How good was Freddy Norwood?

[Clegg]

I never got a chance to see him fight, and wanted to know what people thought of him at the time and how they judge him now looking back.

Some good wins on his record, he beat Bungu (who went on to beat McKinney and hold a belt at 122 for 6 years) and also Juan Manuel Marquez.

Was his loss to Gainer just a result of Gainer being too good for him? From what I understand Norwood was losing a fight where both had been dirty, and then there was an incident with low blows. What exactly happened?

The reason I ask is that this guy was champ at the same time as Naz, Barrera, Morales but never fought them, but he did beat JMM so he must have been quite good.

[Mr. Ryan]

Gainer responded to Norwood's low blows of his own, then Norwood flopped on the floor and tried to play it up to get a DQ win on a night he didn't want to be fighting. The ref told him to get up but he wouldn't so he had no choice but to count him out.

[Mr. Ryan]

Norwood was a counterpuncher, which seems to be Marquez's poison. Marquez was too hesitant and even got dropped, so did Norwood. It was a close decision, but Norwood got it. Marquez just didn't do enough to win and that set him back a long ways.

[IMDAZED]

In his prime, pretty effin good.