Merqui Sosa

[mickey malone]

He was a tough fighter. When he fought Toney they were both undefeated upcoming fighters. I remember it was sorta a coming out party for Toney.

I also remember later Ring mag. labeled Sosa's "the best chin" in boxing which must have been a curse because after that his career and abilty to take a punch came undone.

I wouldn't say his ability to take a punch came undone at that point because he was stopped only once in the next five years. That was by Frankie Liles, another underrated fighter of that era. I know i've seen this fight, but can only remember it vaguely and to the best of my memory it was another classic, with Sosa getting stopped on his feet in the 12th. Can any of you guys enlighten me further (?) as this fight definitely has a ring to it.

The first fight between Sosa and Williams was stopped and awarded a technical draw, stopped because it was too brutal. Too brutal due to both fighters refusing to go down!..
Sosa won the return by KO in another 10 rounds of slugfest.

I think apart from being overwhelmed by Jones (and who wasn't?), he didn't really lose his punch resistance until towards the end of his career. Around this time he was involved in yet another all action hum-dinger of a fight with Thomas Tate in which he was knocked out in the 10th.

Without doubt, i think boxing could definitely do with a few more Merqui Sosa's around today.