Hearns vs McCallum...

I like Mike in this one, too. I believe his chin would hold up and his bodypunching would wear Tommy down. Tommy would have to fight his perfect fight to outbox Mike, but I still like Mike in this one.

 

At 154 Hearns EASY. You think Curry landed on Mike........
Hearns outboxed Benitez EASILY and Benitez takes Mccallum.
And no it was Kalambays movement that frustrated Mike.

 

As much as I hate to pick against the Hitman ... I have to go with McCallum. Here`s why... First,he had a rock solid chin ,shook of all the shots of some big hitters at 154. Second conditioning,he always had plenty of juice in the tank for the duration. Third, you don`t get the nickname Bodysnatcher` for nothing ! Hearns could be hurt to the body (SRL) and McCallum had a steady,heavy and debilitating body attack. So, with a chin strong enough to handle Hearns TNT,a steady body attack that would slowly drain Hearns spindly legs,and a warrior`s mentality as well. I like McCallum by 12rd UD or 13 rd stoppage. Now, you can make a case that the Motor City Cobra outboxes him... But, I think that McCallum with that body attack and pressure wears him down and gets him...But, honestly I wouldn`t bet the house on it !! I just don`t see Hearns stopping him. He might be able to box him for the distance, using that piston jab of his... Damn, I am already contradicting myself !

 

No doubt Benitez was great but at 154 he was not as strong or as durable as McCallum, what is always overlooked on McCallum was his subtlty. He hit harder he was bigger and stronger and would work for 12 full hard rounds using a rarely seen body attack. Love Hearns but gotta pick the guy who was seen as not flashy/popular enough to make money on and too good to take a chance with hence a ducked great. McCallum has all the qualities of a great fighter except showmanship.

 

Hearns was greater. The guys who gave him trouble were the brawlers who came right to him. Mike would not do that. I see Tommy outboxing him and stopping Mike on cuts. Mike never fought anyone with a jab like Hearns. All this talk about Mike beating Hearns came after Hearns started to look bad after Hagler.

 

You must not have seen Mccroy vs Mcallum because Milton gave Mike a real good fight and Milton wasn't even close to Hearns in boxing ability.
And until he landed that punch on Curry he was getting dismantled by Curry.

 

Dismantled?


Curry was boxing well I agree but it was only a couple of rounds into the fight.

 

Hearns was the greater fighter. As much as McCallum cries and moans about not fighting the greats of the 1980s, he had the chance to beat Kalambay and get into that class, and that delayed him a couple of years, and by that point the fab 4 were not really prime anymore. Hearns and Duran were the only ones fighting in the 1990s, but they were washed up. Leonard and Hagler were retired. The fab 4 were great because they won titles and fought each other. Mike didn't make a popular mark in boxing enough to the point where they would fight him.

 

Hearns was greater no dispute. How they match up head to head is something altogether different.

The fact that they knew each other from the Kronk would have made it even more interesting. Which fighter learned the other better?

 

And I would argue DURAN has a chin as good as Mikes and how many rounds did he last with Hearns?

 

it is hard to say. When Mike shouted about fighting Hearns was after Hearns lost to Hagler. Then Hearns started to slip and get hit more and struggle at the higher weights, so everyone said, well if Roldan or Barkley can hurt him why can't Mike. Roldan and Barkley were at that higher weight for years and Mike was at 154 at the same time Hearns was. They were very well matched for sure, but Hearns was an upper level fighter -moreso prior to Hagler. Before Hagler he was quick and confident and 100 percent. After Hagler I think Tommy was still 90 percent of what he was before, but that is a lot to a top fighter. I am saying at 154 I think Hearns outboxes Mike in a 12 round fight. Tommy was quick and big at 154. So was Mike, but Tommy was a little quicker and was not slipping yet.

 

Curry made a mistake which was probably helped along by his swollen eye. That eye swelling really disturbed him and I think it made him distracted. That is the only reason he would walk straight back like that and not see the left hook coming. Mike saw him do that a few times, so he timed him.

 

McCallum stops Tommy in between the 8th, and 10th rounds in any fight they have. Tommy vaunted right hand has no effect on Mike's chin.

There is a reference to this matchup in a Duran bio, with MM falling out with Steward after Steward promising McCallum a shot at Hearns if he waited until the bigger money fight ( Duran / Hearns ) was done.

Apparently the promise was reneged upon.

 

Great post ETM ! I too feel that Hearns was the greater fighter with more accomplishments in the game as well,multiple titles etc...Watching their sparring was interesting ! McCallum looked pretty good in there. However, I am sure that for a true fight, Hearns would come out a lot more amped up than in sparring...

 

It`s a tough call I think... Hearns has the speed,skills and enough power to keep McCallum at bay. The question is can McCallum (with his good chin) get close enough to give Hearns an ample massage downstairs ? And drain him enough to come on late in the fight ?