Q and A with Glen McCrory: Frampton is too strong physically and mentally for Quigg

Cathal Jennings interviewed Glenn McCrory who visited Belfast and took in a Frampton fight night this weekend.

See what the former World champion has to say about Mayweather v Pacquiao, Amir Khan, Kell Brook, The future of Paul Smith and Carl Froch and how he think’s Anthony Joshua will be the next British World Champion. 

Cathal Jennings: What do you think of the Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao fight being made and do you think it will live up to the hype?

GLENN MCCRORY: I think it’s a fight that had to happen, it’s a fight that was mooted a few year’s ago it looked an amazing fight it didn’t happen then I didn’t think it would happen then I thought it was all a bit quick I didn’t think it would hang out this long but built and built and built. It’s going to be the biggest fight of all time well the biggest grossing fight of all time. You have the pound for pound best fighter in the world and the pound for pound best boxer in the at the same weight which makes it a great clash it makes it a fight everyone wants to see.

CJ: Do you think it’s the biggest fight of all time?

GLENN MCCRORY: For me it’s the biggest fight of this generation it’s the biggest fight of this decade it’s got to be the biggest grossing fight of all time. Ali v Foreman would have been the biggest at it’s time but as time goes by and the money gets bigger this is the biggest. It’s the most exciting buzz around a fight in this generation. Lewis v Holyfield at the Garden was huge so was Lewis v Tyosn but Tyson was well over the hill by the time he fought Lewis it was a huge fight but Tyson was a spent force. Us as broadcasters and journalist’s we knew it but we were selling the fight because it was 2 great names but it was actually 10 years too late really for Tyson. But I’d put the Mayweather v Pacquiao on par with Duran v Leonard in Montreal it’s that type of fight.

CJ: Now that Mayweather v Pacquiao has been made, where do you think that leaves Amir Khan?

GLENN MCCRORY: I think Amir Khan has had plenty of publicity and the fact that he is been talked about as an opponent for both Mayweather and Pacquiao has just built him up, he’s coming off a great win against Devon Alexander, he now looks like a more complete fighter, he’s learning to have patience, he’s learning not to react so I think the wait is better. Let them 2 fight and he can get one of them after that hopefully the winner that’s better for him. Amir is in a great position he’s younger than both of so he’s right there to get in the frame.

CJ: Who has the better skill’s to beat Mayweather, Khan or Pacquiao?

GLENN MCCRORY: I think Amir has a better chance of giving Mayweather trouble 100% because of his speed he will trouble Mayweather, but I think Pacquiao has a better chance of defeating Mayweather. I don’t think Khan can beat Mayweather, I think he can give him trouble but I think Mayweather is a more complete fighter and will eventually get to him whenever they fight. Pacquiao has had a couple of slips like when he was knocked out by Marquez, but in a way that’s probably a good thing because it’s allowed Mayweather to take the fight cause Mayweather in his mind thinks Pacquiao is not the fighter he once was. He may not be the fighter he once was but he’s once as good as he always was. For one night Pacquiao can be as good as he always was, the best Pacquiao can beat the best Mayweather. Floyd took the fight because he doesn’t think Pacquiao is what he was, he doesn’t think he’s the best, he may not be the best but he only has to be the best on one night. The Pacquiao that turned up against Ricky Hatton if he’s on that type of form he can beat Mayweather.

CJ: Do you think this means that Amir Khan has to fight Kell Brook?

GLENN MCCRORY: I’d love to see Kell Brook fight Amir Khan if I’m honest because when you have got 2 top welterweight’s from Britain you know they should fight each other, we all want to see that fight. We don’t know who the best welterweight on these island’s is yet, we need to find out who is the best. Kell needs a great performance against Jo Jo Dan, he needs to look sensational. Kell’s future is in his own hands, Kell has his faults in his character so he has to keep himself right, he’s got to prove himself. Amir is up there he’s coming off a the Alexander win, he’s at the top of his game. He’ll get a fight with a top contender, he’s going to do well Amir.

CJ: Do you think Andy Lee could be the man to stop Gennady Golovkin or do you think Golovkin is something special?

