The Baby Bull. Back in the day when he fought at 154, he was awesome. It's too bad the showdown with Roberto Duran never happened. Would have been a great fight. Anyone ever see him fight before he went to prison? He coulda been an all time great if he could have stayed out of jail.
El Torito -Tony Ayala Jr.
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thats what they say unfortunately he was scum and proved it by going back to prison after he came out. -
Yeah, I've seen him fight quite a few times and as a prominant member of that "Tomorrow's Champions" series on NBC, his fights were frequently shown on television back in the early 80's.Originally posted by phxboxingfanThe Baby Bull. Back in the day when he fought at 154, he was awesome. It's too bad the showdown with Roberto Duran never happened. Would have been a great fight. Anyone ever see him fight before he went to prison? He coulda been an all time great if he could have stayed out of jail.
He was an agressive beast in his earlier days, no doubt, as he'd get in close to his opponents, bury his head on their chests, and **** away with those short hooks of his to both the head, and especially the body. Didn't think much for defense though, and I think that would've evetually been his downfall. Looked like he could take a good shot (although Mario Maldonado dropped him with a right hand), but his type of fighter could only take so many punches, which usually made for short "primes".Comment
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Yeah, he definately turned out to be a scumbag, but at one time he was easily the hottest prospect in the sport, and was probably the brightest prospect since Ray Leonard first came on the scene a few years earlier.Originally posted by .::|ULTIMATE|::.thats what they say unfortunately he was scum and proved it by going back to prison after he came out.
He was an angry and very troubled young man obviously, but some of that anger suited him in the ring with the style & demeanor he employed in combat (that very powerful & aggressive "take no prisoners" style, which included occasions where he'd purposely spit on his opponents, hit them after the bell, or the periodic & well timed low blow...He was not a nice guy in or out of the ring).Comment
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Anyways, Ayala was considered a boxing phenom even as far back as when he was only eleven years-old, and that's the year he had beaten the piss out of a more experienced 19 year-old Mexican opponent in the amatuer ranks (which was original supposed to be Tony's older brother Sammy facing the 19 year-old, but Sammy had to pull out because Tony had busted up his nose in a little scrap a day or two before).
There's also that very famous story of when Ayala was only 14 years old, he had gotten the better of then Welterweight champion, Pipino Cuevas, in a sparring match. Cuevas' own words on that sparring session and Ayala's fighting ability were simply "Incredible!", which he had kept repeating over and over again after sharing the ring with Tony.Comment
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Ayala was a bit overrated as a prospect, I thought.
He would have been badly beaten by Leonard, hearns, Hagler, & McCallum.
He could punch, & was very aggressive, ferocious. But, he was hittable, & hurtable.
The four above were far too skilled for him.
As for him facing Duran back in say '83-'84 ? Duran would have gotten up for that fight like no other, & took him to school !Comment
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He did like 14 years in prison. He resumed boxing when he got out. Won a few fights then fought Yori Boy Campus. He lost that fight then went downhill again. I think he's back in prison.Comment
Gran Campeon
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