How good was Michael Nunn?

Michael Nunn biggest problem was not his opposition but Colombias or Peru' finest white powder......be was MIA for the Toney training camp on several occasions....and still handled Toney with relative ease until the come from behind shot.

Anyway , that was the final nail in his coffin and excuse to be high on coke relentlessly.

 

Mike had a style that was difficult 2 solve along with his height & stance
add to that a terrific uppercut most couldnt handle

so offensively & defensively Mike was top rated

only a persisetn & unyielding James Toney could bring him down

and no, he didnt just get lucky

 

July 1988

You could just 'smell the chicken' in Ray Leonard, after he watched Michael Nunn
simply destroy Frank Tate (TKO 9) in July 1988.

Mr. Leonard said,,,,,,,,'there are better ways to make a living in the ring.'

 

Nunn was a potential disaster for any member of the big four at that point in their careers. He really looked the business for a couple of fights...

 

I've never heard someone say they felt Sumbu beat Kalule easily. Most say it was a close fight... :think

 

Okay, I'll admit I underrated him in my OP. Showings of power were few and far between though, admittedly due to his approach as well I imagine.

 

I said clearly, not easily ;-)

It was a robbery IMO. Kalambay found Kalule awkward (who didn't) but took most of the rounds.

 

Green McCallum beat prime Kalule easily:tong

 

Kalule was drained to **** at 154 at that stage, but not against Sumbu.

Anyway, Sumbu schooled Mike :yep :deal

 

Usual Kalule-fans excuses:-D

Kalule is the most overrated fighter ever.
Right up there with those overhyped flamboyant playboys Kalambay and Canto.

Kalule just couldn't cope with the brilliance of Mighty Mike!:toney

McCallum was robbed by corrupt judges who were paid by... Hagler!:deal

Bodysnatchah dominated both fights.
He could've finished helpless Kalambay anytime he wanted to.
Just didn't feel like it.:smoke

 

Really, look at the tape and the scorecard ... Nunn was way up by three and four points on the cards and started to cruise ... he did not hit Toney a ton flush but no one ever did ... he out jabbed him and landed far more shots than Toney did .. Nunn simply got careless ..

 

:deal

No. Rd 7 was close and i think i gave to Toney and he swept 8-11. Nunn won almost all the first 6, i think Toney got at least 1, but even those rounds were quite competitive. In a few of them Nunn was standing in the pocket or on the ropes alot more than he had too and it made for some competitive rounds although Nunn nearly swept the first half. From round 7 on though Toney did a great job adj.usting to a stalking pressure style while remaining definsively elusive coming forward and was really working Nunn over and landing alot of clean power punches.

One thing i always notice is how terribly bias the annoucers are. Nunn was the man a MW at that point and the fight was in his hometown and you could tell they were pushing that agenda. They started giving Toney some credit in the second half but mention nothing about good work he's doing in the first half. I always enjoy listening to cool, calm and wise Bill Miller give him instructions inbetween rounds.

It's been a while. I think i'll rewatch it and i'll post my scorecard.

 

Me too ...

 

When he was on top he was really something special. Tall, quick, slick, good power, and very tricky. He was like a MW version of Ali with better fundamentals. Next to RJJ and SRR he was probably the most talented MW ever. It all went downhill after his spectacular KO win over Kalambay with strings of mediocre performances and eventually his defeat to Toney. A shame he didn't live up to his nickname, but cocaine is one hell of a drug...
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcb1MgGrlWA[/ame]

I honestly think he could have beaten Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, and McCallum during the late 80's while he was in his prime. A fight between Roy Jones and Michael Nunn would have been very interesting.

 

I think he had the style to beat RJJ had they fought, and he not been on drugs. He was a great fighter.