Gerald McClellan f*cking awesome!

[coghaugen11]

I don't care what anyone says, this guy really was a future all-timer!

Before switching pro he was the only guy to beat Tim Littles, Frank Liles and Roy Jones JR. He crowded the talented Roy JR and won a fairly dominant decision in a barnstormer in RJJ's last legit defeat prior to Tarver... Roy just could not get off the ropes!

McClellan himself claims to have over-sparred for Milton and under-sparred for Ward, before getting it right and going on that run. What was a 21-year-old kid doing in with slick pro Milton (who had lots of seriously good amateur wins) anyway? Manny Steward didn't train him for the Milton fight because he was too tied with Tommy (Leonard II) and wasn't even in G-Man's corner (warming Andries up for following fight-WBC).

He split with Steward because of that and went with no-pedigree trainer Willie Brown, before going back to Steward for the Sanderline Williams fight.

He's the only man to EVER knock down Sanderline (who took Benn's and Barkley's best), and blew out granite-chinned Baptist in next to no time (who took Hopkins 12). He knocked out Jay Bell with a bodyshot in 20 seconds.

He was the only man to ever knock down Julian Jackson, finishing him for the WBC strap and blowing him away in the rematch.

He blew Benn out of the ring in 30 seconds. And blew away John Mugabi.

Most of his KO's were through the left hook to the body. An incarcerated Mike Tyson described him as "the best fighter in the world".

The way he positioned himself, timed his feet, set-up punches, moved in, timed his blows... breathtaking. He'd circle, use his jab as a range-finder, use his feet to creat the right position, and let go at the right times... with speed and heavy hands. IMMENSE.

It's sad. But all dues to Nigel Benn!

[banjo]

Have a look for his KO win over Danny Mitchell(still may be on youtube I think) simply stunning.

edit - doesn't matter, found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pl2Cij5PaY

[teddy007]

Have a look for his KO win over Danny Mitchell(still may be on youtube I think) simply stunning.

edit - doesn't matter, found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pl2Cij5PaY

Awesome

[ginger_sack]

Have a look for his KO win over Danny Mitchell(still may be on youtube I think) simply stunning.

edit - doesn't matter, found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pl2Cij5PaY

brutal ko that!

[caffrey]

mcclellan v jones in the pros would have been an awesome fight

[Quixall]

I think your over stating things a little.....

For a start, your way out, when you say that only McClellan had put Julian Jackson down. Mike McCallum had knocked out Julian Jackson way before Gerald McClellan had got to him. McClellan never fought a really top fighter, apart from Mugabi and Jackson, who in my opinon were not "elite" fighters, as opposed to the likes of Roy Jones Jr (at pro level) Bernard Hopkins, Mike McCallum or James Toney. McClellan relied heavily on his power and whilst he did have some good skills and potential, he never faced the very best that was around at that time and of course did'nt get the chance to after the Benn fight. Mike Tyson once said that Zab Judah was the best fighter in the world, but it does'nt mean that it was true. Good skills, bags of potential, terrific power, but did'nt fight the very best, so it's very hard to judge how far he would have gone. I think that a Jones Jr, McCallum, Toney or Hopkins would have beaten McClellan and despite the injury that Gerald recieved during the Benn fight, he was coming off second best alot of the time from the third round onwards, getting caught flush, which was indicative of bad stamina levels and poor defence. Whether that was down to the injury, is something we will never know. McClellan was used to knocking out guys within the first four rounds of a fight and so everything in his style was directed to his power advantage and he neglected other fighting attributes that would have been needed in longer fights and against far better quality opposition.

[Jon Saxon]

I think your over stating things a little.....

For a start, your way out, when you say that only McClellan had put Julian Jackson down. Mike McCallum had knocked out Julian Jackson way before Gerald McClellan had got to him. McClellan never fought a really top fighter, apart from Mugabi and Jackson, who in my opinon were not "elite" fighters, as opposed to the likes of Roy Jones Jr (at pro level) Bernard Hopkins, Mike McCallum or James Toney. McClellan relied heavily on his power and whilst he did have some good skills and potential, he never faced the very best that was around at that time and of course did'nt get the chance to after the Benn fight. Mike Tyson once said that Zab Judah was the best fighter in the world, but it does'nt mean that it was true. Good skills, bags of potential, terrific power, but did'nt fight the very best, so it's very hard to judge how far he would have gone. I think that a Jones Jr, McCallum, Toney or Hopkins would have beaten McClellan and despite the injury that Gerald recieved during the Benn fight, he was coming off second best alot of the time from the third round onwards, getting caught flush, which was indicative off bad stamina levels and poor defence. Whether that was down to the injury, is something we will never know. McClellan was used to knocking out guys within the first four rounds of a fight and so everything in his style was directed to his power advantage and he neglected other fighting attributes that would have been needed in longer fights and against far better quality opposition.

