Originally posted by PBF34
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I agree that records are not the be all and it all. But they're a better gauge than guesswork. Mora's record tells us that of the 19 he has had, 4 of those were on "The Contender", working 5 rounds--7 tops. The record also tells us that Mora has had only two bouts that were scheduled for ten and has never appeared for any that was slated to go into the "championship rounds". If he faces Taylor, it shall be his first time. And, his first real "Championship" fight shall be for a world crown, no less. Not a regional one, not a national diadem. A World belt. Make that world belts. Plural. Now, to me, that's a record that speaks volumes and a situation that's elonquent in itself. First 12-rounder and you fight a Taylor for world belts. It leaves me speechless.
On the matter of the value of "who you fought". I'm looking at Mora's record and I don't see any name that jumps at me. Wins over a Brinkley who has lost all but one of his succeeding fights, against Ishe whose best win was against a late sub, and a pre-Roach Manfredo are not exactly ones that...And getting KD'd before TKO'ng a Termeliksetian, who is not only an unknown but has a name that's hard to remember even by the very few who know him...
Boxing is as much a business as it is a sport. Popularity counts and it should. Mora's The Contender "championship" may have given his name some resonance. He can, perhaps, draw decently facing fighters of his level. But, can he excite many about a fight against Taylor? Will he be seen as an opponent so compelling as to make people cough up the price of tickets and PPV? In business, name recall doesn't count for much if it cannot be translated to revenues.
I fear that those who will go to such a meeting shall only be those who'll go to any Taylor fight, regardless of opponent. If such will be the case, Mora with his popularity cannot be of help. So, why him? Why not, say... a MIranda? People may be lured to that match if only to find out about Jermain's chin, or, whether Miranda really has the power that he appears to have. Miranda may not have Mora's name recall but his power can sell better. Besides, he has been making a lot of noise lately...calling out Taylor. Taylor's camp can respond if only to "shut him up". That makes for a hostile environment: drama that sells tickets and PPV's.
Nevertheless, I may go so far as to agree that Taylor-Mora can be made if only it leads to big ones. I don't see it serving any other purpose. But, even then, I don't know that it shall serve the purpose very well, if at all. If Taylor does to Mora what he did to Uoma, future fights shall not be much of a lure. Mora with his well-known 4 stoppages is not at all much of a danger.
On the other hand, Taylor can win big against Mora. But I suspect such a win can do little to erase recent memories of Uoma, Winky and Hopkins. Whispers of "It was just a Mora, after all," can run rife.
Taylor has a job to do, and I think the path to greatness does not have to go through Mora's front door. Not at this stage of Mora's career.
Somebody posted somewhere on this forum that Mora blamed his defeat to Taylor in the amateurs on some ailment he had when they fought. Taylor, it was also said, asserted that Mora was a tough one for him. I dunno that these statements were any boost to the prospects of Mora winning over Taylor. They can be seen by some as a finger not flatteringly pointing to Taylor. But I don't share either view.
I can look at Taylor-Mora as a tune-up, if Mora it has to be. But, then, what is it a tune-up for? For a repeat against Winky? For Joe? It shall be nice to know for sure. At least we'll have an idea of where we're going...
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