Mike McCallum does not get his props imo

[Dynamite Kid]

Mike McCallum does not get his props imo, its one of them where younger fans just see that he lost to Jones and Toney and the older fans tend to talk up the Fab 4.

You got fighters like Calzaghe getting reveared by some and McCallum beat better fighters, was a better craftsmen imo, and he gets less recognition.

Lets take a look at who he beat

Kalule
G Thomas
Collins
McCrory
Curry
Watson
Kalambay
Harding
Graham
Jackson
Minchillo

Im a bit biased because he is one of my top 10 fav's, but where is the love the Body Snatcher

[TheGreatA]

I think he is beginning to get more and more respect as time goes on. Back when he fought he was mostly known by the British fans and experts due to his fights against Graham, Watson, Collins.

I made a highlight of McCallum and have gotten a lot of positive feedback by people who had never seen him fight before.

McCallum vs Hearns at 154 for 15 rounds would've been a great fight. I think he would beat an under-sized, mostly unmotivated 154 lb Duran, have trouble with a prime Benitez but by 1983 McCallum would've beaten him. Tough to say how he would have done against Leonard/Hagler.

Jackson brought his power against McCallum but McCallum brilliantly picked him apart after some trouble early on. Few could have beaten Jackson that easily.

Kalambay was a great boxer who would've given trouble to many of the great middleweights with his style. Kalambay put on a brilliant boxing exhibition in the first fight but McCallum got the better of Kalambay in the rematch. I feel McCallum may have been the more accomplished fighter (although Kalambay is underrated on his own) but head-to-head Kalambay was a tough match-up for him.

I think the first fight with Kalambay really derailed his career because he was coming off a huge KO win over Curry which had finally given him some well-earned publicity. After the loss he had to start from the beginning yet again and take on the tough fights that no one else wanted.

Looking at the way McCallum picked apart Watson, I don't think Benn or Eubank could have beaten him.

Unfortunately he had some of his biggest fights (aside from Curry) way past his prime against Toney and Jones. He was still good against Toney the first two times but pretty well spent against Jones.

[Thread Stealer]

I think more or less he gets credit nowadays, but too many attention is paid to him not getting a fight with any of the Fab 4 as opposed to the things he DID do.

[mickey malone]

I've always thought this to, but there is a reason for it..

3 weight world champ
Never KO'd (can't even remember him touching down)
One of the best body snatchers of all time

But I'd guess it's because he never beat a legend.. If there were a Hopkins, Jones (lost DC) leonard, Hearns, Duran or Hagler on his resume, this wouldn't be the case.. I'd say his best victories were the KO's of Curry & Jackson, but the more I look at the guys he never fought, It kinda gives the impression that he walked through a minefield & got away with it.. Jeeeez, he didn't even fight Mugabe, Benn or Eubank.. I suppose Graham, Collins, Harding, Kalambay & Tiozzo didn't quite cut the historical mustard..

[TheGreatA]

I've always thought this to, but there is a reason for it..

3 weight world champ
Never KO'd (can't even remember him touching down)
One of the best body snatchers of all time

But I'd guess it's because he never beat a legend.. If there were a Hopkins, Jones (lost DC) leonard, Hearns, Duran or Hagler on his resume, this wouldn't be the case.. I'd say his best victories were the KO's of Curry & Jackson, but the more I look at the guys he never fought, It kinda gives the impression that he walked through a minefield & got away with it.. Jeeeez, he didn't even fight Mugabe..

Is that really his fault though? Who do you think he should have fought?

I'm sure McCallum wouldn't have had any trouble fighting someone like Mugabi, he did after all fight Jackson who was better.

[Thread Stealer]

I don't think Mugabi cared too much to fight McCallum. The Beast wanted the big fights with Hearns and Hagler. The crowd kept yelling "Hearns, Hearns" after one of Mugabi's wins, but Mugabi was the MW mandatory so he got a fight with Hagler.

McCallum would've outboxed Mugabi IMO.

[TheGreatA]

I don't think Mugabi cared too much to fight McCallum. The Beast wanted the big fights with Hearns and Hagler. The crowd kept yelling "Hearns, Hearns" after one of Mugabi's wins, but Mugabi was the MW mandatory so he got a fight with Hagler.

