Eubank didn't like body shots and McLellan's hook to the body was excellent. I can see McLellan breaking him down as long as he paces himself. If not, he might stir the tiger in Eubank but I don't see Eubank attacking with the abandon to stop GMan. Mid to late rounds TKO or points win for a tiring McLellan.
G-Man. That hook to the body and right hand, his pressure and viciousness would be a nightmare for Eubank.
Eubank Sr wins at both weights especially SMW, he's outbox him and stop him, too much of a better boxer, he'd make him blink more than Nigel Benn made him blink
Both were supreme boxers and talents. This would be a stand-off battle of the jabs and who could out-circle the other in a chess match. I'll go with McClellan on points over 10 rounds in a slow-paced, high level boxing match. G-Man doubled his jab from head to body or body to head and Eubank was poised to defend one jab at one height (right glove open or slight head slip), it was hard to telegraph if the first was going to head or body because McClellan would shape his body the same for either. One jab at a time to the head, nobody was better at defending than Eubank; his reaction-time was too good (just see that 2nd round against Watson at Earls Court). But Gerald varied it. On McClellan's first day at Kronk in 1988, he outboxed Ray Leonard and Michael Moorer one after the other - Steward had no idea he could even box, because the only fight he'd seen of Gerald's was the total war against Roy Jones (which he won). Also, the offensive footwork of McClellan's is far superior to a prime Eubanks. So if Chris manages to ring generalize, G-Man can inch in and dance forward to get his long right hand off, and he's too upstanding for the Eubank uppercuts. McClellan was also excellent at moving out of range with his hands down and moving at the waist, so I can see him reading Eubank's doubled stiff step jabs. He was the taller man with the longer reach and a boxer-puncher himself was McClellan, he used his left hand as a range-finder and had amazing timing with the overarm right.
An interesting theory. Maybe if Emanuel convinced him to box, yes. Manny knew he could box with the best of them.
McClellan was a master boxer before he even met Manny mind you. Already outboxed Littles and Liles in the ams in '87, and footage of him outboxing Tyrone Trice in the gym over eight rounds in '86.
McClellan sparred with Don Lee and Bruce Finch when he was still 16 and 139lb. The guy was real. Ray Leonard was scouting him at 18. He lost at Kronk because Steward was too busy with Dennis Andries, and a fat guy off the street whom Steward took under his wing because he felt sorry for called Willie Brown trained Gerald for the Dennis Milton bout. Manny had not done his research on Milton (who beat Nunn, Barkley, Frank Tate and Reggie Johnson in the ams), was too occupied with preparing Andries for Harding and wasn't in Gerald's corner on the night (was taping Andries hands). Then Steward made that mistake putting Gerald in with seasoned Ward in his next fight instead of rebuilding confidence. From six rounds to eight rounds off a loss!? Poor management in all honesty. He was throwing everything at Ward early and no energy left after three rounds.
Gman was on his way to being a great light heavyweight far too dense for the weights he fought in indeed, a tragic story.
