Tell me about Calvin Brock...

**Hitman932** · 11-15-2005, 12:57 PM

Calvin "the boxing banker" Brock

do you really need to hear anymore??

**Guest** · 11-15-2005, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by Hitman932

Calvin "the boxing banker" Brock

do you really need to hear anymore??

He's only in it for the money?

**RAESAAD** · 11-15-2005, 01:21 PM

Brock looks pretty good from what I have seen...omly 2 fights but he has fairly good skill and maybe slightly above average power....he impressed me by getting KDed in the McCline fight and getting back up and still taking it to him and winning the fight.Beck just has a funny name what the heck..............

**Mr. David** · 11-15-2005, 01:39 PM

Of Brock and McCline

I first became cognizant of Calvin Brock in January, when I attended a teleconference call for an ESPN Friday Night Fights shiw pitting Brock against Clifford Etienne, as well as Juan Diaz against Billy Irwin. The theme of the call was that all four of these men were college educated, and this was still the point in the year prior to Etienne's fall back into his criminal ways.

Brock was extremely well spoken, a confident man that had worked, if I recall correctly, as a corporate banker for Bank of America. He ended up knocking out Etienne, not that big a deal in the long run of things, but still a necessary entry into wider perspective.

I almost forgot... I believe Brock was at a boxing show I drove five hours to attend (long story, I'm weird) in West ******ia in December of 2004. That leads into his history, which I will do my best to recall from memory and Boxrec.

Brock was a member of the 2000 US Olympic boxing team, and since turning pro has gone undefeated, compiling a 26-0 (21) record. Prior to Etienne, his biggest victory on the ledger was a decision over an undefeated Terry Smith. The most recognizable name? A knockout of perennial fall guy Marcus Rhode.

After the ESPN card, which was put together as part of the network's deal with Main Events, he was put on the network's April pay-per-view, to face Jameel McCline.

Most memorable is that McCline put Brock down, in the seventh round, I believe, but Brock got off the mat and rallied back with enough force that I scored that heat 9-9. Brock took a hard-fought, well-earned unanimous decision.

In June, Brock stayed busy on the untelevised undercard to Gatti-Mayweather, stopping Kenny Craven. He is scheduled to continue staying busy by meeting David Bostice this Saturday. While rumors are that he will, if victorious, face David Tua in January, that deal has yet to be made official.

I've been very high on Brock in my Fighting Words column, as I'm impressed by how well-spoken and together he is, as well as the fortitude he took in getting off the mat and earning a win over a guy (McCline) who, at the time, was a legitimate top ten contender.

Brock was rumored to be a possible opponent for Vitali Klitschko back when Rahman and Barrett were to meet in August and Klitschko wanted a September fight, but that never came through. Main Events held a conference call for Brock and their corporate guys to state their case. I personally would prefer for Brock to have fought a couple more top contenders first, but at least he's staying busy at the moment.

As I wrote in Fighting Words this week, I'd like to see him face Ray Austin, and maybe Monte Barrett before taking on one of the titlists. Obviously, if there's a heavyweight tournament, the scheduling will change things. I do want to see Brock in a tournament, though.

As for McCline, he's on the down slope, especially after losing a lackluster decision recently to journeyman Zuri Lawrence.

McCline is a behemoth who first hit the surface when he had a series of Ballroom Boxing fights in New York, drawing with Sherman Williams (which I believe is also the name of a paint company) and decisioning Sedrick Fields. As long as I'm in a humorous mood, his next fight was a win over Reynaldo Minus, who although I've never heard of him, the result is a plus (sorry).

A decision over the durable Al Cole was followed with McCline's coming out party, a first round knockout of Michael Grant. I remember watching that, and I believe Grant hurt his leg on the knockdown, and the referee stopped the fight due to a possibly broken ankle.

McCline then outpointed two other big guys, Lance Whitaker and Shannon Briggs, leading to a 2002 TKO loss to Wladimir Klitschko.

From there, McCline knocked out C- or D-level names (but not necessarily tomato cans) in Charles Shufford, Cedric Boswell and Wayne Llewelyn.

Last November, McCline met good friend and sparring partner Chris Byrd, losing a close, contested split decision.

For that fight, Calvin Brock sparred with McCline in McCline's camp, and Brock even turned southpaw for Jameel.

Following the April loss to brock, McCline knocked out tomato can Steve Pannell, and then had his catastrophically cruddy showing against Lawrence.

You know, I should've just written an article.

**Drunken Cat** · 11-15-2005, 01:44 PM

Brock is decent, but i think he might get ko'd if he steps up. He'd have a tough fight against Wlad, Peters could probably KO him.

**Manny_P** · 11-15-2005, 01:48 PM

Brock seems like a technical fighta wit a good jab. He looks good, but he hasn't really been tested yet.

**Manny_P** · 11-15-2005, 01:50 PM

hurrr's a pic of Brock fo ta noobs!

**scap** · 11-15-2005, 01:53 PM

Originally posted by Anorak

... with Calvin Brock and Owen Beck I suddenly realise what talk of Matt Skelton must sound like to the US members.

Someone pointed out rightly that I'd missed him out in a heavyweight thread. But it wasn't intentional - I just forgot about him and Beck because their exposure in the UK is non-existent.

The same goes for Jameel McCline. If I'm mistaken these guys have NEVER been seen on UK TV. (Heavyweight fights are difficult to see in the UK anyway, as Don King seems to price them out of the market. Not that there's an uproar from English Byrd and Ruiz fans or anything...)

If I wasn't a member of this forum I'd never to get to see about a third of the fights I do. But these guys (Brock particularly) are they any good?

Calvin Brock is nothing special, so dont get too excited...the problem is the division is full of fighters who are nothing special so I dont no what the **** to make of Brock.

I dont think i could pick Brock over any of the beltholders and that even includes Byrd. Im not a fan of the Calvinator for the record.

Too me Audlye Harrsion although old as **** has a lot more going fopr him than Brock.

**Guest** · 11-15-2005, 01:59 PM

Thanks for the comments all, interesting reading...

Tell me about Calvin Brock...