Mike McCallum

[FinitoxDinamita]

What do you remember about McCallum?

[REMOVE SHARK 55]

One of the best body punchers in history and the best I've seen. I feel like he used to go through the motions in some fights and he lowered his usual levels which gave his opponents a better chance than usual. His scrap with Steve Collins in Boston I can remember vividly. Steve turned out to be quality but that fight sums up what I mean about Mike. Or the Tony draw.

Great style overall, Iron chin and he fought them all.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

The greatest, least hyped fighter ever..


Dude was a legit atg, but whatever reason gets lost in the shuffle..

The GOAT at 154


I rate him higher than Hopkins


His fights with james Toney were all time great technical matchups, neither guy giving an inch.. must see for all you younger fans that didn't get to see it.

[Boxing56]

One of my favorites. Had really close fights with James Toney.

[Sheldon312]

Great fighter but would lose to the modern day Middleweights.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Criminally underrated, a great defensive fighter, a master on the inside, quality body puncher who always showed real grit and toughness. I loved the way he would whip his uppercuts and left hooks in when fighting on the inside. My favourite memory of Mike was when he starched Donald Curry with a HUGE left hook in the 5th round of their fight. His 2 round war with Julian Jackson was fantastic as well.

[boliodogs]

He was a good all around fighter and a great body puncher nicked named the body snatcher.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

The greatest, least hyped fighter ever..


Dude was a legit atg, but whatever reason gets lost in the shuffle..

The GOAT at 154


I rate him higher than Hopkins


His fights with james Toney were all time great technical matchups, neither guy giving an inch.. must see for all you younger fans that didn't get to see it.

Agree 100% about the Toney fights, especially the first one. There were some incredible exchanges in that fight, and McCallum showed amazing resilience in the final round. I had Toney just about edging it due to his strong finish, but a draw was more than fair that night.

[iamboxing]

He still maintains to this day that SRL, Hagler and Hearns avoided him. I don't know what to think about this really. I like Mccallum but I don't see them 3 ever avoiding anyone, maybe he just wasn't popular enough despite his skill level.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

He still maintains to this day that SRL, Hagler and Hearns avoided him. I don't know what to think about this really. I like Mccallum but I don't see them 3 ever avoiding anyone, maybe he just wasn't popular enough despite his skill level.

Hagler and Leonard certainly didn't avoid him, McCallum only became light middleweight champion in 84, when Leonard was semi retired and Hagler's career was winding down at this point. He only fought Hearns, Mugabi and Leonard post 84 and then retired. It's like saying Floyd avoided Spence or Thurman. McCalum just wasn't a viable opponent at the time, he won his first title on a Hagler undercard but there was no call for him to immediately jump up to 160 to challenge Marvin.
There is an argument Hearns avoided him as they were both 154 titllists in the mid 80's but at this point Hearns was looking for bigger fights at middleweight, Light heavy etc.