Agree 110% though not sure if McCallum put Jackson down on the ground, I know he stopped him but not sure how.

[Quixall]

I think your over stating things a little.....

For a start, your way out, when you say that only McClellan had put Julian Jackson down. Mike McCallum had knocked out Julian Jackson way before Gerald McClellan had got to him. McClellan never fought a really top fighter, apart from Mugabi and Jackson, who in my opinon were not "elite" fighters, as opposed to the likes of Roy Jones Jr (at pro level) Bernard Hopkins, Mike McCallum or James Toney. McClellan relied heavily on his power and whilst he did have some good skills and potential, he never faced the very best that was around at that time and of course did'nt get the chance to after the Benn fight. Mike Tyson once said that Zab Judah was the best fighter in the world, but it does'nt mean that it was true. Good skills, bags of potential, terrific power, but did'nt fight the very best, so it's very hard to judge how far he would have gone. I think that a Jones Jr, McCallum, Toney or Hopkins would have beaten McClellan and despite the injury that Gerald recieved during the Benn fight, he was coming off second best alot of the time from the third round onwards, getting caught flush, which was indicative off bad stamina levels and poor defence. Whether that was down to the injury, is something we will never know. McClellan was used to knocking out guys within the first four rounds of a fight and so everything in his style was directed to his power advantage and he neglected other fighting attributes that would have been needed in longer fights and against far better quality opposition.

Agree 110% though not sure if McCallum put Jackson down on the ground, I know he stopped him but not sure how.

He may have not knocked him down, i too am not sure of that, but Jackson certainly got stopped by McCallum and so McClellan was doing nothing new there. I was only looking at Gerald's fights the other day on you tube and it has to be said that he was a very exciting fighter to watch.

[coghaugen11]

McCallum stopped Jackson on his feet, but was out on his own feet at one point!

McClellan's career was over before it truly began, but the plan always was Toney and Jones JR and he truly believed he'd take them both in 2 or 3 rounds.

[coghaugen11]

An interesting stat is he beat two future heavyweight champions of the world in his amateur career- Michael Moorer, Jones JR.

[Quixall]

McCallum stopped Jackson on his feet, but was out on his own feet at one point!

McClellan's career was over before it truly began, but the plan always was Toney and Jones JR and he truly believed he'd take them both in 2 or 3 rounds.

It's something that we will never know now. But he was a world champion and a guy that many thought had a fantastic future ahead of him, so it was a tradegy what happenned to Gerald NcClellan.

[Goodnight, Irene]

He had too many fundamental errors in his game (& he was around long enough to have ironed them out, but did not) to make all-timer status. He had the chance, I think, to reach the heights of his generation, though --- to be among the best of his contemporaries, yes.

A pourous defense (&, to a lesser extent, shoddy refereeing) did him in in the end.

[Goodnight, Irene]

"It's something that we will never know now. But he was a world champion and a guy that many thought had a fantastic future ahead of him, so it was a tradegy what happenned to Gerald NcClellan." - Quixall

A matter of opinion, mind. No tragedy in my books. No tears shed in my eye for a scumbag.

[jmc617]

His sons are in training hopefully they can be lead in the right direction by the right people.

[jmc617]

GERALD MCCLELLAN JR
Youtube handle: GmanJRthaTruth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YcFJC9NFrk

[bad mamma jamma]

"It's something that we will never know now. But he was a world champion and a guy that many thought had a fantastic future ahead of him, so it was a tradegy what happenned to Gerald NcClellan." - Quixall

A matter of opinion, mind. No tragedy in my books. No tears shed in my eye for a scumbag.

doesn't please me to say this but i agree :(

didn't he pick up stray dogs so his trained fighting dogs could kill them? some of you will slate me for this but, what goes around comes around. lets hope his kids are nicer lads than he was..

