2 of the best middleweights of the last 30 years square of in their prime. tall slick southpaw vs orthodox puncher. Both only lost one time at 160....Nunn to james toney and GGG to Canelo.... who wins and why
https://youtu.be/JaTbdj4h_yU
https://youtu.be/wXf4rTaaWiE
Good matchup to think about...I've always been partial to slick lefties who can box...so have always liked Nunn...he actually reminds me quite a bit of Lara...in style...and also in the fact that they can really dazzle you with talent at times...yet over the course of a lot of their fights, they have a tendency to fight in spurts/let their opponent get off on them, and make those fights closer than needed/expected.
Toney I believe got under his skin...so he tried to prove a point vs Toney...I don't personally think he had enough dog or power in him to stand in the center of the ring, like he tried to do vs Toney, and beat GGG, prime vs prime...for me that Toney fight is the best example of how it would go...except I think GGG would have been considerably more active than Toney was in that fight...Toney would kind of walk his way in vs Nunn to close the distance and take/block some of Nunn's lighter shots in order to throw his heavier shots...Barkley and Starling has similar approaches.
GGG's MO has always been to close distance/box his way in behind the jab...and I don't think many give GGG enough credit for how good/clear of a scoring shot his jab is...over the course of 12 rounds, the fight would have been competitive certainly...GGG landing behind the jab/scoring, and controlling the fight at times...and Nunn being too slick in some rounds and winning some that way....Toney in that fight vs Nunn has kind of reminded me of a more raw version of GGG.
If Nunn came to box and move - for the whole fight and didn't get lazy/complacent - I think it would be a really interesting fight...GGG still boxes his way in vs guys like that, so he would still likely be scoring behind the jab...just depends on if Nunn would be too slick over 12 rounds and can avoid getting in trouble...I could see this as a version of GGG/Jacobs where I felt it was a clear 8-4 win to GGG but some felt it was closer than that.
Nunn's biggest issue for me was for as long (reach) and talented as he could be...he tended to let good fighters get inside and go to work on him. rather easily, and turn them into really close fights...Toney/Barkley/Starling fights...if he fought like that vs GGG he is getting outworked and probably stopped imho.
On his best day though, if he was on his bike and motivated, I think it could have been a great pick 'em type fight.
watch full fights of nunn, not highlights to get where his talent level is
nunn vs tate
nunn vs toney
dude was like a middleweight southpaw Ali and also dundee was his coach
I'll get around to watching those. Thanks.
He definitely moved much better back then. Idk who would win and how. Would have to watch more.
I will say though that Golovkin's body attack used to be brutal. I used to say that guys couldn't handle a sustained body attack from him because his shots used to be placed so well and his power back then was much better when he had the snap and speed to accompany the raw power.
watch full fights of nunn, not highlights to get where his talent level is
nunn vs tate
nunn vs toney
dude was like a middleweight southpaw Ali and also dundee was his coach
go off 2012 then, who wins and why, although bsides age, there isnt much difference in his game and he hasnt had a bunch of wars
He definitely moved much better back then. Idk who would win and how. Would have to watch more.
I will say though that Golovkin's body attack used to be brutal. I used to say that guys couldn't handle a sustained body attack from him because his shots used to be placed so well and his power back then was much better when he had the snap and speed to accompany the raw power.
If we're going to have a fantasy match up, should probably have guys closer in age. 2015 was, imo, Golovkin's last prime year. I would personally go off the Golovkin from 2012-2013.
go off 2012 then, who wins and why, although bsides age, there isnt much difference in his game and he hasnt had a bunch of wars
If we're going to have a fantasy match up, should probably have guys closer in age. 2015 was, imo, Golovkin's last prime year. I would personally go off the Golovkin from 2012-2013.
Gotta edge it to Golovkin. Nunn out boxes Golovkin for the.majority of the time but is the one taking damage to the much bigger puncher then gets stopped late after suddenly getting dropped.
Judging from the Toney fight, Nunn fades when the opponent is still coming forward while he upps his workrate to stop them if they dont stop coming forward he slows down. I dont think GGG slows down judging from the Canelo fights and he was 36-37 there.
I can see where your coming from as far as fading late but we cant just look at one fight..he won 12 rounds decisions at numerous vs decent to very good comp....also toney made him miss a lot more than GGG would and also Nunn fought as high as 175 on a championship level and didnt get stopped again, he took some tough shots and showed a great chin in his career. toney caught him with a helluva counter
i could see GGG winning but i favor Nunn, i think he deals with the style better than GGG would with his....tall southpaw.....speed...decent power...reflexes legs....tall order for him
Not sure why you think Nunn outboxes and outjabs Golovkin. Nobody has ever come close to outjabbing him, and nobody has clearly outboxed him either. Nunn on the other hand, has plenty of SD/MD on his record, and a few very questionable decision losses.
Golovkin by an easy UD.
Golovkin can't handle speed and combinations, he freezes and can do nothing. Nunn is a bigger and better Kell Brook and Brook was lighting Golovkin up. Nunn would absolutely batter the slow Golovkin.
didnt help he was a southpaw and had a great chin, only one stoppage loss to James toney and was ahead on the cards.
i think the styles would mesh well. Gennady would have to be the aggressor, he wouldnt be able to outjab him like he did canelo