Who has the greater legacy?

He had a grand total of one fight at welterweight. A loss to Derrick 'Who?' Kelly. Sorry he was a natural 154 pounder.

Meldrick never recaptured the form he showed the night he lost to Chavez, but you're right, he wasn't shot when he faced Norris. He just wasn't a junior middleweight. He basically ate himself out of his natural division and then made another step up to face Norris. Yeah smaller guys step up, but it was obvious to everyone that Meldrick didn't belong at that weight at all, whereas some smaller guys when they step up do look like they belong to a greater extent. Brown Ko'ing Norris was a blight on Norris more than a great triumph for Brown. Brown did not box well or show great form. He hit Norris with a jab and Norris's legs went to spaghetti. Then he nails him with a few other punches and the night was over. Terry just didn't show any resistance that night. Said more about him than Simon imo.

If you actually look at the natural 154 pounders that they each fought, Norris' resume isn't that much more impressive than Vasquez's. Sure, Terry there is likely to outbox and maybe even stop Vasquez, but he also knew that Julio had a good chance fo Ko'ing him, which is why he never showed any interest in fighting him.

Norris would have beat them, but bottom line is he didn't face them. The natural 154 pounders he did face weren't better than those guys.

 

Norris was a hack.He would have sunk without a trace had he fought as a middle or possibly even as a Welter.

 

Well norris isnt exactly a promoter now is he, he cant choose whether or not he gets to fight rosi or john david jackson, niether man has much of a chance, its more liekly that they dodged him, its thier fault, not his. He was the p4p fighter, they were titlists fighting lesser comp. He doesnt have to chase them, they have to chase him and thats why he's in the hall of fame and they will just be known as decent titleholders, nothing more.

 

Sounds exactly like the excuse Roy Jones used which saw him fight tomato can after tomato can for a good 5 years. Norris was different, he did fight big name opponents. Problem was they were all either shot or outside their best weight.

 

kinda like b-hop and hagler, neither beat someone great in thier own weight. Well norris didnt fight someone 25-30 pounds smaller than him, just 7, thats right 7 ****in pounds.

How is it an excuse anyways, they didnt want to fight norris, what could he do, send them threats?

 

Azumah, I'd say.

 

I don't troll it's not allowed on ESB.

 

According to who? Don Curry washed up and past his best weight? I think this is a case of sour grapes distorting your reason.

How much outside their best weight could they be? Perhaps for the Nunn fight which he wasn't expected to win but not when he moves up 3 pounds from 147 which he had problems making anyways. Don't you remember-that's why he lost to Lloyd Honeyghan

I didn't see nobody complaining about Meldrick's weight either-this has to be a first.

Mugabi has been 154 since just after turning pro and was now champion so he achieved his full potential-just in time to pass it on to the vastly superior Norris. Shot my eye!

And Ray Leonard. What can you say about a 3-1 favorite labelled as washed up after taking his whipping?

And Brown had just beaten Norris himself. How washed up could he be?

 

Norris was a good fighter, but Azumah in my mind was a great fighter.

The knock against Norris - that he either fought smaller fighters or fighters on the decline (sometimes both) - is a valid one. Meldrick looked much the smaller man in there, and to call out JC Chavez, a much smaller man, was the cherry on the cake.
Norris was a terrific boxer but he also fancied himself a bit of a banger, and that cost him dearly against Simon Brown, who really could hit.
Fair do's to him though - he came back and won decisively against Brown. (Who, by the way, was no spring chicken at that point either.)

 

Hagler and Hopkins at least cleaned out their divisions though, and weren't getting sparked along the way. Hagler also fought better natural middles than Terry did natural jr middles.

If Norris was getting ducked and he still wanted to prove himself as the terrible one, he could have moved up in weight and fought some middles. What would Norris say to that? Something like the following: "Not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin." :yep

 

Perhaps. Of course, you'd have to admit, he was no Rene Jacquot by that stage

Well people didn't know it would be an issue. Until they actually saw the fighters in the ring with each other and then EVERYONE knew: Meldrick ain't no 154 pounder..

I give him the Mugabi win. Don't really see why you do though. Afterall, didn't he, according to you, just get beaten by a totally shot Hagler?

I'd have more chance of convincing you that 2 + 2 = 5 than I would of convincing you that Leonard was shot, so I won't try.

I'll admit that Leonard was not shot because he was a betting favourite if you admit that Camacho was not shot when he lost to the great Greg Haugen. After all, Camacho was the betting favourite! Deal?

That was the tragic thing about it for Terry. Simon WAS past his prime and he still flushed him. I don't think anyone would confuse the Simon Brown who was welterweight champ with the one that fought Norris.

 

It was Red's next door neighbour, Hank or Mega or whichever one it was

 

He's a bit better than a hack. He had some serious handspeed and power, a fine blend.

 

Norris, a hack?

The ****?

Is that why the man accomplished all he did and ended up in the HOF as quickly as he did?

 

It is legacy we are talking about.

To me, it is Azumah quite comfortably.