McCallum would've outboxed Mugabi IMO.

Mugabi got some real hype, perhaps unjustified however. He did prove to be a legit title contender against Hagler but was also beaten down so badly that he never went onto become much aftewards.

[Dynamite Kid]

I've always thought this to, but there is a reason for it..

3 weight world champ
Never KO'd (can't even remember him touching down)
One of the best body snatchers of all time

But I'd guess it's because he never beat a legend.. If there were a Hopkins, Jones (lost DC) leonard, Hearns, Duran or Hagler on his resume, this wouldn't be the case.. I'd say his best victories were the KO's of Curry & Jackson, but the more I look at the guys he never fought, It kinda gives the impression that he walked through a minefield & got away with it.. Jeeeez, he didn't even fight Mugabe, Benn or Eubank.. I suppose Graham, Collins, Harding, Kalambay & Tiozzo didn't quite cut the historical mustard..

Thats fair but by the same token can you beat a legend if you dont get the chance ?


McCallum would of beaten Mugabi up and he would schooled Benn and Eubank imo. I think he would of knocked Benn out.

Terry Norris put Mugabi's light out in 1 and McClellan did a job on him to, who did Mugabi ever beat of note ?

McCallum was hitting Minchillo with the kitchen sink so much so that his corner decided to stop the fight, this is the guy who took Duran and Hearns the distance.

McCallum also did a better job on Kalule than Ray Leonard imo.


Technically Kalambay was a much slicker better technical fighter than Eubank. Nunn landed a once in a life time peach of a punch, but im not sure Nunn was not heading for a big head ache if he had not caught Kalambay cold. Nunn had hell with Iran Barkley and a blown up Marlon Starling. I think Starling might of won the fight to.

Eubank did too much reaching to beat someone like McCalluim, he would of got painted with counters.

[Dynamite Kid]

I think he is beginning to get more and more respect as time goes on. Back when he fought he was mostly known by the British fans and experts due to his fights against Graham, Watson, Collins.

I made a highlight of McCallum and have gotten a lot of positive feedback by people who had never seen him fight before.

McCallum vs Hearns at 154 for 15 rounds would've been a great fight. I think he would beat an under-sized, mostly unmotivated 154 lb Duran, have trouble with a prime Benitez but by 1983 McCallum would've beaten him. Tough to say how he would have done against Leonard/Hagler.

Jackson brought his power against McCallum but McCallum brilliantly picked him apart after some trouble early on. Few could have beaten Jackson that easily.

Kalambay was a great boxer who would've given trouble to many of the great middleweights with his style. Kalambay put on a brilliant boxing exhibition in the first fight but McCallum got the better of Kalambay in the rematch. I feel McCallum may have been the more accomplished fighter (although Kalambay is underrated on his own) but head-to-head Kalambay was a tough match-up for him.

I think the first fight with Kalambay really derailed his career because he was coming off a huge KO win over Curry which had finally given him some well-earned publicity. After the loss he had to start from the beginning yet again and take on the tough fights that no one else wanted.

Looking at the way McCallum picked apart Watson, I don't think Benn or Eubank could have beaten him.

Unfortunately he had some of his biggest fights (aside from Curry) way past his prime against Toney and Jones. He was still good against Toney the first two times but pretty well spent against Jones.

Great post.

Kalambay was sooo underrated, that was a tremendous performance by him when he beat McCallum, rolling the shoulders and countering with the uppercut and everything............class.


I thought the second fight was razor thin to.

[TheGreatA]

Great post.

Kalambay was sooo underrated, that was a tremendous performance by him when he beat McCallum, rolling the shoulders and countering with the uppercut and everything............class.


I thought the second fight was razor thin to.

Agreed. I thought McCallum piled up enough rounds early on to win the fight.

Kalambay adapted to McCallum's tactics but did it too late in the fight. I do think that the fight could've gone either way but McCallum deserves credit for overcoming a tough stylistic match-up and for being willing to give him a rematch (McCallum could have after all easily ducked him), even though Kalambay wasn't at his best.

The first fight is one the best performances I've seen from any fighter.