The most exciting fighters we don't get to see
A few days ago, Thomas Hauser put up an article on ESPN.com listing the guys who he thought were the 16 most exciting boxers today. While I can't quibble with his list (for the most part, other than maybe Arthur Abraham, I agree with his list), he does make a nod that he might not be including everyone, simply because he focused on fighters we get to see in the US a fair amount. On that note, I just wanted to highlight a few more fighters who didn't make his list who are exciting as heck, but maybe don't get as much US TV exposure as the fighters he listed.
Roman Gonzalez
Gonzalez has a few things working against him in terms of popularity. He fights in the minimumweight and junior flyweight divisions, which generally don't get much attention stateside. He comes from Nicaragua, so he doesn't have a big boxing fanbase behind him. But boy can he light it up in the ring. In 23 fights, he has 20 KOs, which is an almost unheard of knockout ratio in the lower divisions. He's done this by being a violent and aggressive boxer-puncher who waits for his opening and then pounces on it once it's there. If you like Edwin Valero, you'll love Roman Gonzalez.
Daisuke Naito
Naito may not be the most powerful puncher in the world, but he throws a lot of punches, and he has a tendency to throw caution to the wind when doing so. In Japan, they generally regard him as the most exciting fighter there, although their idea of excitement in the ring may be a little different than what we think of in the US.
Kevin Mitchell
Mitchell is an up-and-coming prospect in the UK under Frank Warren's stable, which means we'll probably see him fighting for a WBO title pretty soon. While I can't say I find him to be the most skilled fighter in the world, he does bring some level of excitement to the ring, keeping his hands busy and having 20 KOs in 27 fights.
Fernando Angulo
Alfredo Angulo managed to make the list, but I'm not sure he's even the most exciting Angulo right now. Fernando has been on TV a couple of times, in a losing effort against Juan Diaz and an upset victory over Colombian prospect Patrick Lopez, but unfortunately, all that's up on Youtube at the moment are clips from the Diaz fight, in which he was thoroughly dominated. Still, he managed to make it an entertaining fight, even if he was outgunned. Though he doesn't have great power, he's one of those guys who just keeps on the offensive, even when he's getting nailed. He should be tough - after being orphaned as a child, he went out to live in the Amazon for a number of years, not rejoining civilization until his teens. Rumor has it that he'll be fighting for one of the belts vacated by Nate Campbell (he lost his last fight, but that was at 140, and he's near the top of the IBF mandatory list).
Somsak Sithchatchawal
If the name rings a bell, it's because his war with Mayhar Monshipour was many writers' fight of the year, despite not being televised in the US. Sithchatchawal always brings that attitude into the ring - never say die, take punishment to give punishment. This attitude was his undoing against Celestino Caballero, who knocked out Sithchatchawal cold with a big counter. Unfortunately, his best days are probably behind him at this point, meaning it's unlikely we'll ever get to see him on US TV. Also, while Monshipour first retired after this fight, he has been attempting a comeback recently as well.
Eagle Den Junlaphan (formerly Eagle Kyowa)
Eagle, a Thai native fighting out of Tokyo, is another minimumweight who tends to put on exciting performances. The other fighter in the video, Rodel Mayol, is an exciting fighter in his own right, and the kid who fought the other night on the Global Supremacy undercard, Denver Cuello, reminds me a lot of Mayol. While Eagle isn't a big puncher, he'll get hit to get off a punch, and he'll provide relatively steady action for the full 12 rounds.
A few other guys who do get regular US TV exposure who were missing from the list: Michael Katsidis, King Kong Agbeko, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Torres, David Haye, John Duddy and Juan Diaz.
Guys who did make the list: Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Tomasz Adamek, Arthur Abraham, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo, Edwin Valero, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Israel Vasquez, Vic Darchinyan and Cristobal Arreola.
If you've got others, feel free to post them below.
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23 comments
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Comments
Here are some I've seen
Saul Alvarez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zLz7tB_Ty0
Jason Cintron… Kermit’s brother. Much better than Kermit IMO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diFbATLvxx0
Felix Sturm… surprised after the beating he gave DLH he didn’t get much of anything except in Germany.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS4lpaYxrIY
I have to add Joan Guzman. Last time I heard of him fighting was in the Dominican Republic on their air waves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IEmX4hKi5Y
Ivan Calderon. Needs no introduction.
Daniel Santos. Holds the WBO title if I am not mistaken. He’s MIA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8fNYbMfa50
"Count on us! We sponsored Margarito for several years." - CEMEX [Mexico's largest cement company.]
by Sickle on Apr 20, 2009 4:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Joan Guzman?
He’s like the antithesis of exciting. Santos has never thrilled me either.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 20, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't say I find Santos too exciting
Guzman is exciting when he engages, which I’ve never seen him do for more than half a fight. Sturm doesn’t excite me either. If I wanted to go with an orthodox style Euro fighter, I would have gone with Kessler, who I think is better and more exciting than Sturm.
