In movies and books he came across as a real tough man, gangsta, street fighter etc. How successful do you think he would have been In the heavyweight division of his time?
He would have been hammered. He wasn’t a boxer, he was a fighter, there’s a difference. He came up against very average pro boxers in a few fights, namely Cliff Fields twice and Johnny Waldron once and was knocked out in all three fights. On the street, where he could kick, bite, headbutt etc. he’d have probably ripped them apart, but in a ring, just didn’t have the skill. 90% of the bare knuckle, unlicensed sorts are the same.
Feom what Ive seen... terrible. Imo hes backyard, pub, kimbo slice level fighting. Would be treated as a showcase for a top tier boxer, imo.
I believe Kevin Paddock knocked McClean spark out aswell. McLeans many victories were often against drunk guys outside clubs where he worked. McClean had a trio of fights against Roy "pretty boy" Shaw. Shaw stopped him in the 1st fight and Lenny won 2, although there's been talk of Shaw been "dopey" in one of those. You have to remember Shaw was a middleweight at around 5ft 9" whereas McClean was around 6ft 3" and probably 18st plus. Shaw fought professionally under the name Roy West, boxrec has him as only having one pro fight but Shaw and those close to him said it was more but the controversy surrounding him meant fights "dissapoeared" . Shaw was also 41 at the time of there first fight Mclean being only 28. Years later Shaw challenged McLean to a 4th fight but McLean tried citing being "too old for that". Shaws response was telling McLean your still younger than I was when we last fought. Shaw chased McLean for a long time and although he's lost to a couple of other fighters he could never accept the losses to McLean he thought he was just a big fat bully. My opinion is McLean was a big tough violent many who could clear out most pubs in a brawl but against anyone with skill and training he was beaten. In pro boxing he would have been demolished.
Abysmal boxer, wouldn't have lasted a minute with Harrison, Price, Sexton etc never mind top tier heavyweights, but he would have battered them all on the 'cobbles'
I can see why you would think that but I don't necessarily agree. Boxers were not born inside a ring knowing only how to fight to rules. McLean and the likes would headbut, gouge, elbow and generally use any means necessary. All of these are attributes that any able bodied man is capable of including the pro boxer who would also have a huge advantage, fitness. A lot of the cobbles fighters abused their bodies, cigarettes, alcohol, poor diet, and gas pretty quickly. I'd wager many boxers are no strangers to fighting outside of the ring especially before turning pro and I'd wager a fair few have had more fights outside than inside the ring but to publicise that isn't a good career move. The first name I thought of was Nigel Benn he was no stranger to a "tear up" as he called it, a lot lighter than McLean but I'd still favour him, remember Roy Shaw was a middleweight and he beat McLean so for my money Benn would have him in bits.
The 'cobbles' comment was tongue in cheek, in reality all the mentioned names would have beat McLean in street fights as well.
