Early 90's middleweights - what if..?

Cholo_cws · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 824

I thought this potentially great mini-era was spoiled by the number of alphabets titles about and the lack of any unification fights - thus many of the fights that should have happened didn't. At one stage we were close to getting two champions - Roberto Duran had beaten Iran Barkley for the WBC strap and Michael Nunn and Sumbu Kalambay were to meet in a WBA/IBF unification match - except in their wisdom the WBA stripped Kalambay before the fight.

Anyway, for a bit of fun, imagine Nunn had picked up both belts that night and then squared off against Duran to return the division to having just one undisputed champion. Who do you think would have won that fight, and let's say for argument's sake that that unified crown was then challenged for by the string of strong contenders in the order that they actually received their first/next shot at an alphabet belt - each fight's winner defending against the next challanger in line. How do you think those results would have unfolded. Any upsets? Classic fights? Here's what I mean:

1. Michael Nunn v Roberto Duran
2. Winner v Herol Graham (10-5-89)
3. Winner v Mike McCallum (10-5-89)
4. Winner v Steve Collins (3-2-90)
5. Winner v Michael Watson (14-4-90)
6. Winner v Nigel Benn (29-4-90)
7. Winner v Iran Barkley (18-8-90)
8. Winner v Chris Eubank (18-11-90)
9. Winner v Julian Jackson (24-11-90)
10. Winner v James Toney (10-5-90)
11. Winner v Sumbu Kalambay (1-4-91)
13. Winner v Gerald McClellan (20-11-91)
14. Winner v Reggie Johnson (22-4-92)
15. Winner v Bernard Hopkins (22-5-93)
16. Winner v Roy Jones Jr. (22-5-93)

Though it couldn't have happened like this I think it's best to view the boxers as they were at the time and not on their overall reputation (therefore I've put the date that they got their alphabet shot as a reminder.) I've not considered the WBO title as being part of the initial unification of the crown but I have included the better boxers who challenged for it. Obviously some fights did take place at that time and won't require a lot of thought as to what the outcome would have been.

Kimmy · Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 4089 Location: Spain

If I had to guess an overall winner i`d have to say.... Roy Jones

TML1988UK · Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 1133 Location: Cumbria

Roy jones was the greatest of the 90's so i will go with him

Meathead · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 2912 Location: United Kingdom

I think the sequence would have gone like this: -

Nunn v Duran
Nunn v McCullum
McCullum v Collins
Collins v Watson
Watson v Benn
Watson v Barkley
Watson v Eubank
Eubank v Jackson
Eubank v Toney (Im going off Eubank not switching how he fought after hurting Watson)
Eubank v Kalambay
Eubank v GMan
Eubank v Johnson
Eubank v Hopkins
Eubank v RJJ
RJJ: Winner

I really do genuinely believe that had Eubank not hurt Watson he would have been a much more dominant fighter in the division. I think that his defensive style, but with the power to hurt people when pushed, would have caused pretty much all of the 90's Middleweights from the US a lot of problems. He boxed very clever and wouldnt have allowed himself to be caught by many big punches (im thinking Benn/GMan for example, Eubank wouldnt have taken those big shots like Benn did early).

I think that the Eubank/Watson, Eubank/GMan & Eubank/RJJ fights would have been great fights and I think that Eubank/Toney could have gone either way. It could have been a real in your face type of affair or both fighters could have fought with there heads and probably avoided each other for large parts of the fight.

One thing I would say is that this is based off the order you came up with. I think if you drop RJJ in to the mix earlier he would be more dominant than just winning one fight. I only see Hopkins being capable of beating him on the list.

fg burnaby · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 420

agreed Eubank was much better than his record or opponents suggested, especially after Watson.

Batman · Posted: September 10 2008, 21:49 PM Post subject:

Meathead wrote: I think the sequence would have gone like this: -

Nunn v Duran
Nunn v McCullum
McCullum v Collins
Collins v Watson
Watson v Benn
Watson v Barkley
Watson v Eubank
Eubank v Jackson
Eubank v Toney (Im going off Eubank not switching how he fought after hurting Watson)
Eubank v Kalambay
Eubank v GMan
Eubank v Johnson
Eubank v Hopkins
Eubank v RJJ
RJJ: Winner You do know that McCallum did beat Collins don't you?

Meathead · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 2912 Location: United Kingdom

Batman wrote: Meathead wrote: I think the sequence would have gone like this: -

Nunn v Duran
Nunn v McCullum
McCullum v Collins
Collins v Watson
Watson v Benn
Watson v Barkley
Watson v Eubank
Eubank v Jackson
Eubank v Toney (Im going off Eubank not switching how he fought after hurting Watson)
Eubank v Kalambay
Eubank v GMan
Eubank v Johnson
Eubank v Hopkins
Eubank v RJJ
RJJ: Winner You do know that McCallum did beat Collins don't you?

Yeah. The point was how I thought it would go if the fights had happened in that sequence. Its not based on fact cause hardly any of the fights happened.

Christ_the_Impaler · Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 2375 Location: Islington, London

I think Eubank was excellent, pre Watson. I would love to have seen Eubank fight Jones.