As long as he got the fights he deserved (clearly not the case during his career) then I can't argue with your conclusion. I think Sergio Martinez might have the superior focus to exploit Graham' occasional tendancy to move without punching for stretches.
No Bomber Graham was a choker. He has the potential to possibly do what you suggest, but mentally he would find a way to blow it. He always did, and the 154lbs and 160lbs divisions in this era although not the greatest, are hardly weak.
Recently I watched some of his fights and I really liked it.....He would beat Pavlik, Sturm....Martinez ? I don´t think so....
British zab judah. very dangerous capable fighter to go against. never looked good against him. even mcallum who won comfortably was missing like something that misses a lot.
I actually don't really think Graham was a choker nor did Mccallum beat him all that comfortably. He lost to 3 very good fighters in his prime, one of them a bonafide great. I think he was a good, unique fighter who was overrated by his countryman to a point where what he achieved appeared a disappointment...but IMO he just fell short because Kalambay and Mccallum were better..and for a fleeting moment dropped the ball against the hardest p4p puncher of alltime. He would be a titlist..not long reigning but not flash in the pan. If the planets aligned for him in regards to landing the right fights, at the right time, in the right place then I reckon he hangs in the p4p ratings for a little while
I actually don't really think Graham was a choker nor did Mccallum beat him all that comfortably. He lost to 3 very good fighters in his prime, one of them a bonafide great. I think he was a good, unique fighter who was overrated by his countryman to a point where what he achieved appeared a disappointment...but IMO he just fell short because Kalambay and Mccallum were better..and for a fleeting moment dropped the ball against the hardest p4p puncher of alltime. He would be a titlist..not long reigning but not flash in the pan. If the planets aligned for him in regards to landing the right fights, at the right time, in the right place then I reckon he hangs in the p4p ratings for a little while
I was a great admirer of Herol. Had all the skills necessary to become world champion,but something stopped him from moving from the very good contender to championship status. Okay,nobody can legislate for the kind of shot that Julian Jackson caught him with,but if he'd been just a little bit more enterprising on the night that he fought Mike McCallum,he'd have snatched the belt from the body of the Bodysnatcher ! Then you look at his losses to Sumbu Kalambay,and you think maybe it was a mental thing with him.
Just like in the era that he was around,he'd have the potential to beat virtually anyone. Doing it ? Different matter.
Graham was more a suspect ring-general\overconfident fighter who could make stupid mistakes or have the play taken away than a choker. that does a disservice to the skills and ringcraft of Kalabay\McCallum, crushing power of Jackson and the arrogantly confident way Graham went about those fights.Hamed was much more of a choker than him despite his billion "world title" fights, not even making any attempt to change pace or workrate against Barrera even when he was told he had to up the ante and go for the KO. A thoroughly overrated fighter in Britain imo, but maybe in fear of being underestimated if people think a smaller comparitive physical weakling and less capable practitioner of awkward slop like Martinez could beat him. And Tony Sibson would have caved Martinez' skull in.
