Who fought the better version of Azumah Nelson.......Sal Sanchez or Whitaker?

The Salvador Sanchez fight was a learning experience for young Nelson, while against Whitaker he was taught a lesson in boxing that he could never learn. Azumah was still very good against Whitaker, he just couldn't deal with the style at any point in his career. A rematch with an improved Nelson against (assumingly an improved) Sanchez could have gone either way in my opinion, and likely would have lasted the full distance.

So in short, Whitaker fought the better Azumah Nelson, despite the fight being at 135 (which I thought made little difference) but one should not underestimate the heart and raw ability that a young Nelson displayed against Salvador Sanchez.

 

Roughly about the same.I don't think the more technically rounded, slower-paced Nelson we usually saw post-Sanchez was necessarily too much more of an effective fighter than the supercharged, but wide open Nelson that took on sal.The Whitaker fight was a bit of a return to that style actually.

 

I'd say Whitaker hands down. Nelson had developed into an extremely versitile boxer puncher at that point.

 

Whitaker fought the more experienced BUT Sanchez fought the Nelson with advantages at the weight

 

Whitacker but neither fought the best ever version of Nelson.

 

Whitaker.

 

I don't know the answer to the question, too close to call IMO. I do think Whitaker's win gets a little overrated. Nelson had no business at 135 and I didn't give him much shot going in to the fight. Whitaker was bigger, faster, better boxer, and arguably the stronger man, plus in his prime. Here's a man who excelled all the way up at 154 against a man who maxed out at 130. It was never in doubt for me.

 

Sanchez.

Nelson was too small to be effective at 135 and entered the ring under a cloud that night.

 

Whitaker. Not by much though. Nelson was nearer to his prime.

 

Whitaker didn't look much bigger to me at all, and didn't look to be the stronger man, either, regardless of whether or not that was Nelson's best weight. He beat him purely on skill. The fact that Whitaker was faster and the better boxer can hardly be held against him, as that was usually the case whenever he fought.