For those you are younger and not as familiar with boxers from the 80's & 90's that didn't get as much press, Ricardo stands as an all-time great pound-for-pound and I think underrated. Many people don't list him as he gets overlooked being of small size. He fought at the minimum weight and light flyweight and very early he weighed less than 100lbs. Although it says Minimum and Mini Flyweight a common undercard fighter on major fights, he was known then as a Strawweight. The only governing body at that time with that name was WBC, and he was the WBC champion. Although at certain sites it says WBC Minimumweight Champion, for the most part they advertised it as Strawweight. He retired at 52-0-1 with 38 by stoppage, he also had 21 straight title defenses only to be topped by Joe Louis at 25 (Michalczewski had 23 but no fights in the U.S. and both Calzaghe and Ottke also had 21 straight title defenses but Calzaghe with only two U.S. fights and Ottke had none, I don't include these three names as valid). BTW- For those not familiar with boxing stats, Bernard Hopkins had 20 straight title defenses always against the best fighters.
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For those you are younger and not as familiar with boxers from the 80's & 90's that didn't get as much press, Ricardo stands as an all-time great pound-for-pound and I think underrated. Many people don't list him as he gets overlooked being of small size. He fought at the minimum weight and light flyweight and very early he weighed less than 100lbs. Although it says Minimum and Mini Flyweight a common undercard fighter on major fights, he was known then as a Strawweight. The only governing body at that time with that name was WBC, and he was the WBC champion. Although at certain sites it says WBC Minimumweight Champion, for the most part they advertised it as Strawweight. He retired at 52-0-1 with 38 by stoppage, he also had 21 straight title defenses only to be topped by Joe Louis at 25 (Michalczewski had 23 but no fights in the U.S. and both Calzaghe and Ottke also had 21 straight title defenses but Calzaghe with only two U.S. fights and Ottke had none, I don't include these three names as valid). BTW- For those not familiar with boxing stats, Bernard Hopkins had 20 straight title defenses always against the best fighters.
not sure if you remember but I rated LOPEZ in my top 10 fighters of all time, he is technically the GREATEST fighter who ever lived, everything was textbook, everyone knows how cocky mayweather is, around 2001, he even said that he was number 2 pound for pound behind lopez, ricardo fought good competition throughout his career, but because most people, as well as networks don't follow the lower weight class's I feel that in terms of history, lopez will be underrated, in fact I would go as far as saying that he is one of the most underrated fighters of all time, even when he was fighting he was never rated number one pound for pound in any any boxing magazine, but fighters as well as real boxing guys know the truth, another fighter who is in a similar situation is johnny tapia, at his best, my god, he is one of the best combination punchers you will ever see and did anyone ever have a better chin? I think history will remember his outside of the ring problems even more than his skill and talent. kind of getting off topic but something came to mind about underrated fighters, a reporter once asked charley burley If he had negative feelings about sugar ray robinson, because although most felt he was his his equel in terms of skill and talent, he never received the money or stardom that ray recieved, (burley had to work a day job throughout his career) and burley responded saying when GOD asked who wants to be sugar ray robinson, walker smith put up his hand first. who is more underrated burley or lopez? close call.
not sure if you remember but I rated LOPEZ in my top 10 fighters of all time, he is technically the GREATEST fighter who ever lived, everything was textbook, everyone knows how cocky mayweather is, around 2001, he even said that he was number 2 pound for pound behind lopez, ricardo fought good competition throughout his career, but because most people, as well as networks don't follow the lower weight class's I feel that in terms of history, lopez will be underrated, in fact I would go as far as saying that he is one of the most underrated fighters of all time, even when he was fighting he was never rated number one pound for pound in any any boxing magazine, but fighters as well as real boxing guys know the truth, another fighter who is in a similar situation is johnny tapia, at his best, my god, he is one of the best combination punchers you will ever see and did anyone ever have a better chin? I think history will remember his outside of the ring problems even more than his skill and talent. kind of getting off topic but something came to mind about underrated fighters, a reporter once asked charley burley If he had negative feelings about sugar ray robinson, because although most felt he was his his equel in terms of skill and talent, he never received the money or stardom that ray recieved, (burley had to work a day job throughout his career) and burley responded saying when GOD asked who wants to be sugar ray robinson, walker smith put up his hand first. who is more underrated burley or lopez? close call.
another very underrated fighter that most guys have never heard of is BILLY "THE FARGO EXPRESS" PETROLLE, up until recently their was no existing film of him on tape, but something has since been found in the archives, it's a couple of min of the last fight of his career vs barney ross, but by that time billy was finished.
another very underrated fighter that most guys have never heard of is BILLY "THE FARGO EXPRESS" PETROLLE, up until recently their was no existing film of him on tape, but something has since been found in the archives, it's a couple of min of the last fight of his career vs barney ross, but by that time billy was finished.
I know 90's Jones with his athleticism was "one of a kind" and performed spectacular was always considered #1, and the #2 spot changed like the weather! I remember sometime in the mid-90s Lopez was undercard and I want to say to an HBO Welterweight (or middleweight) bout and with no surprise a few boxer's I sparred with were leaving the room to go get beer, and I said if you want to learn boxing, besides from experience this is the fighter you will learn from. Like many other people they were more concerned with action then real skill so I told them to watch the WWF (now WWE)!
I know 90's Jones with his athleticism was "one of a kind" and performed spectacular was always considered #1, and the #2 spot changed like the weather! I remember sometime in the mid-90s Lopez was undercard and I want to say to an HBO Welterweight (or middleweight) bout and with no surprise a few boxer's I sparred with were leaving the room to go get beer, and I said if you want to learn boxing, besides from experience this is the fighter you will learn from. Like many other people they were more concerned with action then real skill so I told them to watch the WWF (now WWE)!
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