Merciless Mercer v The Atomic Bull: Who takes it?

Mercer wins on points.

 

You would have to assume that McCall was chemical free and not messed up in the head that day, and you would also have to assume Mercer showed up in shape. Neither one of those is a given for these two, which is why there are so many permutations regarding what might happen in this fight. Even with both at their best, I'm still not sure who wins. I think Mercer hit harder and had the better ability to take it, but McCall might actually have been the more skilled and versatile boxer. It would have been very interesting to have seen.

 

Always thought McCall hit a bit harder and Mercer was a better boxer.

 

Mercer was the better fighter for me. Pts win here.

 

Mercer

 

I usually agree with 90% of what you say, but in this case I do not. Mercer actually had a very good jab. He could box some. Mercer had more heart than McCall did, and a better finishing instinct. I would pick Mercer to out box and out work McCall. Not sure who hit harder between the two, but I do not see a stoppage here unless McCall quits or DQ's himself.

 

Mercer was the better all around fighter, but he often fought down or up to his competition so I can see this being a dull fight with a close decision in Mercer's favor.

 

I agree. Mercer was the better boxer out of the two.

 

Playing devil's advocate, who did Mercer beat? Mercer beat Morrison, a guy with no chin and no condition, neither of which applies to McCall. McCall had a chin. Mercer lost to Ferguson, badly. True, everyone has their off nights, but even when Mercer got in shape he still had to win a split against Ferguson. McCall beat Ferguson unanimously. I don't think Mercer deserved the victory over Witherspoon. I give him credit for looking good against Lewis and Holy, but he lost both bouts. McCall split two fights with Lewis. Mercer got embarrassed by Holmes. McCall beat Holmes. McCall lost a split to then one-loss Tony Tucker that a lot of folks thought McCall deserved to win. Tucker was no slouch as a boxer. McCall knocked out Damiani, just as did Mercer. McCall also stopped then 1 loss Akinwande. He later obtained wins over Lance Whitaker and Oquendo even when he was past it. I admit you can argue away or minimize the victories over Seldon and Maskaev, but Seldon was undefeated at the time, and Maskaev had plenty of amateur experience and they are still solid names on McCall's resume. On resume alone I'd give the solid advantage to McCall.

But I'll still sand by what I said before, which is that this would be a close and competitive matchup. But to definitively say Mercer is a better boxer than McCall is a stretch. McCall has beaten better boxers than Mercer has.

 

You make some good points here, but Mcall pretty much quickly knocked out Lewis, Maskaev. Mercer as some would say, beat Lewis over the course of a full fight. Mercer also fought Evander Holyfield to a very close fight. Mcalls performances against Bruno and Holmes were pretty dreadful really. Holmes was basically running on fumes as a top level fighter in 95. I thought Mo Harris kicked his ass in 97 even though Holmes got the victory.

So take away those quick knockouts and judging Mcall by his fights where he had to fight a full fights against a decent technician that had an equally good chin and his resume is a little more in line with everyones prediction. Even in the Akinwande fight Mcall was losing pretty badly before the stoppage.