McClellan vs. Jones circa 1994?

I know this is gonna be an unpopular opinion, but McClellan is a threat to every 160-er IMO. Especially Jones's chin. McClellan's early aggressiveness and handspeed might be able to catch Jones even with his inhuman reaction speed

 

They went to war in the amateurs apparently

 

I would not call the Hopkins fight a tough fight. The most likel outcome is Jones on points although McClellan has a live puncher's chance.

 

He'd have been a huge threat. But that fight would have been very difficult to make with Don King being around.

 

I think Jones would have won comfortably. Jones was at his best as a middleweight and perhaps super middleweight. His reflexes and skills were unbelievable.

 

50/50 fight.

 

Obviously a huge threat, yes. He looked ridiculously dangerous. But we never saw much of him to gauge his overall style and rhythm because his fights were usually over in 60-90seconds. Its hard to predict with him.

He boxed really well very young against slippery Sanderline Williams, only guy to dominate him (with the jab believe it or not) and knock him down (this was a thing of beauty how it was set up - watch it)

 

Yes, Jones CANNOT war him!

 

McClellan also had amazing timing, and if that overarm right missed he always followed with a left hook to the body that scored him many 10-counts!

 

McClellan and Jones were always expected to face each other again in the pros, gerald did beat Roy as a amateur after all but both improved drastically since, I think that if gerald hadn't gotten brain damage, he would have been the first man to expose Roy's chin, he had the style to beat Roy, one punch knock out power in both hands, incredible body puncher, fleet footed iron chinned with great accuracy and timing, McClellan had it all except for defence and a uppercut.

 

He rode a lot of Jackson's fast single bombs with footwork and leaning back, to be fair. He didn't have an uppercut, though, which meant Benn was quite safe ducking and weaving in front of him all the time.

 

Too bad what happened to Gerald McClelland, when he was stopped by Nigel Benn, in round 10, on Feb 25 1995, in London. I had Gerald winning. What a very talented World Middleweight champion he was. He had height, reach, and could deliver a punch. Roy Jones is very fast, and has good movement, which can offset the strengths of an opponent. I see Jones moving in and out, popping out lightning quick combos. Gerald will be a lot stronger at the in fighting. Jones gets decked in round 8, McClelland will be marked under the right eye, Roy barely survives to pull out a very narrow majority decision. in 12 action packed rounds.

 

As dangerous as McClelland was, it's just hard to pick against Roy Jones. He was just so good back then. Maybe he had the highest peak in a fighter MW and upwards ever. Remember how he handled James Toney in 1994, who is a first ballot HOFer and ATG. Roy was just untouchable back then.
But... there's always a but. Roy was getting pushed to the ropes a lot even back then. It didn't matter much because his reactions allowed him to dodge everything coming at him while firing back. But McClellan, with his frantic pace and punching power, could've exposed that chink in Roys armour. That would have been Roys weak point in this fight, a lot more than his chin.
Still, I'm not going to pick against a 1994 version of Roy Jones.

On a side note, I would pick Toney to beat McClellan in 1994 and I would be 100% sure of it. That same Toney who lost badly to Roy. Toney would handle McClellan easier than Roy IMO. Styles make fights.

 

That same Toney who got embarrassed by Roy, and who was having bad weight problems, would have got smoked by G-Man of '94.