I had a chance to speak with former IBF cruiserweight champion and Sky commentator, Glenn McCrory. During a career that spanned nine years, McCrory faced the likes of Jeff Lampkin and Lennox Lewis, before retiring and starting a successful career as a boxing analyst.
In this interview, Glenn McCrory spoke about top British welterweights, Amir Khan and Kell Brook and a potential fight between the two. McCrory also discussed heavyweights, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and where they fit in the division. Lastly, Glenn gives his views on the ongoing talks about a possible Mayweather vs. Pacquiao match and who he would be picking if the fight took place now. Here is what Glenn McCrory had to say.
Robert Brown: Glen, let’s talk a little about Amir Khan. Do you think he needs to move on from Floyd Mayweather now? Would you like to see the grudge match between him and Kell Brook?
Glenn McCrory: Yes, very much so, if the Mayweather fight doesn’t happen. Amir is top draw but to really have credibility, he’s got a world champion in England from his division, so I think that makes total sense. There’s no real excuses because I think that fight could be made and it would give them both good money, it’s over here in England and I think it would be a big PPV fight. You want to see matches like that happen.
Robert Brown: If the fight between Amir Khan and Kell Brook did happen, who would you be picking at this stage?
Glenn McCrory: I think it would be an excellent fight. I think it’s a pick’em fight. Kell’s really improving, Amir’s got great speed — probably one of the best hands speeds of any fighter around. I think it’s a really tough fight with Amir Khan showing the sort of form he did against Devon Alexander in his recent fight. Also, Kell is just getting back after a nasty leg wound so it may just suit Amir Khan to take that fight when he can.
Robert Brown: I want to get your thoughts on Carl Froch, where do you think he goes now at this point in his career?
Glenn McCrory: I think he could go anywhere, he’s right up there with the big names. I don’t know mentally, after such a long and distinguished career, whether he can get himself up for fights like a James DeGale. I think he’s getting to the point where he really just wants to finish his career.
I know he won’t need the money, he just wants to finish his career on a high and a big fight in Las Vegas but that might just escape him. I’m not really sure. I did see him quoted the other day as saying, “The thought of retirement doesn’t seem that bad.” You know he’s not far away from calling it a day and I’m not sure if he can get himself up for a James DeGale fight.
Robert Brown: I would like to see him in a rematch with Andre Ward, how do you think a fight between Froch and Ward goes?
Glenn McCrory: Inactivity will have definitely played its part with Ward. He’s been out of the ring, he hasn’t been getting the fights that he needs to keep him active. Ward is an exceptional fighter but that’s a big fight again and I think Carl Froch wants to pick a fight where he can go out on a win. Andre Ward is still a very tough challenge and I think his pride wouldn’t really want him to see himself lose a fight against Ward.
Robert Brown: I’d like to talk to you about the UK heavyweights, what do you think is next for Tyson Fury if he gets through his next fight? Do you think they may match him against Deontay Wilder?
Glenn McCrory: All the opportunities are there, I know he would like to jump in with a Klitschko defense but the heavyweight division is buzzing again. I think Deontay Wilder was good, he was in a good fight with Stiverne. It brought a bit more excitement back in the game, Wilder’s knocked thirty two of thirty three opponents out.
I think Tyson Fury is pretty much up there with a shot against Wilder or a shot against Klitschko. David Price is still in the picture and then you got Anthony Joshua. There’s lots to look forward to, there’s good fights out there in the division and I think Tyson Fury’s gonna play a part.
Robert Brown: Would you like to see Anthony Joshua against someone like David Price?
Glenn McCrory: That’s the fight I want to see because Anthony Joshua has answered all the questions, he really does look the face of the heavyweight division. I know Klitschko was very excited about him and spoke on Sky about how great he was.
I want to see Joshua in a fight with David Price because in all of his fights he’s physically superior. He’s got the boxing skills, he’s an Olympics gold medalist, he’s experienced, but I want to see him in with somebody where he’s got to give height and reach away to and also somebody that if he hits him on the chin, we’re gonna find out exactly if he is the real deal or if he will get exposed.
I think that’s a great fight, it’s a dangerous fight but when you’re the Olympic heavyweight champion and if you’re gonna be what everybody thinks he is gonna be, you need to take a risk.
Robert Brown: It’s a very interesting fight because one fighter would go on and the other gets eliminated.
Glenn McCrory: Very much so. I do believe if I was a betting man, that Anthony Joshua at this stage will come through a fight against David Price but it would be a test and we would find out a lot more out about him. I’m expecting him within the next twelve months to be on the periphery of top world class.
