Jack Johnson. Again, parallels to Liston. Their pre title resumes are the most impressive - their title reigns not so much - BUT - they had to clean out their divisions in order to eliminate even the weakest excuses for denying them a shot. As such, they rank right up there as the most consummate division cleaner outerers - leaving no doubt as to their clear dominance in their own respective eras.
Sorry HG but there's no question on McCallum whatsoever and it's been explained a few times at length over the years. Hagler's last ever fight was April 87. McCallum was still campaigning at 154 and in fact didn't have his win over Curry, which enhanced his status quite a bit, until 3 1/2 months after Hagler had finished fighting. McCallum made his foray into middleweight and fought Kalambay for the WBA middleweight title almost a year after Hagler had retired and lost. McCallum talked a lot of rot and Hagler in no way, shape or form missed him. It's right there in the timelines.
Love Canto, but he never unified with the WBA champions during his reign. Canto vs. Guty Espadas would have been a natural matchup, two guys from the same city fighting for the undisputed flyweight championship of the world (and the only title fight in which Canto would have had the size advantage). Canto vs. Alfonso Lopez would have been an excellent technical fight. Lopez isn't highly remembered today, but there wasn't much separating him and Canto until Lopez lost to Espadas and his career kind of unraveled afterward.
That's why I said Hagler didn't duck him but I clearly remember there was speculation in a match up and McCallum wanted it but Hagler had no interest or motivation for it .. it started after he destroyed Braxton in a televised fight and looked terrific and again after fighting Jackson .. instead he fought Mugsbi, another jr. middleweight .. McCallum was begging him for a fight at the time .. again, there was no overwhgelming demand but it would have been a better fight than Mugabi .. This content is protected
Mugabi was Hagler's mandatory and rated #1 by all three sanctioning bodies. Mugabi was also Ring rated #1 at 160. McCallum was not rated at 160 and was actually Ring rated $3 at 154 - behind Mugabi. Mugabi had also built up a big reputation as a puncher and was exciting and in hot demand. Braxton wasn't a middleweight and nor was Jackson who was barely known at the time. Hurting McCallum actually put him on the map. McCallum was never ever getting a shot ahead of Mugabi and nor should he have. I don't recall any noise or demand at all for Hagler to fight McCallum. Every man and their dog calls out champs. James Kinchen was calling Hagler out as well around that time, among others. He actually tried to sue for a shot. That video is typical McCallum. He was known as a head case in the boxing industry back in his prime.
Mugabi was rated number 2 in 1984, and then was number 1 contender in 1985 at Middleweight. McCallum wasn't even ranked in top 10 at Middleweight at this time, so you can't really say without hindsight that McCallum would of been a better challenge. Mugabi had a perfect 100 percent KO ratio, and had knocked out a bunch of tough contenders like Hargrove, Fletcher, Green, Parker.
Ali did it twice 1963 Ring Magazine Heavyweight Rankings onny Liston, Champion Cassius Clay Doug Jones Ernie Terrell Cleveland Williams Zora Folley Eddie Machen Floyd Patterson Karl Mildenberger George Chuvalo Brian London 1973 Ring Magazine Heavyweight Rankings George Foreman, Champion Muhammad Ali Joe Frazier Ken Norton Jerry Quarry Ron Lyle Earnie Shavers Oscar Bonavena Joe Bugner Jimmy Ellis Chuck Wepner