The Euro guy I was on the verge of putting in and then deleted at the last minute was Giacobbe Fragomeni. I like him a lot, but I realize he’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea. Classic pressure fighter style, but better skills than guys like Andrade and Urango, made a couple of pretty good fights with Haye and Kraj.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Apr 20, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Note to SC
Sorry about the cross-up here. If you’re about to post a story and you see that I have something scheduled for release shortly thereafter, feel free to edit the release time so that we’re not putting out a million things at the same time and not having big gaps between when things are published. Got a bit overzealous today.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Apr 20, 2009 4:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
doesn't bother me, dude
The more content the better. Bloody Elbow has proven over time that having a billion stories a day can work just peachy.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 20, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's more the gaps I'm concerned about
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Apr 20, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the explosions of content are cool. Gives me a needed diversion.
by lcollins1 on Apr 21, 2009 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 20, 2009 4:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I did one of these lists like a year ago too
http://www.badlefthook.com/2008/5/30/542357/must-see-tv-boxing-s-ten-b
My criteria may have been slightly different, too. It was: “fighters whose fights are routinely, well, freakin’ awesome, and at the very least really entertaining. Win, lose, or draw, these are the guys worth tuning in for every time out.”
My top ten then was:
1. Izzy Vaquez
2. Katsidis
3. Cotto
4. Pavlik
5. Pacquiao
6. JMM
7. Margarito
8. Rafael Marquez
9. Miranda
10. Mayorga
It’d be different now. Off the top of my head (I’ll surely forget someone, and I’m taking Izzy and Rafael out for the time being) and just judging by excitement, period, and not necessarily great fights:
1. Pacquiao
2. JMM
3. Cotto
4. Juanma Lopez
5. Kirkland
6. Juan Diaz
7. Yuri Gamboa
8. Darchinyan
9. Pavlik
10. Adamek
Hon. Mentions to Katsidis (whose excitement faded when Diaz exposed him badly), Duddy, Bernard Dunne (who could climb rapidly), Amir Khan, Mosley, Miranda, Tall Paul, Alfie Angulo, Valero, and many others.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 20, 2009 5:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought about including Dunne
But I figured that Dunne-Cordoba was probably still fresh on people’s minds.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Apr 20, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right about Mitchell
He’s been out of the ring for almost a year after having an operation to repair a snapped tendon in his hand and he’s now back with a tune-up 8 round fight soon then he’s got a shot a Martinez (who recently took Nicky Cook’s WBO strap).
Exciting fighter though, I think he hits harder than Cook.
by strike4A on Apr 20, 2009 5:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
What about Victor Ortiz
From what I’ve seen he is pretty exciting. Him and I think Juan Manuel Lopez would be a nice fit.
by Full Throttle on Apr 20, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The fact that Thomas Hauser thinks Hatton is the second most exciting fighter in the sport eliminates Hauser as a serious boxing analyst.
Anyone disagree?
I didn’t think so.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
by Matt Miller on Apr 21, 2009 1:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wasn't under the impression that his list was in any particular order.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Apr 21, 2009 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Would you even include Hatton in your top 20?
As a P4P fighter, yes. As a top 20 action fighter, not me.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
by Matt Miller on Apr 21, 2009 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Depends on the fight, I guess
Usually I find him exciting, the Castillo and Tszyu fights being the big exceptions. I have no problem with inside fighting, just not when it turns into a clinch every 10 seconds.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Apr 21, 2009 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Someone you guys might not of seen but Shane Cameron. The quality of oppenent is usualy not to good but he always likes to bomb away with power shots and has good stamina to keep it up aslong as the fight goes plus he is easy to hit and bleeds even easier. He has broken his hand twice now in fights and still swung away with it to get a KO win.
Im not saying he is the most exciting fighter at the moment im more just trying to put him out there
by sigidy on Apr 21, 2009 1:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
How good could Cameron’s fight with Tua be? Real slugfest? I’ve really never seen Cameron but I still have a soft spot for Tua.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 21, 2009 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dont see it lasting all that long. Shane fights coming forward and relies on his offence to make up for the holes in his defence. If Tua can take few of his shots then he should be able to land something to put him on the back foot and possibly open up a cut. Shanes only loss was a TKO in the 12th round in a fight he was winning but he couldnt see the shots coming by the end with cuts around both eyes and got droped twice.
It depends on what Tua has left, if he turns up to collect a pay check then Shane should be able to just out work him but if he wants to go for it i think it will be a slugfest for aslong as it goes
by sigidy on Apr 22, 2009 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ali Oubalii is a guy who always puts on a good show. Incredible workrate and spends a lot of time in the pocket. I wish we could see more of him.
by BabyBull1289 on Apr 21, 2009 4:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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