Mike McCallum V Carmen Basilio @ 154

McCallum was bigger, stronger, and more technically polished, I think we would see McCallum hitting cleaner punches on the inside quite clear, he was faster too as well. Even in terms of toughness I wouldn´t be sure about who is better, because even considering Basilio as one of the hardest men ever, McCallum proved a couple of times (The Jackson fight) how tough and solid he and his chin was.

MCallum clear UD.

 

Basilio wins 5 broken ribs to 4

 

McCallum too big and too well schooled. Busts Carmen up coming in, smothers him on the inside with those long arms, and walks away with a tidy UD.

 

McCallum was a better technician and puncher. He takes it on a clear decision.

 

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I think we might be selling Basilio a bit short here, not necessarily on who wins (McCallum might, I'm still pondering it), but on "bigger and stronger". Basilio was a bull. Broad shoulders, deep chest, sturdy legs. If he and McCallum stood next to each other in their fighting primes I don't think we would be saying that Mike was "bigger and stronger" (only taller). And I could guarantee you that McCallum, who I was/am a huge fan of, wouldn't be muscling Basilio around in the clinches. No way. :smoke

Love both these guys. Hate to pick a winner. I'm leaning towards Mike though....

 

Body Snatcher beats him up quite well in this IMO too accurate, too good of a combination puncher for him. His inside game was better and his outside game was amazing. I don't see a path to victory here for Basilio sadly.

 

I never said stronger, but McCallum is 5" taller and didn't look too flabby at 175 much bigger than Basilio ever got. He's unequivocally bigger.

 

No, our comrade Vic-Jofre did. I had to disagree with him there.

And keep in mind that the title of the thread is "Mike McCallum V Carmen Basilio @ 154" . At that weight I don't think anyone can say that McCallum was "bigger". Just taller.

 

Yeah Surf, well, I always had this impression of McCallum, as a tall very strong guy, not that Basilio was not strong, but I think McCallum was stronger.

 

Fair enough :smoke

 

It's easy to go for the freshest in the memory,but I genuinely think McCallum has the workrate to heavily outscore Carmen at the very least.
He would catch Carmen on the way in and pick him off at will in the later stages.Mike would probably take a few rounds to find his range,but he would be able to stun Carmen on the way in and I'd bet on a late stoppage of Carmen,albeit on his feet.
Carmen got by in some of his biggest fights through belief that his chin would withstand whatever it took to get in range.
It usually took a superb counterpuncher to trouble McCallum.I don't see Carmine having the required style and tools here.

 

After 1 second of seeing the thread: Knee-jerk definite feeling it's McCallum big
After 10 seconds of skimming the comments: Wondering if it's McCallum by stoppage or decision
After 1 minute and having read all the comments: Wondering if I'm not selling Basilio short (heh heh, short)
After 2 minutes: I don't know who wins.
After 2.5 minutes: McCallum wins by decision
After 3 minutes: Hmm.
After 4 minutes: Decides not to pick but secretly figures it's McCallum, albeit uncertainly but will not pick.

Edit: Technically I picked there, I suppose.

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Good thread.

 

Draw. Draw!

 

I'm with Surf on this one. Mike was a bean pole at 154. Not as technically proficient as he'd later become, either. Quite hittable. Still, I'd probably favor him by a hair.