McClellan V Duran - Middleweight. Disaster For Roberto??

Duran would have to survive the first 3 rounds against McClellan. Unfortunately McClellan is a huge MW who knows how to put the right punches and finish in brutal fashion, which is something I just can't see going well for Duran. It'll be like the Hearns fight all over again.

 

McClellan is not as skillful as Hearns though, as evident by McClellan getting outboxed early in his career by Milton, Ward, Hearns was never outboxed like that. I'd probably favour McClellan but i don't think it's quite the formality everyone else thinks, i've also heard McClellan gassed vs Ward, Milton. So there is a chance Duran uses his boxing skills to weather the early storm and comeback late.

 

Thank you.
McCelleans biggest claims to fame are a past prime version of Mugabi who was ruined by Hagler almost five years prior to their fight, in between Mugabi was stopped by fighters like Thomas and Norris, who were not known for having great power.
Past prime J Jackson, who's best fighting weight was Jr middleweight, Jackson also was stopped early by McCallum, who also not known for great power , and Jackson was dropped multiple times during his career because he didn't have a great chin even in his prime years.
The rest of his opponents prior to those two were a who's who of 2-3 raters who were no more than sacrificial lambs led to slaughter. Yet he managed to lose twice to that level of competition .
Benn was also supposed to be a sacrificial lamb. Same Benn that was stopped by two fighters in Watson and Eubanks whom were not known as devastating punchers.
Yet Benn somehow survived the early onslaught of ultimate " Boogey Man" named McCellean and went on to beat him.
McCellean is one of the most overrated fighters of the last 30-40 yrs in my opinion.
Yes he should beat Duran, yes he should destroy Duran as most posters have noted. But so should've Iran Barkley. How did that go for him?
Barkley faced far better competition than McCellean and was better proven, yet Duran somehow beat him.
What I'm saying is Duran if he's in shape and focused wouldn't be a cake walk for McCellean.
McCellean is not Thomas Hearns.
Just because Hearns destroyed Duran doesn't mean every tall power puncher could do the same. McCellean may have been a physical duplicate of Hearns, he wasn't on the same playing field in skill level.
Personally I believe the version of Duran that faced Hagler could beat McCellean out right.
McCellean is made into this destructive monster. Yet he never actually proved that in a boxing ring against great, or even good competition.
I wish he didn't get so badly hurt in the ring. But if he was the destructive Boogie man he's made out to be.
He wouldn't have gotten hurt, he would've stopped the stepping stone Benn early.
Went on to greatness.

 

I’d say Duran punched plenty hard at 160lbs, not Benn but enough.

 

I think that Duran might just be so much better at a boxer that it can overtake all the things you’d think Gerald has on him.
I don’t think he was much bigger then Barkley or much more powerful most likely and that fight showed us that swatters even elite ones need to be able to make the mark often and accurate enough to take Duran out. I think the worst outcome for Duran is loosing a UD which is possible for a lot of the reasons above by other posters Gerald was big and good enough. My pick is Roberto Duran by a close decision.

 

He had good power because he was an elite fighter, had heavy hands, good handspeed and excellent use of leverage.

Benn had power, size and I would venture to say was stronger than Roberto.

If G-Man doesn't blast him out of there, yes, Roberto could feasibly upset him, but I look at the Hagler and Hearns fights and note that power, size and strength could upset an extremely inconsistent MW Roberto. G-Man doesn't possess Hearns' skill and handspeed, nor the ringcraft of Hagler, but I feel like Hagler would've stopped Roberto if he gave him less respect, applied more pressure and kept the tempo high. I don't think Roberto hits hard enough to discourage G-Man from applying pressure and as great as Roberto's slips and rolls were, I don't think he has the footspeed, the size, strength and chin, yes, chin to consistently deal with what I think G-Man could land.

It's not that I underrate Duran (he's my favourite come forward, inside fighter ever - his skillset goes without saying) - it's just that I don't like his chances against a truly hard hitting, tall fighter who will be in the ring over the LHW limit; one who possesses a chin that has taken shots from bigger punchers, if not as skilled punchers, than Roberto.

 

You could be right. Not sure as to whether G-Man would be so dangerous in the latter phase of the fight. Roberto could do it but he'd have to weather a massive storm.

 

I

if there is any man in boxing to weather a storm it’s Duran on his night. I think when he’s in it for a dog fight, very close. Duran would swallow every drop of his own blood before succumbing to a beating if he isn’t outright splattered. I think if anyone was needed to bet his life on surviving Gmans initial hell storm it’d be Roberto and a few others on a short list. To quote Gerald. “With my skills and power 3 minutes is a long time” I don’t think however it’s impossible for Gerald to chop Duran down early.

 

I think this could possibly even end in murder.

 

Those in attendance say McClellan was out hustled by Milton. He had no business being in the ring with Milton at that stage, Milton had an extensive amateur background beating all the top guys like Nunn, Barkley and Tate while young Gerald hadn’t been beyond 1-2 round v novices and club fighters. Steward wasn’t in his corner, some chubby dude called Willie Brown was I think his name was, Steward was busy wrapping Dennis Andries’ hands.

Mike Tyson was in attendance with Don King and very impressed by McClellan in this fight with Milton. Michael Moorer told King that McClellan was a phenom in sparring and should look to sign him. Milton got on his bike, tied him up, threw light shots and saw out the rounds and Gerald ran out of time.

He dropped Ward heavily at the start of the second round and blew his gasket. Ward managed to survive the round and the next and then win rounds 4-8 to get the dec by 1pt. Steep learning curve.

Against Sanderline Williams he’s a completely different boxer. Domination with the jab and only KD of SW’s career. He won every minute of every round of this one, and nobody took many rounds off Williams!

 

McClellan was 195 pound lean huge fighting trim condition


on the internet anyway

in real life no. he was 160-170. like same as Barkley

 

Hard to look past G-man in this one I'm afraid

 

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Man wish he stayed around

 

I think honestly the G Man would blow him out of there with in 3 rounds.
You forget he came in almost weighting as much as a light heavy.

 

I am going for Duran , weather the storm and force a stoppage, McClellan, as others have said is overrated, if he does not get them out early, he will end up with a hammering, like he got off Benn.