30 Seconds With Ruben Olivares

[THE THIRD MAN]

Olivares is arguably the greatest Bantamweight of all time, Rose held off Castillo and no matter what anyone might think, he actually beat Castillo more than what the controversy shows. Olivares was a different beast altogether. Rose was weight drained, but the early rounds show he had great evasive skills and landed many shots himself. Olivares was just relentless, he just kept moving forward, throwing punches, not wildly or recklessly, he was measured, he had purpose, he was incredibly accurate. Rose was doomed.
The one fight i would've liked to have seen was Olivares V Eder Jofre. Jofre made a comeback in 1969 and took out former featherwieght champion Vicente Saldivar in 4 rounds, what a fight it would've been against Olivares, both fighters were fighting at Featherweight in 1973.
How about a dream match at 118 Olivares V Zarate?

[FinitoElDinamita]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

[ICB]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

I also think Ruben Olivares is overrated, his prime was just too short. And when he was still in his prime he lost twice to Rafael Herrera convincingly, and didn't make a succesful move moving up in weight either.

[marbleheadmaui]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

I also think Ruben Olivares is overrated, his prime was just too short. And when he was still in his prime he lost twice to Rafael Herrera convincingly, and didn't make a succesful move moving up in weight either.

First off Hererra was one hell of a fighter, no shame there. Secondly since when is becoming champion after moving up not succeeding?

It also baffles me how one can "overrate" the best of the greatest era of bantams.

[ICB]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

I also think Ruben Olivares is overrated, his prime was just too short. And when he was still in his prime he lost twice to Rafael Herrera convincingly, and didn't make a succesful move moving up in weight either.

First off Hererra was one hell of a fighter, no shame there. Secondly since when is becoming champion after moving up not succeeding?

It also baffles me how one can "overrate" the best of the greatest era of bantams.

Because on alot of rankings he's rated the Best Bantamweight of all time, aswell as the best Mexican fighter of all time. That simply isn't true and im not slating Rafael Herrera, he was a very good fighter.

But the fact remains he beat Ruben Olivares in his prime twice, and twice he proved he was clearly the better man without controversy.

I think there were plenty of better Mexican fighters.

Salvador Sanchez
Julio Cesar Chavez
MAB
Erik Morales
Juan Manuel Marquez
Miguel Canto
Vincente Saldivar
Ricardo Lopez

And better Bantamweights P4P

Jeff Chandler
Carlos Zarate
Eder Jofre
Orlando Canizales

[marbleheadmaui]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

I also think Ruben Olivares is overrated, his prime was just too short. And when he was still in his prime he lost twice to Rafael Herrera convincingly, and didn't make a succesful move moving up in weight either.

First off Hererra was one hell of a fighter, no shame there. Secondly since when is becoming champion after moving up not succeeding?

It also baffles me how one can "overrate" the best of the greatest era of bantams.

Because on alot of rankings he's rated the Best Bantamweight of all time, aswell as the best Mexican fighter of all time. That simply isn't true and im not slating Rafael Herrera, he was a very good fighter.

But the fact remains he beat Ruben Olivares in his prime twice, and twice he proved he was clearly the better man without controversy.

I think there were plenty of better Mexican fighters.

Salvador Sanchez
Julio Cesar Chavez
MAB
Erik Morales
Juan Manuel Marquez
Miguel Canto
Vincente Saldivar
Ricardo Lopez

And better Bantamweights P4P

Jeff Chandler
Carlos Zarate
Eder Jofre
Orlando Canizales

To say we disagree would be an understatement. In my view he is the #2 Mexican fighter and no worse than the #2 bantam.

For example, you say Olivares lost twoice to Herrera, yet somehow don't mention Chandler, another great fighter, lost twice to a fighter who couldn't carry Rafael's jock in Richie Sandoval.

To have Orlando Canizales, who defeated fewer than five ranked guys in his career on this list is a joke as near as I can tell.

[ICB]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

I also think Ruben Olivares is overrated, his prime was just too short. And when he was still in his prime he lost twice to Rafael Herrera convincingly, and didn't make a succesful move moving up in weight either.

First off Hererra was one hell of a fighter, no shame there. Secondly since when is becoming champion after moving up not succeeding?

It also baffles me how one can "overrate" the best of the greatest era of bantams.

Because on alot of rankings he's rated the Best Bantamweight of all time, aswell as the best Mexican fighter of all time. That simply isn't true and im not slating Rafael Herrera, he was a very good fighter.

But the fact remains he beat Ruben Olivares in his prime twice, and twice he proved he was clearly the better man without controversy.

