I was talking boxing with an old former gym owner the other day who asserted that Pender was one of the most underappreciated champions of all time. Thoughts?
I was at the time a Fulmer fan. Now I think Fulmer was dodging him. Both had a belt, there being two at the time. A very good boxer, and was not apreciated, in he didn't knock them out or around, like a Robinson, Bascilo or Fulmer. Was disliked also for beating Old Man Robinson.....but beat him he did.
Pender did it not once, but 2 times, beating Robinson, I know people like to say Pender beat a shot Robinson, but in the fight after Pender, Robinson box Fullmer's ears off, for that "Draw". Geez. Pender was a great fighter imo. You have to be to beat that version of Robinson. Pender would always be a style problem for Robinson, like Fullmer or Baslilo were. Pender didnt get a lot of loved for it, kinda of like Charles did to Louis or Corbett did to Sullivan. Pender would give any middleweight problems. Even the elite. Speaking of Carman, Pender beat Carman pretty bad also. Perhaps more so than Fullmer. I belive had Fullmer and Pender fought, Paul would have won imo. He was a very good boxing. He was not the brawling type, I think Pender's style also gave Paul non loved. He was not the brawling type of fighter. He was a Gene Tunney or a Benny Leonard type of fighter. And if you dont have chrisma like Ali, you ant going to be very well like base on that style.
Pender was a very solid fighter, well rounded. Didn't do anything spectacular, which more then likely is why he's somewhat forgotten. As already mentioned beating Robinson didn't help. Robinson didn't avenge it making it "equal" like he managed to against Basilio, Fulmer, etc.
I dont like Pender. He was a ***** in person, lucky to have fought guys who were past their primes, and had a very ugly style. He just came along at the tight time. I dont have a lot of respect for him as a fighter or a person.
"Pender was a great fighter". On the basis of what? two decisions over a 39 and 40 year old Robinson ? A win over a 34 year old used up Basilio ,in Carmen's last fight? Splitting a series with Terry Downes, one of which , in the uk match Pender quit? Being kod in 3rds by Gene Hairston after being floored 3 times? Being dropped in the 4th rd and beaten by the same Fullmer who was supposed to be avoiding him? Pender was a cautious safety first mechanic ,who had a good left jab.I don't think he was blessed with a ton of heart and he showed it when he fought Downes in London. He was what I call a moderate champion ,similar to a Hugo Corro.Great? NO WAY!
Now Robinson was still beating the likes of Fullmer(Dispite what the judges said) Robinson may have been 39 years old, but he was still a top fighter. Have not seen the Downes fights.
Robinson was still a good fighter ,but no longer a great one.As Terry Downes put it after beating Robinson later ," I just beat a guy who called himself Ray Robinson ". A look at robinson's subsequent record clearly shows he was in marked decline. Pender NEVER beat a GREAT fighter in their prime,and very few good ones . Carmen Basilio described Pender as a "Bush Champion",and I agree with that assessment.
