Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright vs Steve Collins 160lbs bests

Steve Collins was the bigger guy. Winky spent most of his career at junior middle and topped out at middle. Neither man was ever stopped and neither were terribly big hitters. Their best wins both came against aging foes but they were still good victories. Winky was a southpaw and Collins was orthodox.

I’m going with Collins by a decision

 

Late stage Collins would outwork Winky, outpoint him. Collins was a very good fighter caught in an era of great fighters.

 

I'm surprised people are picking Collins TBH he was better at Super Middleweight and lost to pretty much most of the notable Middleweights he fought.

And whilst Wright was a Jr Middleweight for alot of his career he still has notable performances at Middleweight beating Tito, Quartey, Soliman, and having a great fight vs a prime Taylor which alot felt he won.

A superb technician like Wright would outpoint a rugged brawler like Collins at Middleweight.

 

None of the guys you mentioned would beat Collins

 

Collins lost to pretty much all the notable Middleweights he fought.

Collins best wins at the weight is a close decision vs Thorton and Pyatt.

Would any of those guys beat Wright ?

 

McCallum and Reggie Johnson both said he was the toughest guy they fought and thats saying something

 

He lost both fights using losses as an argument in a mythical H2H match up is not the best argument to use.

The McCallum one especially Collins lost by wide UD.

 

Wright outboxes Collins to a UD.

 

Winky was past his peak by the time He moved to Middleweight. It would be a good fight, but I think Steve would edge it.
Collins had pretty similar style to Harry Simon who - regardless of how one scored it - gave Winky trouble. Also a bit wide with his shots, but very energetic and with good variety. Winky also wasn't as mobile at middleweight, so Steve wouldn't have to look for him.

McCallum, Kalambay and Reggie Johnson... Being competitive with those guys shows certain quality and can absolutely be used as an argument in H2H match-up. I don't see any reason to believe He was significantly better at Super Middleweight either. He just got different match-ups at that weight.

 

He wasn't that competitive vs either he lost to McCallum 9-3 x2, 10-2, on 3 of the judges scorecards.

A past it Kalambay beat Collins relatively comfortably 8-4.

Johnson was a good fight but he still lost.

What are the notable wins for Collins at Middleweight ? Not many.

And yes he was better at Super Middleweight.

 

I'd say Wright on points, Winky's defense and jab would have been decisive. Wright didn't lose at middleweight against the better Jermain Taylor, who was a faster and more accurate boxer than the tough Collins.

 

And what are notable wins for Winky at Middleweight? Past prime welterweights in Tito and Quartey - and Sam Soliman.
I think Collins was probably better at middleweight, in fact. The performance against Reggie was just as good as any of his Super Middleweight performances. If He got a shot at Eubank at 160, He'd have a great chance to outwork him just like He later did at 168. Just a question of timing.
What is pretty clear is that Winky was better at Super Welterweight.

Still a good fight, in any case.

 

Tito was coming off destroying Mayorga in a good performance yes he was past his best but Wright was also a bad stylistic match up for him.

Quartey was coming off a robbery loss vs Forrest that everyone felt he won so again he still had plenty left.

A draw vs Taylor that alot felt Wright won is also a better performance than losing wide UDs like in Collins case.

Collins best wins at Middleweight is a close decision win vs Thorton and beating Pyatt. Which are objectively not better than the names you are discrediting on Wright's Middleweight resume.

 

Tito and Quartey had something left, They were not "shot", but They were certainly some way past their prime. Quartey and Forrest had good fight, but it was a fight between two older veterans past their peak. Quartey probably edged it - but He was lucky to get a win against Verno before that. Mayorga was a solid performance for Tito, but Mayorga was not a middleweight.
Were Tito and Quartey better than Pyatt and Thornton? Perhaps, but marginally. I'd pick Pyatt to beat Quartey at 160 - and Thornton was solid guy who could trouble older Trinidad also. He beat Eubank in many people's opinion.

I really don't know why are You so caught up on those losses. Only one was Unanimous and wide. He pushed Reggie all the way - and I rank Reggie higher than Taylor. Winky has 3 losses at Super Welterweight in his physical prime too. Does that hurt his standing in hypothethical match-ups at that weight? Those were high level fights and He showed himself well.
I also don't see why We should only focus on the wins at Middleweights for Collins. Inoue doesn't have a resume at Super Flyweight - but what He did after moving up through weights only elevates his standing and I think most people see him as H2H monster at 115 also.