Remember back in 05 when Rocky Juarez was supposed to face In JIn Chi

I predicted Rocky would beat Chi by decision then, and though my opinion of him has dropped since, I think he would have had a chance with his usual home town advantage.

 

chi is really underrated in the western world because most people remember him only for his televised loss to erik morales in 2001, as if he were just another opponent on the losing end of erik's streak of impressive victories around that time. chi, however, gave morales a good fight despite being relatively untested until that point. chi really toughed out some heavy spots with erik, landed good, clean counters and operated well in spots behind the jab. he won my respect for his losing effort. before that, the best name on his record was probably roongsurin lookongchan, who was a good, quick, tough thai boxer who never fought outside the far east. after the morales fight, it seemed as if he felt verified in the world boxing market. he looked excellent in beating a rugged, tough, then undefeated, michael brodie, fighting on brodie's home turf...the decision was later changed to a draw after some backroom hanky-panky by the nefarious deciever jose suliamon. in the immediate rematch chi stopped him hard in seven lopsided rounds. chi wound down his career on a 3-1 streak against pretty good opposition.

i think that chi might well have done some version of the same thing soto did. like soto, chi is a pretty good technical fighter who used quick, slashing shots and roughhouse tactics on the inside and worked more technically behind the jab from the outside. like soto, he had an excellent chin and always came to fight in top condition. these were two serious guys who were not diva-esque celebrities, in any sense. they worked for their money. rocky juarez has demonstrated, time and again, that he just doesn't have the stuff against world class opposition. he is particularly succeptible to hard work on the inside coupled with fast, accurate work on the outside. jaurez needs big holes to hit and little chance of paying the price in a phone booth. soto did him up in this way, juan manuel marquez put a fierce, career-ender kind of beating on him by taking that formula to the next level. i think chi would have gotten over on him in a relatively close fight somewhat like the juarez v. soto fight.

 

two ultra tough guys duking it out. woulda been a good one. rocky's punches are straighter, less wild. id pick him in a fairly close ud.

 

you make a good point. i didn't really take that into account. i know i should have. heck, considering the incomprehensible farce of a draw juarez got against chris john--despite, in my opinion losing nine or ten of the twelve rounds--chi probably would have come up on the short end of the scoring.

 

good contribution

but i see Soto a little differently than you do.

 

Juarez would have given a beating to that dog eater.

 

you calling someone ignorant atschatschatsch

 

wtf is with this random racism.

 

yeah he was overrated then and still is

 

I don't think Chi is anything for Juarez to have problems with...

 

what is your assessment of soto? i am interested because i have always fallen on his side of things, i like him, but i have never been able to shake those moments he seems to underperform...against guzman and, even during moments in the juarez fight?

 

I see Soto as a strong fighter with a good chin, a relatively porous defense, average handspeed, basic footwork, good stamina and a well varied offensive arsenal who likes to grind his opponents down by pumping the jab at them to close them down and then putting alot of weight behind his powershots.

on second thought it could be quite similar to how you described him i guess. Solid technically? in some aspects. Quick, slashing shots? Slashing in the sense that he puts alot of weight behind them, and quick because he can throw them down the middle if he wants, but his handspeed is nothing to brag about. Definately tough with a good chin and always in god condition.