Canzoneri might’ve been a bit too raw there still. Bad style matchup for him on paper, too. Shorter counter puncher vs longer pure boxer. But then, Canz was about as versatile as they come and could really turn on the pressure if needed. Not sure if that pressure would be educated enough at that stage of his career, though. Pep is the safer bet, but 15 rounds is a long time against a body puncher like Tony.
Yeah, I'd go Pep too. He's at a style advantage, and when fighters are this good, this great, that's what matters most IMO. Canz could win, for sure, but Pep is more likely to IMO.
It took a freak-bodied rough-houser (Saddler) to beat Willie. Canzie's style is unusual, but it is based on finesse and no one out-finesses Pep. Tony's trick of dropping his hands and countering wouldn't work so well against the fleet-fisted and -footed Pep. Canzoneri would be clever enough to make a fight of it though. And he could punch harder than Willie. So it's not a lock, but I'd go with Willie. He's quite a bit better than Kid Chocolate, and Tony had his hands full in his first fight against the Keed in winning a decision which could have gone either way. Good points from Bujia and Crowcroft about Tony's relative inexperience as a featherweight, too. I don't think he punched as hard then as he did later either.
