Vincente Saldivar vs Azumah Nelson @ 126

Saldivar had quicker counters, I think he`d score a lot of counters and out-point Nelson.

 

Nelson would be highly competitive, and probably Saldívar's best win, but I think Zurdo would grit out a close decision.

 

Agreed. Love both fighters.

 

Brilliant match up. I agree with a lot of what Xplosive has written above, the main difference being I don't see a stoppage. Nelson was a relatively late replacement against Sanchez and had never gone past ten rounds at Commonwealth level, never mind world level, so I don't hold that stoppage against him. Aside from the twelfth round of the first Fenech fight, I don't remember ever seeing him in serious trouble again - and judging by what he did to Fenech in the rematch, I'm inclined to believe there might be some truth in the famous malaria excuse for the first fight.

But yep, I'd go with Saldivar as well, by a narrow margin. He probably holds the aces in terms of how their strengths and weaknesses match up. Saldivar was open to a world-class jab as Winstone showed, but Nelson underused his jab a lot of the time. And while Nelson did have a good body punch of his own, he was always open to taking them, too, because of that stance and very deliberate style of moving. Guys like McDonnell and Whitaker had no problem banging in big body shots against him, and Saldivar was as good as it gets going downstairs. And while both had fantastic conditioning and stamina, Nelson was occasionally guilty of switching off and giving away rounds by coming forward without letting the shots go. Very few guys could force Nelson onto the back foot or the ropes, but those that did (McDonnell for periods, Fenech in the first fight) had success with it. Saldivar is maybe in that small group of Featherweights who could.

Would be a gruelling battle but like a few other comments above I think Saldivar is just that shade stronger down the stretch. Wins a tight decision.

 

Man this one is pretty damn even. A true 50/50 fight. I'm leaning toward Nelson's but not with much confidence.

 

I have no doubts that the mighty warrior from Accra Ghana, the terrible terror and boxing Professor Azumah Nelson would stop Vicente Salvidar. The real question that should be asked is what would have happened in a rematch between Salvador Sanchez and a better prepared peak Azumah Nelson. You would have had the greatest ever from the great country of Mexico against the best ever from the African continent. I go for the Professor Azumah Nelson in another battle of the ages.

 

You should publish a book with all your top 50 lists etc. What a read.

 

Nelson is not top 10 or top 20 because he is in the top 5 alongside Sanchez, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler and Pacquiao.

 

Henry Armstrong is a great historical fighter and I did give thought to putting him there ahead of Manny Pacquiao. Nelson at his best was unbeatable at Featherweight and Junior Featherweight. The fight he gave the legendary Sanchez can be described as hell on earth when he was green and not ready being a late substitute and the destruction of the great Wilfredo Gomez in a place no less than his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico tells us all we need to know really. Throw in the victories over the fantastic Mario “Azabache” Martinez and Marcos Villisana at Featherweight to name a few you see where he was way to much at that weight. In fact his fights at Featherweight against world class fighters turned into mismatches. Hamed was great too though his fundamentals were a bit suspect. It’s one thing to be a great boxer like Azumah Nelson but when that is coupled with power and intangibles such as will, heart and desire. Head to head I am sure he would have knocked out Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler.

 

How was Saldivar-Ramos a robbery? He beat him to a pulp and his corner pulled him out. Are you confusing it with Saldivar-Laguna? I believe Laguna won that one but it was very close.

 

Saldivar was a true 15 round fighter. I think Laguna edged it by a point or two but close enough and Saldivar maybe would have overtaken over 15 rounds. Either way that was pre-championship. Saldivar beat Legra on a 10 round decision in a bout he got dropped early. That’s a great win for him.

 

Don't keep all these gifts inside dude, let them out.