[split_decision]

"It's something that we will never know now. But he was a world champion and a guy that many thought had a fantastic future ahead of him, so it was a tradegy what happenned to Gerald NcClellan." - Quixall

A matter of opinion, mind. No tragedy in my books. No tears shed in my eye for a scumbag.

doesn't please me to say this but i agree :(

didn't he pick up stray dogs so his trained fighting dogs could kill them? some of you will slate me for this but, what goes around comes around. lets hope his kids are nicer lads than he was..

I still remember the article in the daily mirror the morning of the Benn fight in which Gman was quoted as saying If a dog of his couldnt fight anymore it was useless and he would kill it, I notice now he aint fighting anymore? Just drooling a lot and eating his dinner through a tube. Makes him pretty much useless in my eyes, thankfully for him his family look a little fonder on his life than he did on his dogs.

[Goodnight, Irene]

"doesn't please me to say this but i agree :(

didn't he pick up stray dogs so his trained fighting dogs could kill them? some of you will slate me for this but, what goes around comes around. lets hope his kids are nicer lads than he was.." - BMJ

Yes, but to oh-so-many numbskulls running around here, he was a boxer injured in the ring, so not only does his past not matter, it effectively never happened --- & anyone who dares tell it like it is is a, "heartless bastard."

Hey, it's life. As you sew, so you reap. He earned his current state.

[Quixall]

"It's something that we will never know now. But he was a world champion and a guy that many thought had a fantastic future ahead of him, so it was a tradegy what happenned to Gerald NcClellan." - Quixall

A matter of opinion, mind. No tragedy in my books. No tears shed in my eye for a scumbag.

I don't know enough about what Gerald McClellan was like as a person, but it was a tragedy that unfolded in the ring that night and i would'nt wish that on anyone.

Just out of interest, why do you think he is or was a scumbag ?

[Quixall]

"doesn't please me to say this but i agree :(

didn't he pick up stray dogs so his trained fighting dogs could kill them? some of you will slate me for this but, what goes around comes around. lets hope his kids are nicer lads than he was.." - BMJ

Yes, but to oh-so-many numbskulls running around here, he was a boxer injured in the ring, so not only does his past not matter, it effectively never happened --- & anyone who dares tell it like it is is a, "heartless bastard."

Hey, it's life. As you sew, so you reap. He earned his current state.

I personally didn't know of the dog issues, which i whole heartedly diss-agree with, that sort of thing should'nt have been happenning. I still don't think that condones people to say that McClellan deserved what happened to him. I also don't think anything ill of people who ascribe to your view, because as you said, it's all opinions at the end of the day.

[Greg Nicholas]

Never known another 160 lb fighter who could come in at 180+ (and remain chiseled !).. he would of gone up to lightheavy & cruiser nd been fighter of the 90s imo.. would Roy Jones chin have held up to those monster overarm rights and mammoth lefthooks..? ? !

[Collins2000]

Most over-rated fighter of all time.

[Datsue]

Most over-rated fighter of all time.

Yup. You can see why though: devastating hitter, aura of mystery 'cos he got injured (so the "what might have beens" proliferate whilst the "came in over-confident & got outboxed by guys he thought he'd flatten" never get to occur), loads of British people only ever saw him fight Benn, then with the spread of t'Internet go off & see his previous fights & are amazed.

But still. Devastating right-hand hitter. Good to watch, but Jackson & Benn apart was matched abysmally & before anyone says Mugabi, puh-lease, Mugabi was about eleventy trillion years removed from his best days...

[BoxBuzz]

From what I've heard, the man could beat any dog in the house.

[Quixall]

Most over-rated fighter of all time.

Yup. You can see why though: devastating hitter, aura of mystery 'cos he got injured (so the "what might have beens" proliferate whilst the "came in over-confident & got outboxed by guys he thought he'd flatten" never get to occur), loads of British people only ever saw him fight Benn, then with the spread of t'Internet go off & see his previous fights & are amazed.

But still. Devastating right-hand hitter. Good to watch, but Jackson & Benn apart was matched abysmally & before anyone says Mugabi, puh-lease, Mugabi was about eleventy trillion years removed from his best days...

Very true.......Just look at his record, it's not shining with big names, Mugabi and Jackson.....That's it !!

Jones Jr, Hopkins, Toney or McCallum would have all schooled McClellan, because if you look closely at his fights, he was quite one dimesnsional in his fighting style and you can't blame him for that, because up untill the Benn fight, it had worked for him, But he would have need better stamina, a better defence and far more subtlety to have beaten the very best fighters at 160, 168 or 175lbs, in my opinion.