What's your Thoughts On Herol "Bomber 'Graham?

I liked Graham's style. The clinic vs an aged Kalule is one helluva performance and probably the first fight I'd show someone to show off his skills. He's always seemed to me like a middleweight Panamanian slickster, in the mold of a Zapata or Laguna. I don't think he was as good as some of his contemporaries, like Watson or Benn, but I think he'd have a very good chance at beating Eubank without any mitigating circumstances.

The loss to McCallum is a legit one IMO, I had that close for Mike, but I did think he deserved it, and the one to Jackson is undeniable. Shame it unfolded like that, but it is what it is. I haven't seen the Kalambay fight so I won't comment on them. I've heard the rematch was a bit of a bad decision, though.

This is a cracking topic, Fergs. A non-HW one to boot!

 

Probably the best British boxer to have never won a world title. Sublime skills and movement. Fought the wrong fight in the first one with Sumbu Kalambay and just a little more workrate would have seen him through to victory in his first title shot against Mike McCallum. That Julian Jackson punch was unfortunate but it would have felled most.

 

Didn`t he have a point deducted against McCallum? Great fighter Herol would have beaten Benn,Eubank and Watson in my opinion.

 

Nickname-wise, Bomber Graham and ‘The Entertainer’ Johnny Nelson are two all-time mismatches. He was hardly a bomber.

Graham to me is that guy who always stopped at the phone booth to make a very important call and realized he was out of dimes. Whenever it mattered, he came up short.

Yes, he was competitive with the top talents but he couldn’t separate himself to beat them.

The Jackson fight exposes to me a supreme shortcoming in the boxing IQ area. Here is a guy who cannot see him, a brutal puncher but one who has but one chance to win and isn’t going to land that haymaker unless you walk into him, it’s just a matter of flitting around and boxing away … yet JJ sets the most obvious trap in the world — I’ll back into a corner and make you come straight into my wheelhouse where I don’t HAVE to find you or track you down — and the Bomber walks right into it.

Could he box with the best in the world and look good? Yes. Could he beat them? The evidence says no. I’d say it would be the same if he fought the Eubanks/Benn set too, and let’s not even talk about RJJ and guys like that.

In the right circumstance Graham could have nabbed a WBO belt perhaps, but not a real world championship.

 

Graham was very skilled as a boxer but from recollection, lacked KO power.
I was a huge Sibson fan back when the UK had plenty of good Middleweights.
In fact Sibbo & Graham never got on & were set to match-up, unfortunately Sibson never got to 'play the piano' on Herol's rib cage !

 

Wrong time - Wrong place

Unlucky to have been around in one of the best and toughest eras of the MW division (late 80's - early 90's) if Herol had been in is prime anytime post 2005 I think he'd have won a belt

He loses to Eubank, Watson and Benn IMO. The hands down, unorthodox, reflex based style that was used in the Brendan Ingle gym is very difficult to deal with until it comes up against elite fighters then it gets found out. Naseem Hamed had the most success with that style because of his power, Herol for all his talent didn't have the power to trouble the top fighters.

 

Herol would have toyed with Sibbo of that i have no doubt whatsoever

 

Not much, had 3 chances and couldn't deliver. Hate that Ingle pawing style. Overrated and Regurgitated in typical English Fashion.

England is unique that way, they regurgitate their few, leading you to believe they had none else. Repeat, Repeat.

Damn Near ALL other Countries Boast all their great hero's, Champions, Contenders, Top Athletes and Public Figures.

Not England, 66 and all that Pish, the Bomber is not even a 66, but is constantly pushed as though he was.

Overhyped is my veiw.

 

It’s only when I rewatched the Jackson fight a few years ago that I realised how much of a schooling Graham was putting on him.
There were times in there he was making Julian look like a sparring partner.
Saintpat’s right though he had Jackson exactly where he wanted him and instead of simply continuing outboxing him he was going for the stoppage followed him into the corner with his chin exposed then bingo.
I tend to think Herol has become a tad overrated on here at the end of the day he was a nearly man and I think he would have been against Benn, Watson and Eubank.

 

So he can school Jackson but get beat by Benn ,Eubank and Watson not happening

 

People are so hard on Graham and I can't figure it out.
He lost to MCcallum because of a point deduction for spinning I believe. That fight could have gone either way.
And it's funny. MCcallum beat the snot out of Watson and Heorl goes neck and neck with him and people actually say Watson is going to beat a Graham?
I like Kalambay. But he LOST that second Graham fight and it wasn't even close.
Graham lost to Jackson who was one of the hardest punches to ever lace up the gloves so no shame in that-the same Jackson who iced NORRIS in two rounds.
Graham is actually better then Eubank,Benn and Watson. Didn't see any of them taking on a Kalambay who fought around the same time. Yet Graham did.
TWICE.
Sibson? He gets outboxed and then cut to pieces.