You got a man in Australia who would ask a few questions as well in ‘Big Daddy’ Browne. I think that would be an interesting fight there for Anthony Joshua as well, against a big strong, rugged, tough guy fighter. That would be a good fight as well.
Robert Brown: I want to ask you about Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. A few days ago it seemed like the fight was imminent, now it seems there are negotiations for a rematch between Mayweather and Cotto. What are your thoughts on all the recent negotiations?
Glenn McCrory: For me there’s no reason why the fight shouldn’t happen. Pacquiao wants it and Mayweather said he wants it, so I think it’s a case of getting the figures. It’s a mega fight, it’s a huge fight, so there’s obviously lots to work out.
Mayweather, I know for his legacy, he will not want to retire without having to listen to whoever wants to pull him down, saying, “You may have been unbeatable, you may have won so many versions of the world title, but you didn’t beat Manny Pacquiao.” I don’t think his legacy or his ego or the sort of man he is, would want to have that happen at all. Also, I think he’s looking as strong as ever and Manny Pacquiao is not. Timings everything, it’s probably a great time to try and make that fight.
Robert Brown: If the fight happened, you would be picking Mayweather?
Glenn McCrory: I think I would, I think four or five years ago, I wouldn’t have been too sure but I just think the Marquez knockout was a very heavy defeat. Mayweather’s thrown accusations at him but it’s funny that Pacquiao isn’t punching as hard anymore is he? He doesn’t have that intensity or that knockout power that he once had, I think he’s just not what he was.
Robert Brown: Would you be interested in a Pacquiao-Khan fight?
Glenn McCrory: Yes, very much so. I really like watching Amir Khan because he’s exciting, he’s a good boxer and he just seems to have gotten his temperament in order. He doesn’t react as straight away, he’s now more of a thinking fighter and that makes him a much better fighter.
who cares mayweather wont’ fight him so why bother specualating if floyd is looking as strong as ever why is afraid to fight Pacquiao who is not looking great as ever?
Ariza sauce
Yeah i guess you must be right. That’s why he managed to hurt bradley, one of the toughest guys in the sport, hurt brandon rios who has an iron chin and knocked down algieri, all opponents who outwheighed and outsized him by a significant amount. Let me ask you this, how much did you get paid for this interview? And yes floyd is as sharp as ever, that’s probably also the reason why he’s getting hit a lot more in his past few fights…
i am more interested with the next toy car the ostrich will buy…..
hey maccrory why don’t you convince your little coward faggot floydie to fight the pacman and stop hiding his balls from manny
bait
hu the hell is maccrory? champion really?
And McCrory looking as its best shape of his life. Let your sharp floyd fight pacman and you’ll see.
Gayweather will not sign the contract. He will look for another excuse. Hi s next excuse for not signing the contract is that on May 2, 2015, he will have his menstrual period. Boxing fans all over the world should boycott all future fights of Gayweather.
Mccrocy is an idiot!
Eh ?
Was Floyd looking strong in his last 5 fights ? Especially the last 2 ?
C’mon. Stop smoking that weed.
Paquiao is back to his best, they are just trying to hype up khans chances of a win
gayfloyd duckweather strong as ever beating women… and has a pacquiao nightmare for 7 years
Leave the TBE??? alone maybe he will come to his senses and fight the humble man of the P.I.
He is right..Manny wants it, but Floyd only says he wants it.
everybody says TBE will just whoop pacman’s ass if they meet inside the ring… wow…great confidence… but hey! why is it that your TBE could not say for himself that he will whoop pacman’s ass on may 2… maybe your encouragement for TBE to fight the pac is not still enough.. so we will expect more interviews to come.. i hope next time, it would be more convincing to TBE that he could really whoop the pacman’s ass… if he could run fast inside the ring, for sure TBE will never kiss the canvass, just like everybody else does when they started to taste pacman,s gloves. and how can you knockout running opponent.. an evidence that pacman indeed has grown tired… of chasing his running partner inside the ring…
khan would flog brook.. everyone knows that ..
Say all the words Glenn, that you are for Mayweather, and that Pacquiao is done. But we Filipinos love to take that kind of challenge the greater the risks might be. You can witness that in town fiesta boxing where we saw fighters box each other in a mismatch all for the love of sports and betting. The result in many fights the underdogs win. Why? its the secret only the very determined boxer has with hidden credential comes out the winner.
