Chris Eubank vs. Gerald McClellan

Take a look through the YouTube archives - McClellan had extraordinary power. IMO opinion it was Eubank who was overated. Time has made people forget what his reign as champ was really like. A lot of very tedious, and more importantly, close and controversial decision victories. The guy claimed to be a master boxer, but in reality he campaigned more on his toughness and doggedness. His brave performances against JC and Carl Thompson leave everyone with fonder memories of him than his title reigns probably deserve. McClellan, Toney, Nunn, Jones, McCallum, Graham would have all beaten him. Michael Watson had his number and Michael was no more than decent at world level (completely outclassed with ease by McCallum).

 

dont agree with anything you said there apart from g man didnt knock out milton. That was a six rounder anyway.

 

Since no one else said it good call, although I do think G-Man had better power than you called. Eubank is vastly underated...totally dismantled Benn, I see no reason to believe that he would not pick McClellan apart later in the fight and pull out a clear (not one sided) UD!

 

Erm, he didn't dismantle Benn, in any way shape or form.

 

How so?????

 

One fight was a draw and the other was very, very close.

Not my defintion of dismantling.

 

Well he did in the first fight against a caveman Benn. In the rematch Nigel was his match and was in no danger of getting dismantled.

 

The 2nd fight was a draw and neither guy was near their best...nor did either guy do enough to win! (although I scored 115-113 Eubank). The first fight eubank caught benn under the eye in the 3rd or 4th..and exploited it the rest of the fight. Benn did score a flash KD (and not a slip as Eubank protested), but Eubank went right back and continued his plan amidst constant fouling and still found Benns defense wide open...finally Steele stopped the fight. Not quite what I call even?

 

This is an interesting one, because while McClellan had the power of a light-heavyweight, Eubank had the chin of a heavyweight. To put it in perspective: Eubank took flush shots from Carl Thompson, one of the biggest cruiserweight punchers since the division was created, and wasn't close to being knocked down.

I think that Eubank's combination of superior skill, considerable power, better stamina, psychological warfare, tactical superiority, and physical strength would win this one for him. McClellan would be game all night thought.

Eubank by a close points win.

 

fantastic analysis.

i think that eubank would have approached this fight (if it were to happen) in the same way as he approached the first fight with benn.

"this man is not going to knock me out"

he could outbox mcclellan as he did benn and would therefore either win a late knockout or points victory!

 

I'm leaning towards McLellan, only because he would make Eubank work and he could land more. Eubank punches hard but it's not going to be a one shot ko from a counter then a follow up onslaught, i just don't see it. Eubank could do the better boxing being slick, but i just don't see it as enough, McLellan was good punching at range. He'd lose rounds getting outfoxed but i'd take him down the stretch by making it a war.

 

Yet again people.

You are forgeting something. McClennan has never gone the 12 round distance. If he can't KO Chris in the first 4 rounds why would he KO Chris at all?

He barely went past 6 rounds his entire career.

He never had a great defence, however he had a fantastic chin.

Benn was able to take Gerald out of his usual comfort zone, we had to see Gerald trying to outbox Benn rather than his usual blastouts because he was surprised by Benn's power.

McClennan would have probably lost to the likes of a Middleweight James Toney in that time era, he was not unstoppable, but he was a frightening puncher.

Remember, Benn did BEAT McClennan, and Benn was past his peak. Eubank has a better chin than Benn. He does not have Benn's power but Eubank pre-Watson could bang a bit.

There is no historical evidence of Gerald McClennan being able to KO Chris Eubank or vice versa, but when you want to put Eubanks heart and chin into the bargain, when you consider that weighing under 190 and taking punches from a muscular cruiserweight (who later stops David Haye) and in my opinion won the fight, his chin is too proven.

If the fight goes the distance Chris wins in my opinion. You don't even known if Gerald has the stamina.

 

Gerald's style is made for a sharp Eubank.Only way i see him winning with both at their best is if he maintains a pace at least as high as Watson did in the rematch with Eubank, which is someonthing we didn't see him do.

 

Eubank at his best too loose and flexible for McClellan to box him or even box with him. McClellan was quite stiff in the body (for a fighter who didn't block) and relatively slow of foot, though he had good balance.

It's his (GM) punching that stands out. He had a fairly decent range-finding jab and could circle an opponent, get in range well to land a hard right or punch from range well with the big overarm right. His left hook to the body was by far his best weapon, best single attribute even. Most of his KD's and KO's, even the 10-counts, were from the left hook downstairs (with pin-point accuracy), not the right hand (though he clearly had an extremely heavy right hand).

He (GM) looked quite athletic, tall and big for an MW and well-sculptured/chiseled without a great deal of muscle mass. A potential phenom, maybe. We don't know.

But he is really quite unproven compared to Eubank. Guys like Watson, Rocchigiani, Malinga, Thornton and Lindell Holmes and even Ronnie Essett were much cuter and more assured and experienced technicians/tacticians than the guys McClellan was knocking about with.

Sanderline Williams was just a gatekeeper, though he did knock Sanderline down for the one time in his career, which is impressive, McClellan.


If he rushed Eubank or constantly looked for the lunging right, I can't see him finding much joy with Eubank's cool, calm cat-like operation.

Boxed him? He was a few inches taller than Eubank with a longer natural reach. But no, stylistically I can vision Eubank being too flexible and loose for McClellan's approach.

Probably looking at an interesting 12-rounder, Eubank getting a decision.