GLENN MCCRORY: No I mean I think Andy Lee is a good fighter but when Golovkin hit’s like that. One of the thing’s against Murray that gives me a little bit of hope for other fighter’s is that he does get hit with a lot of right hands. Andy can punch but he’s very very good Golovkin he’s an absolute machine, I think he’s going to be spectacular but if I was a middleweight back in my prime I would be thinking wow. He still makes mistakes but he doesn’t make many.

CJ: Do you think Carl Froch should have given James De Gale a chance to fight him or do you think he’s right to explore a fight in Las Vegas?

GLENN MCCRORY: Carl Froch can’t be bothered he doesn’t think George Groves deserved to be in the ring with him he still doesn’t, he doesn’t think James De Gale deserves to be in the ring with him. Carl has been in with some great fighters and nobody believes how great he is more than he does. I think unless he gets the Chavez fight I don’t see him where he goes. I think if he could fight Andre Ward now that would be brilliant but I don’t think Ward would be daft enough to take Carl Froch on in his comeback fight. I know how Carl thinks he doesn’t want to go in with Golovkin he’s had too many tough fight’s what he wants to do is have a fight that he knows he can win like the Chavez fight and fight in Las Vegas that gives him another notch he get’s his name up in light’s in Vegas down the strip that would tick the boxes for him and his career.

CJ: Do you think after his defeat too Arthur Abraham do you think Paul Smith’s career at elite level is over or do you think there is any reason for De Gale and Groves to fight him again?

GLENN MCCRORY: No he’s been done by De Gale and Groves, he got the weakest link in the super middleweight division, he did really well in both fight’s. It was a very under motivated Abraham in the first fight who I think won comfortably on my card but he got another shot and Abraham turned up more prepared and gave him a bit of a hiding in the second fight. He did great and showed how tough he was but I think he can get out of the game and go into commentary felling proud. He’ll always have that in the back of his mind ‘I was robbed’ which fighters love to be able to say ‘I should’ve been world champion but I was robbed’ but he wasn’t.

CJ: Your a former cruiserweight World Champion. Do you think Tony Bellew can beat Marco Huck and become Champion?

GLENN MCCRORY: I don’t think he can if I’m honest, I think he’s domestic class, European class I just don’t think Cleverly or Bellew where ever world class, that was shown against Kovalev and Stephenson. I don’t think either of them are proper world class.

CJ: Do you think Anthony Joshua can become Britain’s next World Heavyweight Champion?

GLENN MCCRORY: Yes definitely as long as injuries aren’t a problem. I know he’s had a little chip in his back so as long as he can keep away from injuries, obviously he’s keen he’s a big man he’s training relentlessly but he’s got to be careful he doesn’t wear and tear on his body. He’s certainly ticking all the boxes for me, I would like to see him fight David Price because I’d like to see him fight a man whose bigger, punches hard, whose aggressive, whose physically bigger than him. I think that will answer a lot of questions if he can take care of David Price in good style than I think that will be all the boxes ticked. I think it is only a matter of time before he’s heavyweight champion of the World.

CJ: Do you think Tyson Fury has a chance of becoming Heavyweight Champion?

GLENN MCCRORY: No I think Tyson is a good big lad but he make’s too many mistakes he is too vulnerable. I’d like him to be a little more serious about his boxing not make so many mistakes I just feel when he’s in with someone sharp and accurate he’ll be really exposed.

CJ: Who do you think will win when Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton eventually fight?

GLENN MCCRORY: I am a big fan if Frampton I think he’s terrific, I think he’s a bit too physically and mentally tough for Quigg who is great I’m a big fan of Scott Quigg he’s a great kid, but I think Carl is harder person generally, he’s also been through the amateur’s he’s done it all the right way. I think he know’s a little bit more at that level but it’s an excellent fight.

CJ: Do you think 2015 is the biggest year in the history of boxing?

GLENN MCCRORY: It will be because the Mayweather v Pacquiao are going to make it, but I think it’s just warming up. When you look at the depth of fighters like Kid Galahad, Quigg, Frampton and that’s just the super bantamweight’s at welterweight you have Brook and Khan, middleweight you have Andy Lee, Martin Murray at heavyweight there’s Price, Fury, Joshua. I can only see it getting better and better, I think 2015 is going to be great in boxing. I think boxing in these island’s is flying as it should be we invented the game.