I think there were plenty of better Mexican fighters.

Salvador Sanchez
Julio Cesar Chavez
MAB
Erik Morales
Juan Manuel Marquez
Miguel Canto
Vincente Saldivar
Ricardo Lopez

And better Bantamweights P4P

Jeff Chandler
Carlos Zarate
Eder Jofre
Orlando Canizales

To say we disagree would be an understatement. In my view he is the #2 Mexican fighter and no worse than the #2 bantam.

For example, you say Olivares lost twoice to Herrera, yet somehow don't mention Chandler, another great fighter, lost twice to a fighter who couldn't carry Rafael's jock in Richie Sandoval.

To have Orlando Canizales, who defeated fewer than five ranked guys in his career on this list is a joke as near as I can tell.

Well there you go thats exactly my point, you rate him as this and that. Which is exactly why i think he is overrated.

Jeff Chandler only lost once to Rinchie Sandoval, and wasn't interested in the fight and looked very lacklusture. Which is why he retired soon after and also because of his detatched retina.

That wasn't his prime unlike Ruben Olivares, clearly losing twice in his prime actually 3 times including his loss to Castillo.

That's why i said P4P meaning in head to head match ups, not comparing there actual career's. And yes i do think a prime Olrando Canizales wins, he was a fantastic fighter at using angles and was the complete package.

[FinitoElDinamita]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

Zarate/Olivares would have been cool.

I also think Ruben Olivares is overrated, his prime was just too short. And when he was still in his prime he lost twice to Rafael Herrera convincingly, and didn't make a succesful move moving up in weight either.

First off Hererra was one hell of a fighter, no shame there. Secondly since when is becoming champion after moving up not succeeding?

It also baffles me how one can "overrate" the best of the greatest era of bantams.

Because on alot of rankings he's rated the Best Bantamweight of all time, aswell as the best Mexican fighter of all time. That simply isn't true and im not slating Rafael Herrera, he was a very good fighter.

But the fact remains he beat Ruben Olivares in his prime twice, and twice he proved he was clearly the better man without controversy.

I think there were plenty of better Mexican fighters.

Salvador Sanchez
Julio Cesar Chavez
MAB
Erik Morales
Juan Manuel Marquez
Miguel Canto
Vincente Saldivar
Ricardo Lopez

And better Bantamweights P4P

Jeff Chandler
Carlos Zarate
Eder Jofre
Orlando Canizales

Exactly.. I agree 100% That highlighted part is gold..

[CutMeMick]

Soo Hwan Hong knocks out the overrated Olivares.

You can't be serious...

[marbleheadmaui]

Olivares is arguably the greatest Bantamweight of all time, Rose held off Castillo and no matter what anyone might think, he actually beat Castillo more than what the controversy shows. Olivares was a different beast altogether. Rose was weight drained, but the early rounds show he had great evasive skills and landed many shots himself. Olivares was just relentless, he just kept moving forward, throwing punches, not wildly or recklessly, he was measured, he had purpose, he was incredibly accurate. Rose was doomed.
The one fight i would've liked to have seen was Olivares V Eder Jofre. Jofre made a comeback in 1969 and took out former featherwieght champion Vicente Saldivar in 4 rounds, what a fight it would've been against Olivares, both fighters were fighting at Featherweight in 1973.
How about a dream match at 118 Olivares V Zarate?

Nice post.

The Jofre-Olivares one is particularly interesting. My initial thinking was Jofre was too technically sound and quick for Olivares to track down and he handled another skilled banger twice in Jose Medel. Then I remembered that the one man who beat Jofre was an unrelenting pursuit beast like Olivares, but without the punch, Fighting Harada.

That's a pick'em in my view. I could argue either way.

Olivares-Zarate seems clearer to me. Puas went ten rounds leading the great Arguello up at 126. Arguello was a bigger, harder punching version of Zarate it seems to me. Both tall and long and classic stand up fighters, both adept at picking off punches with their gloves, both excellent technically but not overly quick, both preferred to pursue rather than retreat, both had excellent chins and lethal power with both hands. My guess is if Olivares could do that at 126? At 118 he wins a decision over the great Zarate.

I'd give my left arm to own a time machine that allowed me to see a 1962 Jofre or a 1977 Zarate against a 1969 Olivares.

[greynotsoold]

The thing that I always found interesting about Zarate was that his "go-to" punch was that harmless looking left uppercut to the body. He really worked that punch. And I hate to pick against him (I still haven't seen Zarate/Gomez) but I think that Olivares would beat him. Zarate handled Zamora pretty well, but Olivares, while based on the same theory, was a whole lot more.