A few questions about Benn/Mclellan fight...

No

He beat him cos he was both bigger and more skilled.

He psycoligcally intimated Trinidad before the fight.

He physically bullied Trindad throughout the fight.

He was the bigger man - and the more seasoned Middleweight by far.

 

Never.

Roys speed was too much.

 

For me that night and any other night he'd struggle with Roy. Jones clowned him and his speed was ridiculous and he clowned Toney into the knockdown. Roy had fun in there that night, Toney lost weight chasing him.

 

Except that Hopkins had been a World Middleweight Champion since about 1995.

And Trindad had been at the weight for 5 minutes albeit with a very explosive win over the decent Joppy.

It was a seasoned Middleweight fighting a blown up Welterweight.

 

James Toney respected the **** out of Chris Eubank, more-so than he would admit but he saw Eubank as a serious fighter and a serious threat, its subtle but you can see it in his old interviews and comments

 

Roy was really fast - and so flashy - he clowning on the ropes got Toney to play along and drop his hands.

 

He actually weighed a pound more then Hopkins that night, Hopkins outboxed him. I could understand if you said mentally he was affected by the delay of fight and 9/11 plus being found out for using excessive gauze. He wasn't bullied Hopkins out boxed him with sublime footwork and gameplan IMO of course. Have to disagree Flint :good

 

It doesn't get more true the more you say it. Tito had been a LMW for years before stepping up. He wasn't a small middleweight and it took Hopkins 12 rounds to get him out of there.

 

He wasn't a blown up Welterweight! Do you have any idea of how many former Welterweights have had massive success at 160. There are nearly as many top great middleweights who are former 147lbers than there are natural middleweights.

Trinidad was not a great Middleweight, but he was a very good and highly dangerous middleweight, who had previously smashed all bar one at the two weights below. He had continued the spree in his one fight at 160, against a man ranked in the top 5 (might've even been 3 at the time, not a great time for 160lbers) so was proven to be exactly the same fighter that had looked so great below.

Even taking your hypothesis as fact, Trinidad was durable, a massive puncher with either hand, had the ability to find room for his shots and was a devastating finisher. He was still a dangerous opponent.

Especially considering he had smashed his way into the upper echelons of the division and was therefore a top contender (and belt holder) as well as one of the most highly regarded P4P fighters of the time.

Hopkins took him to school, and stopped him. Great win.

 

Thats simply not true,

He stepped up to fight Reid and Vargas in around year 2000.

He fought Hopkins at Middleweight in 2001.

Bulk of his career was 147LBS - fighting guys like Larry Barnes.

 

Dosent mean he is naturally as big a man.

Weight varies - but the frame - and bone structure of someone like Hopkins - he was a bigger man than Tito.

But hey - there we go - we just will disagree on it.

 

No, you're right - sorry I got confused. Just had a look on BoxRec - didn't remember those fights all happening in the same year.

The stoppage of Vargas surely carries weight though? He was a career LMW and Tito hammered him.

 

Trinidad had earned a title shot at 154 in the mid 90s IIRC. But he continued to campaign at 147 instead.

Also, Reid and Vargas themselves were being touted as possible Middleweight champions and were being lined up for super fights. Watching them before they fought Trinidad it's clear to see they were still class fighters.

Reid had struggled to impress since winning the title so early but showed some serious ability against Tito and had been matched tough early.

Trinidad was a monster at the weight. He was a more than worthy challenger.

 

And Reid :twisted:

He also smashed Euro level muscleman Thiams face up inside a few rounds.

 

But WT won't know Reid! Reid was class.