had never seen this before but steward finally let it leak from his vault. Toney and McClellan on there also around an hour in. <iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7lHe_UqZF0I?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
This is exactly what I've read over the years about their sparring sessions. It's also a preview of the way I would have envisioned an actual fight of their's playing out. Hearns sharp early in the round and fight with McCallum hunting him down and taking away Tommy's legs and ultimately stopping him late. In watching McCallum's chin hold up fight after fight and year after year, I just don't see Hearns knocking him out. And if he couldn't, there is no way he last 15 against the pressure of McCallum. By the way, just curious about the sparring. Was Tommy banned from throwing the right cross? His jab was fast and sharp and he dug a couple of great hooks to the body. But I wanted to see one of those trademark down-the-pipe straight right hands bounce off McCallum's head.
I was wondering the same. He basically just used the jab and footwork the entire time. I guess either he was told not to throw it or they were just working on other things. Another possibility is it was injured but then i highly doubt he'd be sparring, let along against a guy like McCallum.
Yeah, he was probably just working on his jab. Thats why these sparring sessions shouldnt be taken very seriously. Still awesome to see tho
Agreed. Some guys do go all out in sparring but even then the opponent isn't necessarily doing the same. I wish more sessions like this were recorded. There are thousands of top tier fighters who've sparred against each other that would be really interesting to see.
agREED on this. I wouldn't read too much into this video. It's a cool look back, but that's about it and it shouldn't be taken too seriously.
Agree 100%. Hearns would never look that good in a real fight with McCallum. :l2: The one thing that the video does show, and it's cool just to see it reinforced, is that Tommy had a damn good left hand. That vegetable-making right hand is well-remembered, but the dude had a fast jab and a devestating hook. Hell, I am going to go pop in Hearns-Leonard just to watch the jab dismantle and bust-up Leonard.
Uh, huh. We get it...you love McCallum....blah, blah, blah, etc... :: Excuse me while I reach for the grain of salt that is required when you talk about him.
the footage of toney vs mcClellan was more interesting i thought. more rounds, and both guys opening up more and going at it harder
by the time i saw toney in the gym he was a fat cruiser/heavy. though i still seen him lay some whippings on people, talking shit constantly while doing so.
I thought Toney landed a nice right, McClellan won everything else up to the last couple of minutes where Toney came on a bit and McClellan looked a bit gassed. McClellan seemed to be trying harder and I just write it off to a sparring session, but there was nothing in the video that indicated that Toney was better than McCellan.