If you were the handler of a prospect...

[Tmb04]

No reason you can't pick Spinks off, and then try to unify. It's nice to have a step up before going after the best of the best in the division. That's just my opinion though... I have respect for people like Floyd Mayweather who went straight for Genaro Hernandez instead of trying to get another ABC trinket and then going for the top dog in the division.[/QUOTE]

I completely agree. It's hard to say. I guess as a Handler I'd pick the safest fight for my prospect first. As a fan i'd pick the biggest fight.

Not all champs are bums. But what if your fighter fights a bum champion for his abc title? Do you get credit for winning? Do u get called a hype job for beating a nobody in the first place? To be taken seriously I feel you gotta beat the man at your weightclass before you can start running your mouth.

[Beater_of_ass]

Styles make fights.

If I were looking for an easy win and I knew my fighter was Capable of than i'd pick Spinks.

Now if I really beleived my fighter could beat anyone, i'd obviously go for the biggest name fight, and at the moment that's Martinez.

Yea, I agree I'd definitely go with Spinks first to get his name out there and build something up with Martinez later on.

[Fox McCloud]

I completely agree. It's hard to say. I guess as a Handler I'd pick the safest fight for my prospect first. As a fan i'd pick the biggest fight.

Not all champs are bums. But what if your fighter fights a bum champion for his abc title? Do you get credit for winning? Do u get called a hype job for beating a nobody in the first place? To be taken seriously I feel you gotta beat the man at your weightclass before you can start running your mouth.

Since there is no single title in the division, a unification bout is always more attractive than a single title defense (How much better would Hlatshwayo against Berto, Mosley or Cotto be now that he has a belt? We would have laughed our asses off at whoever was fighting him and wondered they were fighting "this bum".). Plus, having a belt is a good bargaining chip for money, etc.

[Fox McCloud]

Damn Cory Spinks... it looks like you are the popular consensus choice.

[ßringer]

I'd go the easy route, since it's the first title shot and all, and take my guy against the Santos/Foreman winner.

Dzinziruk is just too damn technical to be risking a prospect's career against. Martinez is also too damn good to be putting a prospect up against.

Spinks is a possibility, because as somebody already pointed out, it seems like he's slowing down a bit lately. Not as sharp as he once was. Still, with his craft and intelligence, I may have reservations about putting a prospect in there with him, still. Even if the prospect comes up the winner, Spinks' style may make for an uninteresting affair which might have the opposite effect that you would want on a prospect in a title shot situation.

[TheGreatA]

Spinks is there to be taken and he is a known name. Not a puncher and he could show a young fighter some things but not too much at this point.

[Fox McCloud]

I'd go the easy route, since it's the first title shot and all, and take my guy against the Santos/Foreman winner.

Dzinziruk is just too damn technical to be risking a prospect's career against. Martinez is also too damn good to be putting a prospect up against.

Spinks is a possibility, because as somebody already pointed out, it seems like he's slowing down a bit lately. Not as sharp as he once was. Still, with his craft and intelligence, I may have reservations about putting a prospect in there with him, still. Even if the prospect comes up the winner, Spinks' style may make for an uninteresting affair which might have the opposite effect that you would want on a prospect in a title shot situation.

It's interesting how four southpaw champions in one division can all be so different, isn't it?

Martinez is 100% athleticism, timing and speed.
Dzinziruk is 100% technique and ring intelligence.
Spinks is 100% slickness, all defense and jab... not a lot of offense on his mind.
Santos is a mix of all of the above. He's a technical dude, with some power in his left hand, fights pretty slick, but still tries to get a good offense off while doing so.

Add Paul Williams (a potential champ soon, since he had the WBO interim title, he's in line for a title shot from someone somewhere down the line), and you have 5 southpaw championship caliber fighters in one division, with very little similarities. Crazy.

Foreman would scare me if he won against Santos. He is a younger Spinks, who will do anything to avoid contact, and will jab/frustrate you to a decision defeat.

I'd still say Spinks is the easiest target, but if not him, bring on Santos.

[TheGreatA]

I'd go the easy route, since it's the first title shot and all, and take my guy against the Santos/Foreman winner.

Dzinziruk is just too damn technical to be risking a prospect's career against. Martinez is also too damn good to be putting a prospect up against.

Spinks is a possibility, because as somebody already pointed out, it seems like he's slowing down a bit lately. Not as sharp as he once was. Still, with his craft and intelligence, I may have reservations about putting a prospect in there with him, still. Even if the prospect comes up the winner, Spinks' style may make for an uninteresting affair which might have the opposite effect that you would want on a prospect in a title shot situation.

Agreed but based on his last two fights, he has become a much more entertaining fighter once his speed has gone.

[Fox McCloud]

Anyone want to change their answer after seeing Foreman beat Santos this weekend?

[cyutetrick]

i want to shy away from saying sergiy because he beat some good opposition and i dont know much about him, id say cory spinks because he's been knocked out before but id still expect him to be tough. Idk the junior middleweight division is a lil underrated imo. oh yea and yuri foreman looked really good against a veteran in santos