Question: Hi Bread. I hope all is well with you and your family. I just wanted to get your thoughts on a former opponent of yours in Yoenlis Hernandez. How highly do you rate him and what is his ceiling in your eyes? Thank you for your time.
Bread’s response: Hernandez is super talented. He’s super conditioned. And he’s super strong. He may be the best middleweight in the world right now if I’m being honest. I would favor him to beat Lara at this point. He’s Lara’s mandatory. I think his ceiling is a possible unified champion. I don’t know if multi-division titles is his ceiling because the jump from 160lbs to 168lbs is the biggest jump in boxing as far as body frame. When I went up against Hernandez as a trainer, I rated him as far as the eyeball test as the second best fighter I’ve ever went up against. The first was David Benavidez.
Question: Hi Breadman. I pray God is blessing and continues to bless you, your family and the fans of your mailbag and their families. Breadman, how good was Zab Judah in his prime? And what would a fight between Zab and Manny Pacquiao have been like? Thanks.
Bread’s response: Zab Judah deserves serious Hall of Fame consideration. Zab Judah won the junior welterweight championship three times. And he also won the lineal welterweight title with his career-best win against Cory Spinks. Many people feel that Cory Spinks would be a lock for the HOF if he would’ve got the decision against Jermain Taylor for the middleweight title of the world. Spinks outboxed Taylor for much of the fight. Well, Judah brutally stopped Spinks in Spinks’s hometown before Spinks fought Taylor.
Now that I think about it, Judah was a contemporary great. He was a serious threat to anyone from 140-147. I think he may be a top 20 junior welterweight ever. Judah was once described by Max Kellerman as a mix of Pernell Whitaker and Mike Tyson. Although he may not have been as good as either, the comparison had some validity. Physically he was very dynamic. He was lightning fast, with one-punch KO power. He had a tremendous two-fisted attack. Judah was exciting and he took on all of the smoke. In his career he fought Kostya Tszyu, DeMarcus Corley, Cory Spinks, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Danny Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi, Lucas Matthysse, Joshua Clottey and Amir Khan. Zab Judah was a tremendous fighter and the more I think about it. The more I think he should be in the HOF.
If a youngster today is not familiar with his career, an accurate description would be this: Judah is a mix of Tank Davis and Teofimo Lopez in terms of style application and ability.
Question: Can you honestly look at Keyshawn Davis & say that he’s not just as good as anyone in boxing? Also, he’s arguably the biggest dog of any fighter below 154.
Bread’s response: I love the way Keyshawn Davis looked against Jamaine Ortiz. But I’m not sure what you’re asking me. Keyshawn is super talented and he’s getting his props for his talent and accomplishments. But I don’t think we know enough about him to say if he’s as good as anyone in boxing when you have guys like Usyk and Inoue out here. Let’s just see more of Keyshawn. He’s only had one championship fight and he’s only 14-0.
Question: Hello Stephen. Two boxers I loved to watch were Ray Mancini and Arturo Gatti. Different eras but the same approach in the boxing ring. I’ve always wondered how this matchup of these two little bulls would pan out. Personally I believe Mancini would win a close decision if it was at the lightweight Limit in an absolute war for the ages. So I’d appreciate your take on this matchup. Also, I was so happy Ryan Garcia finally got his strap. Always been a fan of Ryan. His battle with mental issues is something I admire, not something to hate on. God bless. Steven.
Bread’s response: I watched both Mancini and Gatti for basically their whole careers. You know something, this is a tough matchup to pick for me. Here is why. I don’t think Gatti would have performed as well as Mancini did against Hector Camacho and Alexis Arguello. Mancini handled himself with an elite presence against those two great fighters. But Gatti responded to adversity better. I believe he was more durable. He had better single-shot power. He was bigger and longer. Most of all, Gatti added layers to his game and he started boxing better later in his career.
I’m going to go in the opposite direction and take Gatti in a war. However, I believe it’s a great fight that could go either way but I’m more comfortable picking Gatti in a war. He’s shown me he could take it a little bit better and again he has a little more firepower. So while Mancini may be more well rounded and he would perform better against the field. Head to head, I like Gatti.
Question: What’s up, Bread? Hope all is well and I’ll get right to it. What are your thoughts on Emanuel Navarrete in the wake of his title unification win against Eduardo Nunez? How do you think Navarrete matches up with O’Shaquie Foster and Lamont Roach at 130? William in West Palm Beach.
Bread’s response: I think Navarrete is forging himself a HOF career. He's a classic sum-total guy. I really like him. He doesn’t look the part but he is the part. He doesn’t seem to fare well in hypothetical match ups because he looks slow and loopy. But trust me anybody just can’t beat him. I don’t think Lamont Roach can make 130lbs anymore so I won’t comment on that matchup. From what I saw in Foster against Stephen Fulton, I suspect he could outbox Navarrete. But who knows. Navarrete is just so damn instinctive and adjustable. You can't count him out.
Question: I saw you on the Probox podcast with Paulie and Chris. It was a good look for you. You’re a natural. I love how you handled the questions on the fly. Will you be a regular on the show? And will your mailbag be live on the show or on the website on Saturday mornings?
Bread’s response: Thank you. I’m very blessed to be paid to do what I love. My mailbag will still be published at 10:30am on Saturday mornings. But I will also do a live mailbag from time to time during the week on the Probox podcast. So keep the questions coming.
Question: Now that Golden Boy has won the hearing against Vergil Ortiz, where does that leave Boots Ennis? Why can’t he seem to get big fights? I also wanted your take on David Benavidez at cruiserweight. Do you think he has enough to beat Zurdo Ramirez. The jump from light heavyweight to cruiserweight is the biggest in boxing. I know you’re big on Benavidez but he won’t be a weight bully at cruiserweight. Zurdo is bigger than him.
Bread’s response: I really don’t know where Boots Ennis will go now that the Ortiz fight seems in jeopardy. I believe Ennis thought he was finally getting his big opportunity and I know this has to be a let down. Hopefully his handlers can come up with something but all of the major players at 154 are tied up this spring and summer. Ennis’s team will have to be very creative in creating an opponent for him because he needs a big fight with a recognizable name.
In terms of pounds the jump from light heavyweight to cruiserweight is 25lbs. So yes that’s the most in boxing. But I think Benavidez has a unique frame. I think he can do it. By your email I can tell you will disagree with what I am about to say. But I don’t believe in the “weight bully” term. If you can make the weight, you can fight at the weight. The more weight you have to lose, the more you suffer.
Benavidez made the lower weights. I’m actually picking Benavidez to beat Ramirez. I don’t know if Benavidez will stop Ramirez but I believe Benavidez will beat him. I suspect Benavidez is an all-time great fighter. I respect Ramirez but I think Benavidez is on a different tier. Let’s see what happens. Right now I say Benavidez by UD.
Send questions and comments to dabreadman25@hotmail.com
