BoxRec

Joe, did you need one shot power to trouble Woodhall? Holmes and Beyer both beat him up and put him down, neither are punchers, and Calzaghe marmalised him in the 10th, where most of his decent challengers tend to stay 12.

Overhand, I would say Holmes, Beyer and Calzaghe are all bigger punchers than McCraken. The latter two especially.

Woodhall on points seems to be the consensus and you won't get any disagreement from me although I also agree we probably never saw the very best of Mcracken because of his absences from the ring.

He suffered because his 'fans' caused a lot of aggro didn't he?

It's probably a case of what might have been for McCracken, but with Richie you know what he could achieve and that was more than McCraken ever did. I don't think Woodhall was lucky, he deserved all he got out of boxing.

My favourite performance was against Branco. He was outstanding that night against a top notch challenger.

overhand_right wrote:Joe, did you need one shot power to trouble Woodhall? Holmes and Beyer both beat him up and put him down, neither are punchers, and Calzaghe marmalised him in the 10th, where most of his decent challengers tend to stay 12.

Overhand. I see what you are saying but what I was trying to say in my own half asleep and fumbling way was what did McCracken have that would enable him to beat Woodhall? To answer my own question, he didn't have one punch KO power 'to trouble Woodhall'. I also don't think he had the skills to land enough shots to trouble/overwhelm or outpoint him either. Give him a tough fight yes, beat Woodhall I doubt it.

Whilst on this point I would say Holmes, Calzaghe and Beyer all hit harder than McCracken anyway as well as been as skilled if not more skilled than the tough Brummie, dom't you think?

With reference to the Woodhall - Calzaghe fight. I always felt that was one of Calzaghes better performances and love him ot hate him when Calzaghe is 'on' he is a very good fighter. By this time however Woodhall was on the slide and carring a lot of physical injurys. His right elbow was knackered which stopped him using it to its full effest anymor, like he did in his youth. He was forced to shorten his righthand shot, which didn't always suit his style of Boxing. Woodhall had sometime before that fight been warned by a doctor to retire or suffer perminant damage to his arm, but the Calzaghe offer came along and was too good a opportunity to pass by I guess.

Also thanks you for using the word marmalised, at word not heard enough these days.

Yeah I remember that riot at one of Benn's fights. Steve Foster's 'Vikings' kicked off with Birmingham City football hooligans and Benn was looking over his opponents shoulder in the fourth round ie distracted, made for a strange atmosphere and lacklustre fight. Don King was laughing his ass off.

Greg Nicholas wrote:Yeah I remember that riot at one of Benn's fights. Steve Foster's 'Vikings' kicked off with Birmingham City football hooligans and Benn was looking over his opponents shoulder in the fourth round ie distracted, made for a strange atmosphere and lacklustre fight. Don King was laughing his ass off.

Wasn't that Benn vs Galvano II - or was that seperate, it kicked off there also.

I saw that the other day, much much closer fight than I thought.

stujones wrote:

Greg Nicholas wrote:Yeah I remember that riot at one of Benn's fights. Steve Foster's 'Vikings' kicked off with Birmingham City football hooligans and Benn was looking over his opponents shoulder in the fourth round ie distracted, made for a strange atmosphere and lacklustre fight. Don King was laughing his ass off.

Wasn't that Benn vs Galvano II - or was that seperate, it kicked off there also.

I saw that the other day, much much closer fight than I thought.

The mini-riot was at the Benn - Jimenez fight at the NEC Birmingham.