light-Welter. Just not that kind of athletic freak, I guess, and it's a testament to his incredible skills that he was able to maintain his position as pound-for-pound number one for a while at 147 and 154 (albeit that was for one night only). He also trimmed his underrated offensive arsenal down as a Welter, too, relying much more on his jab.

But as a Lightweight, just about as close to unbeatable as there's ever been, I think. I think there'd be an appreciable speed gap in Pernell's favour here and he'd be more inclined at his best weight to fight in-close with Napoles, who always looked to apply classy pressure.

I think at 147, Pernell's problem is that while he'd put up a good fight, cause Napoles problems, make him miss a lot and go the distance, he just wouldn't be able to get in to the fight from an offensive point of view. With less pop in his punches I suspect he'd spend more time on the back foot than normal - Napoles just came forward beautifully when he was in full flow and I think Pea would be ceding too much ground too often to impress the judges. Napoles thought nothing of carrying the fight constantly to a proven, dangerous banger in Ralph Charles - or even to Monzon for about six rounds! With the speed gap reduced I could see Napoles countering on the front foot and hurting Pernell a couple of times. But Pea hears the final bell.

I tell you, Napoles might just have been the most perfectly-nicknamed boxer ever. He really was smooth as butter.

 

Ask Curtis Cokes what it is like to get the ch!te beat out of him by Prime Napoles at welterweight.
Napoles by TKO in 12 rds of a 15 round scheduled fight.

 

I love Napoles' performance against Cokes first time out. One of the smoothest, classiest displays ever caught on film. Amazing exhibition of aggressive countering, accuracy, defence, combinations and spitefulness all rolled in to one.

Also love Napoles' post-fight comment on how things went down: "I spread Mantequilla all over him."

It's funny, but a few years ago I started wondering why Gavilan always seems to rate higher in historians' list of greatest Welters and greatest Cuban fighters. Since about 2013/14 I've felt ever more confidence that Napoles deserves to outrank the Keed in both categories, yet very few seem to agree with me. I guess in part it's down to the Cuban political issues which Gavilan wasn't subject to in his prime.

 

This!

 

It’s probably a combination of a few things. 1. Gavilan fought Robinson prime and though the fights aren’t caught on film they were reported as very close so that’s a good barometer. 2. Napoles was blasted out at middleweight in his title shot whereas Gavilan lost close. 3. Napoles has some stoppage losses whereas Gavilan has none.

I think Napoles is the superior boxer though and he gets extra kudos basically being a lightweight/junior welterweight dominating at Welterweight for so long.

You know I think Luis Rodriguez perhaps even beats Napoles head to head. That trip of Cubans is incredible. Outside of The US I don’t think any other country possesses a top 3 in any division as great as that trio.

 

Jose decks Pernell a few times an route to a close 15 round decision.

 

Napoles was harder to hit with right hands and probably got hit with less right hands statistically up to the age of 30, Pea ate too many right hands at 147 even against Chavez depite jabbing and moving brilliantly in that bout.

 

Very good post. Razor thin close fight either way .. Whitaker was slightly better but maybe not at 147.

 

Napoles by KO

 

LH, you put it sooo well!