Why don't they get much talk. These guys were great fighters and all put on great fights in they're time but it's like all anyone remembers is Barrera and Morales.
I think he'd had it exposed earlier in his career too.
Not quite as bad as Khan's I think, but that was his major downfall.
Man, Jones really fought everyone though. Barrera, Morales, McKinney, Canizalez, Johnson, Patterson, Ingle, among others.
Had one of the best right hands, and right hand counters of that entire era.
Not knocking on him. He had a great boxing style and that right hand will level most. He was able to throw that left hand in a 4 punch combo. His chin will give in when you least expected it.
He was one of my favorite fighters
Pretty cool. But isn't Kennedy McKinney not doing to well these days on the financial end.
All he can do is advise him, cant control another mans actions
Why don't they get much talk. These guys were great fighters and all put on great fights in they're time but it's like all anyone remembers is Barrera and Morales.
Why didnt they get much talk? Well to be quite honest I really dont see to many brothas paying attention to the small weights, and the guys being AA wouldve needed that support to be talked about more. Typically Mexicans and Asian fans are the ones that make a big deal about these lower classes which is why guys like Pacquiao Morales and Barrera were highly praised and talked about because of their fans. But IMO those guys as fighters were great fighters, they proved triangle theories are a bunch of bologna, you throw Pacquiao, Hamed, Kelly, McKinney, Jones, Morales, and Barrera in a tournament and who knows whod win, styles make fights and all could beat each other on any given Saturday.
Junior Jones, McKinney and Kevin Kelley were some very good fighters. Kelley and McKinney were always a joy to watch when they fought. When they fought no matter what, win or lose, you were going to be see a good fight and be entertained to the max as they were always in exciting fights.
Junior Jones had an amazing performance against Barrera but outside those two fights he was kind of inconsistent with his talent, and his talent level was prolly higher than the other two. Its just his inconsistency during his career was his problem so for that I say McKinney and Kelley were better fighters.
But the best out of the three is definitely McKinney. He had the great amateur pedigree with an Olympic Gold medal to cap it off and then had a very very good pro career. He always brought his A-game in the ring not matter what. IMO he is one of those fighters that is right at the borderline of making the HOF.
personally I think Kelly should be in the hall of fame....He was exciting to watch, skilled, helped bring $$$ to the lower divisions, and also was an elite fighter.....I wouldnt say an ATG but he was great for the sport....Didnt shy away from challenges
60-10-2 (39 kos)
had a long unbeaten run and fought the best of the 90s in his prime and past it
I think he'd had it exposed earlier in his career too.
It sure was. I mentioned I saw him as china-chinned going in. I was really surprised he took Barrera's punches so well.
Yeah that was one of those jaw-dropping fights. He bombed Barrera out of there. I thought Jones was washed up and weak-chinned going in. After he won the rematch he was flying pretty high...until McKinney exposed that china chin.
I think he'd had it exposed earlier in his career too.
Junior Jones really had Barrera's number.
In the second fight Barrera came in more declined and still lost.
Junior Jones had a Khan's chin
Not quite as bad as Khan's I think, but that was his major downfall.
Man, Jones really fought everyone though. Barrera, Morales, McKinney, Canizalez, Johnson, Patterson, Ingle, among others.
Had one of the best right hands, and right hand counters of that entire era.
Very true. A lot of really good fighters in those divisions, just before the Pacmania hit, so most people never got a chance to see them...probably wouldn't have cared much if they did though to be honest.
A lot of great fights though during that period.
the 2000s was top heavy....Pac, Ayala, Tapia, MAB and Morales dominated 122-126 whereas in the 90s there was a dozen very good fighters, just not all time greats
made for highly competitive fights
Why don't they get much talk. These guys were great fighters and all put on great fights in they're time but it's like all anyone remembers is Barrera and Morales.
Boxing fans do talk about these guys, the history of those divisions in the late 90s/early 00s is incomplete without these guys, especially considering the great fight Kelley and Naz had and the voodoo Jones held over Barrera.
Having said that, none of them were truly great fighters and were superseded by the true greats in MAB, Morales and Naz.
But hats off to all of them, terrific group of lil men.
Pretty cool. But isn't Kennedy McKinney not doing to well these days on the financial end.
I don't think he took care of himself even during his fighting days.
I'm pretty sure a good amount of posters didn't see them fight... Full fights
Those little guys and naz made possible for little guys today to be main events
Can't forget vuyuni bungu, welcome ncita, Zaragoza, wilfredo Vazquez, Orlando canizales Paul banks, etc 118-126 was crazy before the late 90s and they were all retired or shot
122 alone pre Barrera/Morales was in a golden era. Man USA, ESPN, HBO always had good lil man scraps..I was only like 8-10 watching those guys with my uncles
Very true. A lot of really good fighters in those divisions, just before the Pacmania hit, so most people never got a chance to see them...probably wouldn't have cared much if they did though to be honest.
A lot of great fights though during that period.
Yeah that was one of those jaw-dropping fights. He bombed Barrera out of there. I thought Jones was washed up and weak-chinned going in. After he won the rematch he was flying pretty high...until McKinney exposed that china chin.
by that point we all knew he was chinny...Poison was one of the most dynamic little guys....couldve been an ATG if he was a little more sturdy....offensively he could do it all
they were pumping Marco Antonio Barrera as the next Chavez sr.
Junior Jones upset the applecart....twice....they robbed him of a knockout win because one of Barrera's seconds came in the ring
Yeah that was one of those jaw-dropping fights. He bombed Barrera out of there. I thought Jones was washed up and weak-chinned going in. After he won the rematch he was flying pretty high...until McKinney exposed that china chin.
What happened??
they were pumping Marco Antonio Barrera as the next Chavez sr.
Junior Jones upset the applecart....twice....they robbed him of a knockout win because one of Barrera's seconds came in the ring
They were before my time as a fan but i look at the fights on YouTube and i can't see why these guys are forgotten. You never hear any mention of these guys anywhere.
I'll have to watch some of the guys in that third paragraph. Love watching fights from that era.
check out mckinney vs bungu, Ncita
Jones vs john michael johnson, tom johnson, barrera
the early 90s was loaded at 118-126
Apples and oranges.
You're comparing guys who held titles, had a few big wins, but whose careers (at least as contenders) were done by 2003 or so, to two legendary fighters who were fighting right up to the end of the 2000s.
You're right they didn't have the longevity of the other two. Idk i just see fights like MAB-Jones and McKinney(great fights) or Nas-Kelly(Merchant said Hagler -Hearns for little guys)and those are fights we should hear about a lot more.