The Sunday Clinic Is Back!! (Today Ricardo 'Finito' Lopez vs Rosendo Alvarez II)

Two highly skilled technicians and top-notch counter punchers, both with ATG chins and solid power guaranteed a quality matchup.

Great battle of jabs early, with both men trying to let off combinations. Competitive start. Toney timing his right hand well in the 2nd, making McCallum miss (though The Body Snatcher always responds well) Round 4 is fiercely competitive and tough to score, with both men landing stiff right hands, and repaying each other with interest.

Toney was plodding even at his best, and The Body Snatcher makes him pay with his economic movement, making James fall short. Mike takes the 5th and most of the 6th on his jab alone, Toney tries to come back but Mike slows it to his pace again. Both men show quality upper body movement in close in the 7th, but Toneys quality just shaded Mikes volume for me.McCallum comes back to outwork Toney in close.

The Championship Rounds: Toney charges out for the 10th, but McCallum rides the assault. Toney gets his 2nd wind in the last minute and ultimately gets the better of the exchanges IMO. Mike is the ring general again in the 11th, although Toney lands some sporadic clean shots, it's McCallums jab and quality movement (foot and upper body slips) that wins it clearly IMO. Toney rocks McCallum in the final round, and Mike has to use all of his experience to get back into the round. When they both opt for the obligatory 'it's been a great fight let's have a tear up for the last ten', it's Toney who gets the better of it again, as the veteran clearly feels the pace down the stretch.

McCallum: 1; 3; 5; 6; 9; 11;

Toney: 2; 4; 7; 8; 10; 12

McCallum 114-114 Toney

The main weapon of the fight is McCallums consistent jab, mainly because he has the advantage over Toney in lateral movement, and pops his jab as often as he can to work himself inside the range of Toneys choppy right hand and looping left hook. Both men do quality work in close, Mikes more subtle, Toneys more flash. McCallum gets some stiff shots in throughout; Toney more snap, crackle & pop.

I scored this a month or so ago and had Mike winning 115-113. There are some close rounds here, all in all a great technical battle where both men give a great account of their styles and abilities.

 

It's clear how close the rounds are by us both getting the score but giving only a few of the same rounds to each fighter.

Great thread, their first two fights should be of interest to anyone wanting to get into the post-Hagler middleweight scene.

 

Fantastic thread and choice of fight, great Sunday afternoon viewing for sure :thumbsup

 

Toney always seemed to have a really lax workrate at 160, and always looked pretty drawn there. Of course, he's much better when he isn't forced to lead, so that was a masterful stroke of Mikes to keep on the move.

If you get the chance, watch Sumbu-Mike II and get back to me with your scorecard, I'd be interested to here it :good

Hopefully this thread will get a fair few responses, it deserves it.

 

It's not a thriller exactly, not a high drama up 'n' down war, but it's just my idea of a really high quality boxing match, superb skills and entertainment. It's definitely the most high quality middleweight fight of the past 20 years IMO (better than Jones-Hopkins I, Eubank-Watson I or McCallum-Kalambay II).


Round 1 - McCallum controls the pace of the round, effectively using his jab. He got a couple of nice body shots in as well. Toney did better early in the round, but Mike clearly took it.

Round 2 - Both fighters try to establish the jab early. Toney lands some good straight rights on McCallum, who seems to try to counter them with his right uppercut, but fails.

Round 3 - McCallum is the more busy of the two, also landing the most effective punch of the round. Toney had his moments, but I gotta give this one to Mike.

Round 4 - Best round so far. Both guys exchanging big shots, Toney getting the better of them, especially through his right.

Round 5 - McCallum controlling the pace with his jab and effectively makes Toney miss most of his big shots. Toney landed the harder shots, but McCallum's jab work won him the round imo.

Round 6 - Both guys work the jab throughout the round. Toney lands numerous hard straight rights compared to one good left hook for McCallum.

Round 7 - Amazing round. McCallum got in some good body shots to contrast Toney's right hand. Still, James landed the harder, more cleaner blows.

Round 8 - McCallum getting in good body shots and a nice left hook whereas Toney landed that big right again numerous times. Close round in my book that I give to Toney because he landed the cleaner shots.

Round 9 - Very active round for McCallum, getting in nice shots on the inside, picking away at Toney's body. Toney landed some good shots too, but not enough to win that round.

Round 10 - Toney's best round so far, landing clean, hard right and left hooks. McCallum absorbing the punishment and coming back with his own shots but not nearly enough to win that round.

Round 11 - McCallum more active throughout the round, flicking that jab consistently. Toney mostly swinging and missing, but did manage to get in some good shots near the end. Tough round to score. I give it to Toney based on him getting in the cleaner, harder punches.

Round 12 - Clearly Toney's round thanks to the numerous clean, hard punches landed on a winded, but brave McCallum who does little more than absorb the punishment dished out by the younger Toney.

1. 10-9 McCallum
2. 10-9 Toney
3. 10-9 McCallum
4. 10-9 Toney
5. 10-9 McCallum
6. 10-9 Toney
7. 10-9 Toney
8. 10-9 Toney
9. 10-9 McCallum
10. 10-9 Toney
11. 10-9 Toney
12. 10-9 Toney

Total score: 116-112 Toney.

This was one of those fights though where you don't really care who won, but are just amazed by the overall level of skill, heart and determination on display. And the way these guys are able to roll punches is a thing of beauty.

Mike made some basic errors in judgement that cost him (circling into Toney's right hand, pulling his jab back low, ignoring the body for long stretches of the fight). It wasn't peak McCallum who destroyed a ring-rusted Watson, but I still felt he would've beaten Toney if he used the right tactics - using the left hand even more so as not to trade right hands with the young, much more powerful natural middle Toney, and using lots of movement to his own right to neutralize that right hand counter of Toney. He also could've snatched him below the shoulders more consistently and more on the counter downstairs.

 

Again, a feasible score. It's one of those fights.

Out of interest, how did you score the 2nd fight? If I'm not wrong, Mike is even more ****ed in the last round there.

 

8-4 Toney I think, plus McCallum had a point off in one of the rounds. So Toney by five points, 116-111 if I recall.

Might have a butchers actually and score the second one again

 

Both men displayed serious craft on the inside here though; both defesnsively and offensively.

I think Mike neglecting the body at times was just to try and catch out Toneys reflexes upstairs. His body is usually protected by his arms as he turns, and yes, Smoger kept warning McCallum as well (not too any strayed too low IMO and the exchanges were intense so it was hard to tell)

 

I might have to nominate Arguello-Ramirez for next week Mand' :good