Gerald McLellan vs Joe Calzaghe at 168 pounds, 12 rounds.

If we are being fair and square, McClellan was beaten by the blood clot to the brain, not by Benn. And as the OP pointed out, Benn was actually counted out but got along count to save him, so McC won the fight in reality.

Without that bloodclot forming, he would have waded back in and PROBABLY have dropped Benn, as he would likely have done to Calzaghe who would be unable to cope with his speed and volume and more importantly power. Benn got lucky, Cal wouldnt get that chance.

Though I still think Cal could squeeze a points SD win if he really worked to an intelligent gameplan, I think its more likely that he gets hurt and found lacking as he does with the best boxers.

The obvious answer is of course that Cal would avoid fighting someone of McC's calibre,so the fight would never happen until the General turned 40 - in that instance, Calzaghe would travel to America to face him, get knocked over in round 1 or 2, then proceed to a points victory UD by outworking the aged fighter and probably classlessly mocking him too as he did with a shot RJJ.

 

He lost a couple of early fights but there were other reasons for that i think he proved himself after that dont you think ? Or are you calling nigel benn mediocre ?

 

Both Benn and McClellan are overrated.Calzaghe beats both of them.

 

atsch :rofl

 

You don't **** from clay. He fell in love with his power and got lazy. He just wanted to KTFO guys quickly when in fact he had the skills to outbox most opponents. He took some heavy shots from Julian Jackson as a result and this type of punishment combined with his granite chin probably resulted in his condition today.

Sure, if he tried to wail away against jc he would lose if he couldn't knock jc out. Unlikely given jcs beard. But if he boxed that would be a damned intriguing matchup.

Either way this is a pickem fight.

 

Again, 'if he boxed'. I need to see evidence of this so-called boxing ability. Again, I'm not insinuating he merely 'wailed away', because he didn't. But despite his amateur pedigree I have seen no evidence of this multi-faceted fighter and don't go on hunches.

 

Here you go. Here he's in an exhibition against Thomas Hearns in 1990. Maybe this is what you want to see to acknowledge the guy could box and move behind a jab.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEQVMb8zkC8&feature=related[/ame]

 

Why does everyone on this site have to under or over rated? Does my head in.

 

He was up before the 10 count but outside the ropes having fallen through them. Not exactly sure what the rules said back then but I believe they were correctly followed. The ref was of course, another matter entirely.

As for the purpose of the thread. Calzaghe would outmanoeuvre McLellan and never allow him to get set. I'd imagine there would be some pretty harrowing moments along the way though.

 

I think in terms of jabbing and moving, using the jab to set things up, technical punching his boxing ability is excellent. In terms of defence he wasn't too impressive and was too easy to hit. On the backfoot and on the inside/mid range he's pretty much incompetent, like many of Steward's boxers. Also he seemingly didn't like the pace Benn set for him

His speed and power are an all time elite level and he definitely goes down as 1 of the most dangerous front runners

 

Power - yes.

Speed - wouldn't call his speed that great.

 

He was an explosive puncher who got guys hurt quickly. His speed was pretty dam good.

 

He was fast alright just not "all time elite level".

 

calzaghe would have beaten mcclellan in my opinion.
mcclellan was a good fighter and a big puncher, but he was in love with his own power too much.
when he was taken into the second half of fights, he ran out of idea's and stamina.
joe w12 for me.

 

yeah, but i think nigel benn thumping him on the head, may have had something to do with that.