Compare the technical skillsets of McCallum and Duran

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Bokaj, Mar 25, 2011.


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  1. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Thanks. Interesting info. I also get the feeling that Mike being at 160 for the first time in the first fight just dulled his sharpness that little bit. It really was the small things that made the difference between the two fights. Instances where McCallum just missed in the first fight he'd just land in the rematch and vice versa. At least during the first half of the fight. Kalambay came on strong later on.
     
    Bokaj, Mar 26, 2011
    Bokaj, Mar 26, 2011
    #16
  2. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yes, it is down to speed. That's what I said. It doesn't make it any less of a liability. Curry simply lacked the durability to follow through. Up until the KO punch he was making McCallum look pretty bad.

    Also, why do you suppose he was unable to do something similar to Graham, considering Graham's entire style was based on the reflexive, pulling away from punches thing that he measured Curry with? Surely there'd be a lot more opportunities there for McCallum to have measured and exploited than against a textbook boxer like Curry.
     
    El Bujia, Mar 26, 2011
    El Bujia, Mar 26, 2011
    #17
  3. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I can definitely see the trainer's point of view about McCallum being a great talent. I'm sure his habit for learning made him easy to work with but his somewhat bitter attitude along with Steward making deals behind his back made them part ways.

    Steward had to make a choice between Hearns or McCallum (then Duran's mandatory challenger) fighting Duran and in my opinion he made the correct choice but I'm sure it wasn't going to be easy to reason with McCallum, who was hungry and anticipating the big fight, and him not knowing about the deal made it worse. Instead McCallum fought an unheralded Sean Mannion for Duran's vacated title in a bout nobody cared for. Took him a long time to earn respect.
     
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    #18
  4. duranimal

    duranimal Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I'am not sure but was'nt that fight on the Hagler/Hamsho II undercard?
     
    duranimal, Mar 26, 2011
    duranimal, Mar 26, 2011
    #19
  5. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yes. It was a dull fight.
     
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    #20
  6. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It doesn't. But this thread was about technical ability.

    It's too bad a rematch never took place. That would probably have shed more light upon whether that KO was a flash in the pan or if most fights between them would have ended without Mike eventually getting to Curry.

    I do believe that Mike had started to find his rhytm more when the KO came, though. He stayed in the pocket and countered Curry's punches more than in the first 3 rds. Once he found that rhytm, I think he'd always land with more regularity, though not necissarily with punches like that left hook.
     
    Bokaj, Mar 26, 2011
    Bokaj, Mar 26, 2011
    #21
  7. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    McCallum I think would have been too strong for Curry over 15 rounds. He did get some of his own punches in and Curry was never the most durable. The big left hook knockout was uncharasteristic of McCallum though as he usually wore down his opponents.
     
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    #22
  8. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I disagree, actually. I think McCallum fared better in the first two rounds, and the more the fight progressed the more Curry started to find his range and befuddle him. I think the KO was down just as much to Curry's carelessness given the way the fight was going. A momentary lapse in concentration is all it takes between two fighters of that caliber, but I don't think it suggests the norm.
     
    El Bujia, Mar 26, 2011
    El Bujia, Mar 26, 2011
    #23
  9. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    As I said, I'd really have liked a rematch to clarify things. Alas...
     
    Bokaj, Mar 26, 2011
    Bokaj, Mar 26, 2011
    #24
  10. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBRqHA6DGxw[/ame]


    This one is about Toney but it's a great watch also:

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQA0ZvcbOc[/ame]
     
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    TheGreatA, Mar 26, 2011
    #25
  11. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Bokaj, Mar 27, 2011
    Bokaj, Mar 27, 2011
    #26
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