Absolutely right. Although a tricksy southpaw from the Ingle stable, Herol was not cocky like Naz or, to a much lesser degree, Ryan Rhodes. I wonder if he is being seen retrospectively as being cocky because of the Ingle association and the way some of his stablemates carried themselves. His elusive style made him look cocky and he had a really engaging manner that exuded confidence, I thought he came across as a lovely guy, a refreshing change from boxing's usual machismo with his big smile and ever so slightly effete voice and warmth. Herol was very, very good. He went absolutely neck and neck with McCallum and Kalambay. That puts him in the very top tier of British middleweights. It's a shame he didn't get to fight the trinity of Benn-Watson-Eubank. That he was so close to the level of McCallum or Kalambay suggests he might have done very nicely with them, thank you, but I don't think their eras quite aligned. Getting back to Herol's slightly immodest answers, I utterly agree that Herol would not have really meant to big himself up too much and would have been being tongue-in-cheek. If anything, his answers seem to show a real familiarity with the interviewer and I honestly feel they stem more from Herol's natural warmth rather than any huge ego. Whatever. He has nothing on Pernell Whitaker. Someone posted this on another thread. Given his eviction of his mum from his house and his own son's somewhat lukewarm tribute to his father, I found myself wondering if Whitaker might have been a horrible egotist. I know it's only a quick interview in The Ring but this did little to throw me off that trail. He sounds utterly obnoxious. https://www.ringtv.com/571519-best-i-faced-pernell-whitaker/ In conclusion. I want to put a big shout out for the Bomber. Possibly the best British middleweight of my lifetime and a good guy and I hope his story has a happy ending because he's had some tough knocks in recent years and he deserves some good luck and happiness.
Whitaker could be a total POS for all that we all know. But he is a true atg, something Graham is not.
This is true, but an ATG will always rise to the top without having to discuss his own exploits or expound on himself. I enjoy these Best I Faced interviews especially when someone gives plaudits to the opponent. A real good one was the Ruben Olivares BIF. Man, it was honest and he doled out the tributes where they belonged and praised his opponents. And I just think so highly of a fighter that will do that rather than pat themselves on the back.
Eddie and Fast hands are right, Herol is a genuinely nice bloke and was probably just joshing a bit in the interview. Not at all like some of the other nobs who fought out of Wincobank. I've never heard anyone who knows him not speak well of him and was sad to see and hear how badly he ended struggling with mental illness. So I don't care how the interview reads really. Whitaker seemed like a genuine wanker in comparison however greater than Graham he was as a fighter.
I think his "arrogance" is mostly humorous and I like the schtick. His picks seem honest, though, and they are consistent. He picked McCallum as the best in an earlier one as well, even though you'd have to think it's very close between him and Kalambay.
BEST PUNCHER Julian Jackson: The best puncher was Julian Jackson, come on, please. Brilliant. The best response I've seen in one of these.
Maybe not but if - and it's a big 'if' I know - he wins another round vs Kalambay and gets the SD, doesn't get deducted points for low blows in the McCallum fight and gets the nod then just coasts to victory without looking for a knockout with Julian Jackson, that's three major scalps. Each of those three 'ifs' could very easily have happened. I know it didn't happen but it goes to show the fine margins that make or break a career. It would have certainly put him in his own stratosphere as far as British middleweights at the time go. And if you're a fair bit above the other fighters that the UK had in the middleweight division at that time, you're knocking on the door of all time great status.
I loved this post. Real first hand experience as opposed to impressions that we get from snippets of interview in the superheated emotional atmosphere of the aftermath of a fight or the bravado boxers spout beforehand, and gives an insight into the real Herol. And as for saying it's a shame you're of the age that can remember what was going on in the British scene at the time, yes, it's a ballache getting older but at least, as a boxing fan, you witnessed our finest era. You couldn't have come along at a better time.
Not surprised to learn that Lennox only had good words to say about himself. He appears to be the most irritatingly self-obsessed fighter I can think of. He doesn't so much give it the big 'I am' as the big 'Lennox Lewis is'. I remember his eulogy at Manny Steward's memorial. All about himself or 'Lennox Lewis' as he would put it. Steward's only involvement in the anecdote was his saying 'Lennox Lewis sure knew how to party'. Tommy Hearns' beautiful, emotional eulogy had preceded it and really was all that was needed. Have a look at the post by @FastHands(beeb), Scar. You and I seldom have differing views and I wonder, if you saw what he has to say, whether your opinion of Graham might change a bit. Not trying to force an opinion on you. I'm just used to agreeing with you. Keep safe.