Michael Watson vs. GGG or Canelo @ MW

Say prime Watson gets the GGG or Canelo of two weeks ago, what would occur?

 

GGG stops Watson eventually. Watson probably wins a close decision off Canelo

 

We've learned by now that this is impossible.

 

Watson is very overrated. I think he's probably a slight favorite against Canelo, but far from a lock. I don't like his chances against GGG

 

Watson wins a decision over Canelo (under fair scorecards) and gets stopped late by GGG.

 

The Watson from the Benn/Eubanks fights beats both. Cannot for the life of me see how Benn couldn't put a dent in Watson but GGG stops him.

MTF

 

Mccallum KHTFO. Let's not pretend he's unknockable

 

Watson would have beaten the Golovkin of earlier this month.

 

Seriously? That's your logic?

Both McCallum and Eubank stopped Watson and Benn hits harder than both.

So you explain to me how that happened

 

Lol. Not a chance.

 

I can't see for the life of me how Frazier couldn't put a dent in Foreman but Ali stops him.

 

McCallum did a number on Watson, but Watson was laid up for 11 months prior to that fight and was rusty as fuck. Not saying he beats Mike (I'm a yuuugggge McCallum fan) but that wasn't a pristine Watson in there. McCallum also fights nothing like either GGG or Canelo. He's slicker, faster and more methodical than both. McCallum was also much, much better than both GGG and Canelo.

Eubanks got his shit punched in for 23 rounds vs Watson. A miracle, last-ditch punch and a bottom rope were all that saved him when Watson lost focus with his greatest moment in sight.

Canelo's attempts to pinch rounds and save his energy wouldn't work against the Watson who fought the second Eubanks fight. That's what Eubanks tried to do and Watson absolutely battered him senseless. Eubanks was saved because he had one-punch KO power and a granite chin. GGG hits hard but he's never really iced world-class fighters with single shots. Canelo hasn't properly iced a single world-class middleweight, period.

GGG has a better chance but I like Watson to win close but clear on the cards in a good action fight. Watson did everything GGG did but IMO a little better.

Better?

MTF

 

Aye, that's the same thing.

MTF

 

Never said he was. McCallum beat Watson down with a methodical, eleven round working over to body and head. Canelo and GGG fought absolutely nothing like Mike McCallum.

MTF

 

You don't think GGG would methodically work him over to both head and body?

 

He would certainly try. But, as he isn't as fast as Mike, or as rangy, or as powerful, or as accurate to the body, or as good, I don't think he would succeed.

MTF

 

Well despite shaking off some bombs, Watson did a very good job defensively of blocking Benn's shots and countering him silly. GGG was a more consistent and intelligent fighter and might land on Watson a lot more than Benn did.

It's not that I am that confident of GGG beating Watson, but I wouldn't dismiss GGG's chances just based on the way Watson handled Benn's shots.

Watson took Benn to school, it was similar to a middleweight Ali-Foreman, only more of it taking place in the middle of the ring. Watson would beat Canelo rather handily, provided the judges don't rob him (far from a guarantee). Competitive but clear win for Watson.

 

I don't completely dismiss Watson chance against GGG, but I don't think that him getting koed is a stretch. The benn he beat was raw as fuck and needed a desesperate punch to beat mediocre anthony logan a year before. Was far from as complete a fighter as GGG was.

 

Benn isn't in the same league as GGG in terms of overall ability

 

We never really got to see how good Watson would have become because of what happened to him. He was only 26 when he got injured and seemed to be improving, based on his performances in the two Eubanks fights: he adapted and changed tack completely for the second and punched Eubanks all over the place. With GGG, we know what we are going to know about him. At 35, a fighter will always be 'more complete' than at 26.

MTF

 

Means nothing. Totally different types of fighter.

MTF

 

I think the divergence mostly comes from our respective opinions on Eubank. You rate him very highly while I think he was not more than a B+ level guy