Could McCallum have been the one to bring down Golovkin?

Ah, alright. I've never seen the fight to be honest. P4P star cruising against ancient guy on the wrong side of 30 three divisions removed from his best... I pass on those kinds of fights.

 

I like this fight McCallum was a very very complete smart fighter and even as an older fighter Toney seemed to think extremely highly of Mike at 175 a much older past prime fighter.....not sure if he could beat GGG but it would be a competitive SD either way....I also felt that McCallum would have been a great competitive fight with a prime Hagler as well

 

I agree he was not immune from being stopped but IMO when Jackson cracked him though Curry did rock him unexpectedly I would say that he would have been damn hard for another middleweight to KO him his strength was he was usually focused and IMO that is why Curry rocked him I don't think he expected Curry to crack like that.......but not impossible he was a hard man but I am not sure his chin can stack up with LaMotta

 

His durability is not in the LaMotta class but yes he could take it well for sure. I'd be surprised to see him stopped but i wouldn't completely fall off my chair is all i am saying.

 

McCallum seems a very difficult match-up stylistically for Golovkin: A slippery, clever counter puncher with great stamina and chin. He didn't have much power at MW, though. The question is if he had enough to keep Golovkin honest.

 

I said he wouldn't be stopped by GGG and gave my reasons , I never once said he was "impossible" to stop.

 

This fight is very,very similar to the Jacobs fight. Both guys (Jacobs and McCallum) have similar height, similar reach and they fight similarly as well. McCallum is a bit more defensive, Jacobs a bit more offensive, but they fight similarly. The only question is..can McCallum keep the centre of the ring and neutralise the pressure of Golovkin so that he can stay there? Jacobs tried, and he had mixed success. As soon as he got on the ropes, he was being pounded to death. Mike has to use the jab every time Golovkin tries to throw combinations in order to halt attacks and stop the pressure coming from GGG.

In comparison to Jacobs, McCallum has a slight increase in reach. That could be useful, and it could nick him an extra round or two, and keep Golovkin at bay more.

If McCallum can take advantage and use the height, reach and also get the timing of the jab spot on, he can win a close decision. We saw how Golovkin deals with a guy who is tall and has a longer reach in Jacobs. He did very well, despite being old and the smaller guy. It's a real 50-50, one I'd edge towards McCallum, but only just. You can make a case for either guy in this one.

I have Mike winning 7-5.

 

Only seen Jacobs against Golovkin and Pirog, but he doesn't seem to be anywhere near McCallum's class as a counter puncher to me. He's at his best when leading. Faster hands and more powerful than Mike, though.

Golovkin seems more vulnerable to counter punchers than any other style, since he has only average hand speed and less than great punching technique. Well, excluding the jab, which is great. But he doesn't throw many compact punches, is more of a looping puncher. His defense is nothing to write him about, either. But he is experienced and clever, without a doubt, and doesn't seem to have quit in him, just keeps coming.

You need to be physically and, especially, mentally strong to withstand his constant pressure. But if you are that as well as a good counter puncher, you have plenty of the necessary tools to beat him. Him against Toney would have been a lovely fight as well. He'd have great fights against most of the great MWs of the past probably. Hagler-Golovkin would be a real tear-up. Who would blink first?

 

A significant factor for picking the winner in this fight at 160 (& many when assessing current guys v guys from the past) is when does the weigh-in take place?

Same day weigh-in & McCallum has a very, very good shot. Weigh-in the day before & GGG is probably too big.

 

Golovokin is in the twilight of a his career. Still good enough to
beat Jacobs and Canelo. However to beat MM he would have to
be at his best. MM on pts at this stage of his career.