Canizales didn't have active feet? His footwork was the biggest part of his game. He was able to combine a lot of movement with being able to sit down on his punches. Lupe Pintor almost beat Gomez. In that fight Gomez had bad legs from the first time he got hit. Unfortunately for Pintor, his style kept him in range for headbutts, elbows and low blows and that was a big part of what Gomez did. Watch that fight. When Canizales moved to 122, he was at the end of his game. Had he moved up sooner to fight Gomez, the weight would have suited Canizales while Gomez struggled to make that weight for years.
But he was always in the pocket. I dunno, maybe I’m wrong but I remember him doing more smallish movements inside and using more mincing type footwork, but always right there. credit to him for using that to advantage as he did, but I don’t think that would cut it against a swarmer who’s bigger and more powerful as Gomez would be.
Gomez might be a little too strong for Canizales and likely beats him convincingly. Although I do think Canizales has a good chin and was crafty enough to avoid getting stopped.
Canizales was an excellent fighter and for obvious reason he is in the IBHOF. He gives Gomez some trouble but Gomez figures him and wins by late stoppage. Or by UD.
Wilfredo drops the atomic bomb on him sooner or later. His offense was inevitable — one of the smoothest combination punchers ever, and sometimes it would look like he was just lollypopping a punch in and it would detonate to devastating effect. Problem for the smaller Orlando here is that no one at 122 had a margin for error against Wilfredo, and sooner or later he makes a mistake and Gomez was an incredible closer. I make it even for about eight or nine rounds before the bomb goes off.
I've watched it. Gomez didn't have the same leg speed that he had earlier in this career, but despite fighting on Pintor's terms for much of it, he still outslugged Pintor & scored the more damaging punches for most of it. If anything that fight is a testament to Gomez's ruggedness & resilience, which was perhaps still an open question heading into that fight.
What I am getting at is this...Pintor hurt him early and his legs never recovered. But Pintor stood there and fought with him and got butted, elbowed, flagrantly, hit low... Canizales often started fast and I would argue that he was a more explosive puncher than Pintor. If Canizales hurt Gomez early and his legs went like they did against Pintor, he wouldn't have a chance. I'm not suggesting that he would quit, but he would be two steps off the beat for however long the fight lasted after his legs went.
