So...Who in Classic wants me to run another fantasy tournament?

Agreed, if not for his tender skin he'd have been damn near perfect. As well-rounded as they came and one of my favorite fighters to watch.

 

I agree Napoles is a better boxer, has better power, is every bit as strong and would win the majority of exchanges but I have greater store in Chavez's chin and will to win it seems than what you do. I think he can stand and take Napoles's thunder and fire back without being deterred to the point that it doesn't become a war of attrition.

I like Chavez to mark up Napoles because Mantequilla was never that hard to hit and Chavez was very pin point and accurate with his punches. I think Chavez has the better defense as well and will block much of Napoles' punches, which will also give him the opportunity to stand in close for longer durations of the fight and do his thing.

Rosario and Mayweather were fairly big hitters and Chavez absorbed their shots like they were nothing. Even against DLH and Tszyu Chavez didn't really get stopped through being out of it, it was more so that he was plain getting pummeled, and he still took their punches fairly well as it was. I know Napoles brings more to the table that what all those fighters do, but Chavez's chin is gold as far as I'm concerned, and as much firepower as Napoles has, I don't think it will deter Chavez enough to stop Chavez from getting to Napoles' own fragile skin which I think will get torn up in a long battle between the two.

 

Anyway, this is why we NEED this tournament to happen. Get with it Drew!:good

 

This could very well happen to Chavez though, as was proven a few times early on when he experienced strong return fire from the likes of LaPorte and Lockridge. Napoles was far more potent than either.

I can't agree with that. I thought Napoles had very good defense for the most part, even though he was hittable. He was very skilled at slipping and rolling punches, or taking the effect off the landed blows. Chavez had good defense as well, and is underrated in that regard, but I'd say he was more hittable than Napoles, who IMO had the more well rounded offense, and again, I think his firepower would come into play here.

Even if it doesn't deter Chavez to that point, I think Napoles has the skills and boxing ability to keep the fight at his pace throughout, which he was so good at doing. I don't see Chavez just coming forward non-stop, I think he'd have to do a lot of adjusting throughout the fight.

 

Both fights were still sufficiently war like though. He did box a little as well (in the Lockridge fight owing more to the fact that he hurt his hand, and in the Laporte fight owing to the fact that Laporte was just tough as nails) but in both fights he was in control and probably didn't need to push for an all out brawl either. Losing rounds to Napoles, I can see him putting his foot on the petal rather than retreating into a boxing match, because if he's got any brains, he knows he isn't going to win that game with Mantequilla.

Agree to disagree here, I thought Chavez's defense was superior to Napoles'.

He would, but this would be an action packed fight in which both men take tremendous licks and in which each face sterner physical tests than any provided in their sub 147 careers.

 

Come on, lets get this tournament started now!!!