Deadly boxer/puncher vs Quick defensive slickster. @ Bantamweight, would Rafael do enough to put some hurt on Lora and possibly land the dynamite right hand to a stoppage, or would Happy use his finesse to outspeed Marquez? Hard to pick. Might have to pick Marquez to edge Happy Lora, maybe even land the KO punch in the process.
For a painfully short period of time, Lora seemed to have all the tools, almost a 118-pound version of Wilfredo Gomez in how he moved, punched, taunted and punched, etc. Shame it didn't last, but that version outslicks and out punches Marquez to a clear points win.
You know, I've NEVER thought of that until now... but you aren't wrong. Prime Lora kinda was like a poor man's Gomez.... minus the awesome power of course. I'd take Lora here too. Rafael Marquez was overrated. It's a damn crime that Happy Lora isn't in the HOF yet. He's the third greatest Colombian of all time behind only Kid Pambele and Rodrigo Valdez. And Valdez isn't even in the HOF, so go figure...
