Eubank at 175 ?

[mickey malone]

After the Calzaghe defeat, he attributed the loss down to being dead at the weight
But rather than go to 175, went all the way to 189 and lost two in a row to Carl Thompson.

Can only suggest he did this due to 175 being too cluttered at the time. WBO champ, Dariusz Michalczewski had just beaten Virgil Hill to become lineal champ, so he'd have been in the mix with the likes of Griffin, Thadzi, old foe Rocchigiani, Mark Prince etc

And there was plenty of etc's too... But strangely, it was only the WBO belt on the line for just about all of them.

Eubank always had a strong contingency with the WBO,
and had there not been as much clutter, may well have gone after Dariusz as opposed to Thompson.

Anyone think Mic would have been an easier fight for him?

[OctoberRed]

I think Dariusz is underestimated a bit. He was really good for his day and I think too much for Eubank at that point, especially in Germany

[mickey malone]

I think Dariusz is underestimated a bit. He was really good for his day and I think too much for Eubank at that point, especially in Germany

[COLOR="Green"]Yes he was, and still is underrated by most, but when you consider the obscurity of a lot of his opponents and the fact he never went on the road, it's hardly surprising really.
Memory's failing me, but to the best of my knowledge he never defended his IBF belt, so they stripped him of it.. As did the WBA for displaying their belt alongside the WBO version.

Sounds silly, but that's pretty much how it was.

And yes while I agree, Eubank at 175 vs Mic in Germany would have most likely gone in a very similar way to Eubank at 189 vs Thompson did in the UK., On those two performances alone proved he had a fair bit more than most of the guys Mic was fighting at the time.

Thoroughly enjoyed the Thompson fights, though had Eubank not been in such quick pursuit of another belt,
would have given any of the light heavies a run for there money.[COLOR="Green"]

[mickey malone]

If there was one thing Michalczewski could do - It was to set a REAL pace... Eubank, at 175 - not having a strength to hold and spoil, wouldn't live with that pace. Even if Eubank was to go 12, afterwards he would probably wish he hasn't... It would be like second fight with Steve, just Michalczewski would throw sharper, more hurtful blows.
That jab would batter Chris... Terrible match for him on all accounts.. I don't think he had much left to compete at 175 anyways.

I love Cat Thompson, amazing warrior - but let's be honest, he wasn't really an elite fighter. He was dangerous, but volnurable... and best shot for Eubank to pick up a belt at any weight - at the time.

Sound account....

Can't help taking the piss out of Chrithhh (Chrisss, English etc) but he had a darn site more experience with Mics kind of style than Mic ever had with his.
See where you're coming from though. P4P Mic was probably a better light heavy than Thompson was a cruiser
So the beating could have been that much worse. But only in Germany lol

[OctoberRed]

Sound account....

Can't help taking the piss out of Chrithhh (Chrisss, English etc) but he had a darn site more experience with Mics kind of style than Mic ever had with his.
See where you're coming from though. P4P Mic was probably a better light heavy than Thompson was a cruiser
So the beating could have been that much worse. But only in Germany lol

When Joe beat Eubank I thought he was fully done at that point, crazy that he event made the weight attempt.

[mickey malone]

When Joe beat Eubank I thought he was fully done at that point, crazy that he event made the weight attempt.

Crazy as it was, he realised Calzaghe was something special, and that he'd also given him his toughest fight.. A fact Joe himself has never denied

[mickey malone]

I think Michalczewski was not only far better at LHW than Cat was at Cruiser... I think Michalczewski was better at Cruiser than Thompson as well - he briefly held a belt at that weight after all.

As for Chris's experience with the style - I don't think he was ever really successful with it. I think that's sort of a myth because he beat Benn in first fight - but after that, and at 168:
- Watson was completely running him over before the finish in their rematch.
- Collins battered him pillar to post in their rematch(Outboxed him in the first fight)
- Thornton outworked him and got robbed.
- Benn won their rematch clearly - with more defensively responsible tactics, focused on scoring more - and got robbed.

I don't even think he beat Rocchigiani to be honest... Malinga fight could've gone either way.

I just don't think Eubank, particulary at 168 - was very good at all. Tough guy, but very inefficient and lazy.
Michalczewski might have been overrated at one point, probably because people wanted to see Jones Jr. challanged and wanted to believe he was ducking Dariusz - but he was really, really good fighter with killer jab, very good technique and tip-top conditioning.

I'd say that even historically - I wouldn't put Eubank and Benn above him.

Mostly quite accurate, but you may not be a hundred percent

Watson fought out of his skin, but wasn't really cut out for the trenches

Collins out psyched as well as out worked Eubank in two consecutive fights.
1st was close and the 2nd even closer, but no one quite got battered from pillar to post
Neither man could put a dent in one another would have been a better assessment imo

Thornton like most, out worked him but was outclassed in the process of doing so

Though I agree, Benn should have got the nod in their rematch, I saw Rocchigiani & Malinga as being cleanly outscored. Gianfranco in particular, was a rough spoiler & nothing much more really
Sugar Boy was a lot closer though, but I suppose just after almost killing Watson, that may have had something to do with it.

Regarding Mic, I'd say historically, he'll get far less recognition than either Benn or Eubank
Mainly due to the likes of himself, Maske, Ottke and others, being chief pioneers of the euro fraud legacy.

[phallus]

I think Michalczewski was not only far better at LHW than Cat was at Cruiser... I think Michalczewski was better at Cruiser than Thompson as well - he briefly held a belt at that weight after all.

As for Chris's experience with the style - I don't think he was ever really successful with it. I think that's sort of a myth because he beat Benn in first fight - but after that, and at 168:
- Watson was completely running him over before the finish in their rematch.
- Collins battered him pillar to post in their rematch(Outboxed him in the first fight)
- Thornton outworked him and got robbed.
- Benn won their rematch clearly - with more defensively responsible tactics, focused on scoring more - and got robbed.

I don't even think he beat Rocchigiani to be honest... Malinga fight could've gone either way.

I just don't think Eubank, particulary at 168 - was very good at all. Tough guy, but very inefficient and lazy.
Michalczewski might have been overrated at one point, probably because people wanted to see Jones Jr. challanged and wanted to believe he was ducking Dariusz - but he was really, really good fighter with killer jab, very good technique and tip-top conditioning.

I'd say that even historically - I wouldn't put Eubank and Benn above him.

eubank was really inconsistent at 168, you never knew if he would really take those fights seriously. benn won their rematch, he boxed a smart fight against crith. to me his best days were at 160, but even then watson was beating him until crith landed his hail mary punches

[mickey malone]

I never understood why was Eubank giving so much credit in terms of scoring in his fights.
I mean - I understand official scorecards, we know how it rolls, he was very important for Barry Hearn and for WBO - but in terms of boxing public.

I gave Eubank maybe 4 rounds combined in his fights with Watson II, Benn II, Collins I&II, Thornton.

He was doing nothing in those fights, running, spoiling, trying not to get hit(very inefficiently I might add) - and answering with single shots that were not really clean or hurtful.

I think he was a pretender really - I respect him for being extremaly tough, but in terms of overall quality as a champion, he's extremaly overrated - particulary at 168.

My sentiments entirely, as is my curiosity to how he'd have done at 175 instead of 189...Extremely tough was a little bit more than anyone in the light heavyweight division was offering at the time