How good was Mike McCallum?

[Pastrano]

My top 5 favorite Bodysnatcher fights:
McCallum-Curry
McCallum-McCrory
McCallum-Toney I
McCallum-Kalambay II
McCallum-Graham

[JK1700]

sorry but i do not agree with you. McCallum never beat any fighter who had the ability of Roberto Duran he also struggled many times to get the verdict over mediocre fighters at 154lbs. Duran would have been the most skilled fighter McCallum ever fought and IMO Duran would defeat him.

I can't agree with that.

[joseph5620]

sorry but i do not agree with you. McCallum never beat any fighter who had the ability of Roberto Duran he also struggled many times to get the verdict over mediocre fighters at 154lbs. Duran would have been the most skilled fighter McCallum ever fought and IMO Duran would defeat him.

Who exactly did Duran beat on McClallum's level at 154? You talk about McCallums "struggles" at 154 but Duran was beaten solidly at least 3 times at the weight. The losses for Duran with Hearns and Benitez were not even close.

[Scott9945]

sorry but i do not agree with you. McCallum never beat any fighter who had the ability of Roberto Duran he also struggled many times to get the verdict over mediocre fighters at 154lbs. Duran would have been the most skilled fighter McCallum ever fought and IMO Duran would defeat him.

McCallum KO'd Donald Curry. Duran lost to Kirkland Laing and Robbie Sims. I rest my case.

[StarshipTrooper]

Duran would have been the most skilled fighter McCallum ever fought and IMO Duran would defeat him.

Sure! IF McCallum had been a Lightweight and IF the date was 1977. But you see, McCallum wasn't and the date wasn't and Duran at 154 was an out-of-shape has-been. McCallum would have had few problems with the 154 version of Duran. End of story.

Poet

[DarkTerror88]

McCallum KO'd Donald Curry. Duran lost to Kirkland Laing and Robbie Sims. I rest my case.

@154 Duran gets beaten in a onesided 15rd fight.

Dont get me wrong, Duran is a better fighter p4p and at his best weight, but not 154

[Steak]

McCallum KO'd Donald Curry. Duran lost to Kirkland Laing and Robbie Sims. I rest my case.

Duran had his off nights. but lets not forget that Duran was still someone who was able to cut and give near prime Hagler problems(more problems than almost anyone else during Hagler's prime title reign), and his destruction of Davey Moore. Moore is just a name on Duran's record nowadays, but he was a very good offensive fighter who had quality wins at 154.

Im not suggesting that Duran would win. But it wouldnt be a wipeout. Curry gave McCallum some problems and actually had him quite stunned with his right hand. to be fair, Curry was a damn good fighter and was more explosive than Duran, but overall I see Duran at least making the rounds competitive whilst losing most of them.

and McCallum is one of my favorite fighters ever, but there were moments that he let his opponents get into the fight while he was in control.

[Scott9945]

Duran had his off nights. but lets not forget that Duran was still someone who was able to cut and give near prime Hagler problems(more problems than almost anyone else during Hagler's prime title reign), and his destruction of Davey Moore. Moore is just a name on Duran's record nowadays, but he was a very good offensive fighter who had quality wins at 154.

Im not suggesting that Duran would win. But it wouldnt be a wipeout. Curry gave McCallum some problems and actually had him quite stunned with his right hand. to be fair, Curry was a damn good fighter and was more explosive than Duran, but overall I see Duran at least making the rounds competitive whilst losing most of them.

and McCallum is one of my favorite fighters ever, but there were moments that he let his opponents get into the fight while he was in control.

I'll admit that everyone expected Moore to beat Duran. But Moore was a 24 y/o with only 12 pro fights. He was sadly outclassed against a well conditioned Duran.

McCallum did take his foot off the gas against lesser opponents. However I'm confident he would have been sharply focused in a high profile fight with Roberto Duran.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

He was good enough to convince me to rate him over the lethal Tommy Hearns as the best 154lber in history, I'll tell you that much. I don't doubt for a minute he'd have Duran's number at Jr. Middle. Once you start getting into the elite 154lbers, you have guys who have the beating of Duran.

Better than good, & greater than great, he was, simply, fantastic.

[mickey malone]

McCallum was too much for Duran at 154. A dream match would have been against Hearns, who like McCallum was a beast at the weight. McCallum's problem is that he fought all of his best opponents when past prime.