Which do you pick: Epic battles vs Statistic Records?

By Boxing News - 09/09/2014 - Comments

By Gerardo Granados: Yesterday, I asked a friend his opinion on a hypothetical fight between Adrien Broner against Juan Manuel Marquez; because I believe The Problem can be solved with quite ease by the veteran lion king. My friend responded that it could be a good fight for Marquez but Juan Manuel was more interested to win his fifth divisional world title. That is true and Marquez himself has stated that he wants to become the first Mexican fighter to achieve that feat, but I wonder if that is more important than give fight fans one more epic battle.

The fight fans will always remember an epic battle over a statistic record. Or is it the other way around?

What is the thing that the readers remember the most of his favorite fighter? Is it his overall boxing record or the epic battles he was involved in? In the recent years Erik Morales had one fight that I will always remember and it is not the one against Pablo Cesar Cano in which Terrible won his fourth divisional Championship. Which one do the readers think is probably the one that I am referring to? For me when Morales fought Marcos Chino Maidana ranks among the best epic battles he had, just next to his trilogy against both Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera.
It is true that a good record is important but it is just as important as the quality of opposition faced and defeated, if a fighter loses to a great fighter then there is no shame but respect for challenging the odds.

What is the thing that you remember the most of Arturo Gatti? Is it his statistic record or his epic battles against Ivan Robinson and Micky Ward or his last effort against Alfonso Gomez. Do you recall the statistical record of Evander Holyfield, Azumah Nelson or Aaron Pryor?

When I remember Smoking Joe Frazier I never think of his statistic record, all I can think of is to remember him as a genuine fighter who had the heart of a true champion inside and outside the ring. I remember him beating Muhammad Ali in their first fight and also threatening his corner to not to stop his third fight, I also remember him getting hammered by Big George Foreman but I always think of him as one of the bravest, meanest and most feared sons of boxing.

Now a day boxers tend to try to achieve different weight division titles but on times that is not as impressive as fighter defeating the best in his weight division. Carl Frampton called out a boxer that won’t bring him the recognition of worldwide fight fans, Peter Quillin vacated his belt based on a business wise decision (?) but to me they didn’t make much sense.

I think that Juan Manuel Marquez should try to arrange a fight with Adrien Broner and maybe could get the WBO to sanction the fight for the light welter belt. But, Marquez also could face the opportunity to officially win the welterweight championship (he was robbed when he fought the WBO welter champion Manny Pacquiao on their third fight) if he is able to convince welterweight IBF belt holder Kell Brook to fight him.

If the reader was the one to decide, which would you pick: an epic battle or a statistic record?



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