Jeff Lacy vs. Antwun Echols (primes) ?

[p4pking]

Well you basically have to guage Lacy's entire worth as a relevant contender by the fact that he got his ass beat by Calzaghe. I really think he was kind of shit in hindsight, and while his chin was maybe a bit better than Echols it's not by much, certainly not enough to take his punch. Omar Sheika had Lacy all over the place and arguably beat him, there was another low level journeyman I cant recall who had him badly hurt.. Can't imagine Echols wouldn't have landed big first and therefore won by KO.

I don't think that is a fair assesment of Jeff Lacy.

It was a hell of a battle and a close fight with Sheika, and I was rooting for Sheika that night, but even I felt Lacy won by a round or two.

And Sheika was not a "low level journeyman" and neither was Syd Vanderpool, who I imagine is the other name you are thinking of.

What about when Lacy DESTROYED Robin Reid and Scott Pemberton ?

A ton of people on this forum picked Reid to beat Lacy, and yes the ref in that fight was atrocious, but Reid got pummelled just the same.

Lacy was a good fighter, just not as good as some of us thought he was.

Just checked boxrec, it was Donnell Wiggins, I clearly remember he had Lacy in big trouble at one point at least. What about destroying an old Reid and mediocre Pemberton? It doesn't really speak to his worth as a relevant title contender whatsoever imo. I think the Lacy vs Calzaghe fight is a prime example of what kind of influence hype has over even informed critics. I was barely into boxing when that fight happened really so I can't attest to what people said about it, but in hindsight it's painfully obvious Lacy was never in Calzaghes league.

Oh yes the Wiggins fight was embarassing, but he still KO'd Wiggins.

You weren't watching boxing when Lacy was coming up through my friend, so how can you speak on how good or bad he was ?

Spicoli makes a good point, Echols had a weak chin and terrible balance. He did have a lot of heart and a ton of power though.

This fight would have been a war while it lasted.

Well going by that premise, my friend, unless the average member of this forum is in there ninties I don't think I'm the worst culprit. How can you speak of how good or bad anyone was? I'm pretty sure we're around the same age, I'm just 23.. So the vast majority of fighters that I enjoy watching most weren't actually coming up as I got into boxing, clearly. If anything though, I think you are in a better position to assess a fighter if removed from the hype that surrounded him coming up. Of course you can't use that to detract from his opposition at the time, it's a fine line. Fact is Lacy was badly hurt by several fairly average world level fighters, and got absolutely clowned by the only real elite guys he ever faced. Obviously he had a great hook and was built like a rock, but it's pretty elementary to say he was overhyped.