In lot of occasions that is what we saw in many of Pacquiao past fights. Look what recently happened to Algier bragged by 6 knockdowns from the hands of Pacquiao. Is Pacquiao fading?. Aside from that he pulverized Bradley to confirm he won the previously controversial fight, and also silenced the youthful and valiant Rios. Pacquiao loss to Marquez served as a lesson to him to resurrect himself and found new strength and power to make a successful strings of comeback.
Hatton & De laHoya mismatch loss to Pacquiao paled in comparison with Mayweather win over Hatton & De la Hoya.. Mayweather never attempted to challenge Margarito a bulky boxer but not Pacquiao who bloodied the face of Margarito for a one-sided match. The same is true with Pacquiao scintillating TKO win against Cotto after the referee halted the fight.
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If ever the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight happens, please stake your bet and we will place ours, and we will find out who is the best between them.. .
So strong! He doesn’t get tired of running from pacquiao.
I’m not surprised if majority of fans will pick The Floyd Mayweather jr that we know. The only Boxer at present who proclaimed himself as the Best Ever, Yes he is a very good fighter and probably the very best defensive fighter right now. He is undefeated in his almost fifty fights and full credits to the Money Team. To understand Floyd’s being undefeated let’s go back to his first few bouts before he turned a professional Boxer.
His first bout was so encouraging as he displayed an over powering win. So from then on they packaged Floyd as a special Boxer. In order to be special he has to win all the fights and in order to make Floyd’s surely wins? He has to pick from not the very best or those lightweights that he overpowered. That’s why only few notable fights you can remember and the most obvious are lighter opponents .Yes in order to understand The Floyd today you have to scriutized all his fights in comparisons to some great pugilist, let us say Manny Pacquiao. Let’s do the same way to scrutinize Manny’s fights from the very beginning and the quality of opponents Manny had retired and beaten. Manny Pacquiao is not undefeated simply because he fought great Boxer s, like some of the great Champions who are not undefeated in the like of Ali,Tyson,Leonard,Duran,etc..Pacquiao rose from 105 lbs. Champion to become a Welterweight champion making him the only Boxer in the World who is EightWeight division Champion. Even Floyd Mayweather jr will have a difficulties to achieved I doubt if Floyd would like to fight Golovkin? So it is very easy to design or packaged a fighter but to qualify him to be the best is to scrutinize and breakdown his achievements and simply rely on all what all perceived as accurate and physically perfect. In parallel comparison based on all their fights from the very beginning of their career Manny Pacquiao displayed the qualities of a real Prizefighter who can do the job. Floyd’s
Career However is a Business who succeeded in a venture that by just the packaging alone of his fights will attained its monetary objective. As he displays his ways to pick and chooses his next opponent we see why he is the so called the Face of Boxing today, The Diva all well packaged to make us see what they designed us to see.
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao as the Gentleman of the two has to agree on all the Diva wants and yet additional insults are floating around.Simply the answer we all want to hear is if Floyd Fighting Manny in May?n simple Yes or No will do.
So if Floyd ‘s claiming to be the best? He has to fight Manny or He will be remembered as the other Champion who is scared to fight Pacquiao!
Rupert D… Well said! BOYCOTT ALL OF HIS FIGHT! Simple like that.
GOD IS GREAT AND SO IS MANNY HE FIGHTS FOR THE PEOPLE AND AND FOR THE GOD IN EVERY ONE OF US HES AMAZING DIVINE POWER WILL ALWAYS WIN OVER MONEY POWER GOD IS GREAT AND SO ARE WE
yall mad or nah. lol. Floyd destroys Manny because he hasn’t been the same fighter since he stopped taking steroids. Everyone can see it. No knockouts since 09. 2 losses and 1 of them an embarrassing knockout that sent him to the hospital. BTW…Floyd has fought the most undefeated fighters of the two.
btw…Manny fought fighters that were handpicked for him to get a knockout after he was knocked out by Marquez and still couldn’t get it done. His power didn’t hurt Rios at all. Algieri got knocked down six times and still fought strong in the end. And most importantly Mayweather would have been called a coward if he chose to fight any of those fighters. ONE QUICK QUESTION? Why has manny not fought canelo alvarez or danny Garcia or Maidana who has 34 wins with 32 knockouts. A ratio that says he is a much better puncher than Pacquiao. THE ANSWER? pacquiao and top rank have hand picked his fights for the past 5 years after he decided he wouldn’t use steroids anymore. Bradley is a horrible boxer; no footwork at all and very minimal punching power. Something like 11 or 12 knockouts with 32 fights. WEAK!!!.
I wish this fight would have taken place b4 Manny got ko’d.