McCallum vs Harding

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014.


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  1. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think this is a bit of a forgotten performance. Mike's best in terms of ring smarts and skill I'd say, even though he was some way past his prime. Harding is a just juggernaut in there, taking everything McCallum throws at him and doesn't slow down for a second.

    Where do you place this among the Duran-Barkley, Toney-Peters* kind of performances where an old pro prevails despite disadvantages in age and size and everything that comes with it?

    *For me, Toney clearly won their first fight. Bad robbery.
     
    Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014
    Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014
    #1
  2. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I don't give it all that much of a rating, actually. Harding was nothing but tough, and McCallum lost a huge amount of power moving up to middleweight, let alone light-heavy. He wasn't going to stop anyone of note at that weight. It was a predictable performance I'd say.........
     
    salsanchezfan, Dec 31, 2014
    salsanchezfan, Dec 31, 2014
    #2
  3. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Just that Mike couldn't keep him off with his punches makes it impressive. Harding wasn't anything special, but stylistically he was all wrong for McCallum at that stage.

    I think this is a text book performance as much as anything I've ever seen.
     
    Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014
    Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014
    #3
  4. Bobthepen

    Bobthepen Active Member Full Member

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    Agreed. McCallum was technically too good and too smart, in spite of lacking knockout power at that stage.

    I actually think that one of the best fights to guage McCallum's ability was the Jones Jr fight.
    Jones was younger, bigger, more powerful, and faster, yet McCallum gave him a tough fight, and actually found ways of neutralising Roy's freakish ability.
    That fight makes me wonder whether Jones really was that good, or his opponents flattered him at 175. Had McCallum been a decade younger and fighting at a weight where his power was greater it would have been an interesting fight.
     
    Bobthepen, Dec 31, 2014
    Bobthepen, Dec 31, 2014
    #4
  5. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    A fight with a somewhat faded McCallum at MW around 1993 was definitely plausible, but didn't make much sense to Roy at that stage of course. I think that would have been interesting. It would be even at SMW 94-95.
     
    Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014
    Bokaj, Dec 31, 2014
    #5
  6. Cobra33

    Cobra33 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    WTF? Jones took it easy on Mccallum.Harding I have great respect for but hadn't fought in over a year.
     
    Cobra33, Dec 31, 2014
    Cobra33, Dec 31, 2014
    #6
  7. dpw417

    dpw417 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Good post and I agree. I liked the way McCallum changed angles when going to the body. I forget what round, but at one point McCallum hit him with a combination to the body, and Jones shook his head "like how did that old man just do that?"...McCallum was the goods...the fights at the higher weights, at an advanced age underline it...He deserves props for it.
     
    dpw417, Jan 1, 2015
    dpw417, Jan 1, 2015
    #7
  8. Cobra33

    Cobra33 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jones dominated Mccallum and if he had wanted to could have stopped him.
     
    Cobra33, Jan 1, 2015
    Cobra33, Jan 1, 2015
    #8
  9. VG_Addict

    VG_Addict Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    How about McCallum-Nunn?
     
    VG_Addict, Jan 1, 2015
    VG_Addict, Jan 1, 2015
    #9
  10. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    That's an interesting one.

    Graham was the opponent Mike had that reminded the most of Nunn. The Graham fight was a tough one for McCallum, even though I don't think it really was close points wise, so there's definitely an argument to make that the bigger and stronger Nunn would have succeeded where Graham failed.

    On the other hand, in every fight I've seen with Nunn apart from the Tate fight he's taken quite a bit of time off in most rounds, and McCallum would pile up points during those periods. I can see Nunn impressing judges with late round flurries in front of a home town crowd and winning a close, controversial decision along the lines of McCallum-Toney II.
     
    Bokaj, Jan 1, 2015
    Bokaj, Jan 1, 2015
    #10
  11. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    No, Jones had issues opening up against class. I think he did not truly trust his chin. Which was a shame, because near the end of anything resembling his pomp, he showed he did have heart.
     
    TBooze, Jan 1, 2015
    TBooze, Jan 1, 2015
    #11
  12. Cobra33

    Cobra33 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Really how many rounds you give MCcallum in the Jones fight?
    Mccallum didn't want any part of Nunn.
     
    Cobra33, Jan 1, 2015
    Cobra33, Jan 1, 2015
    #12
  13. lora

    lora Fighting Zapata Full Member

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    Has he actually come out and said that?.I can't imagine so, we're talking about a bitter guy with a big ego that thinks he was ducked by Hagler here.

    Mind you, i can imagine everyone was ****ting themselves a bit after the Tate, Roldan and Kalambay fights, but after the Barkley, Starling and Curry fights Nunn's rep was significantly damaged.I doubt any of the better middleweight fighters particularly feared facing him by then.
     
    lora, Jan 1, 2015
    lora, Jan 1, 2015
    #13
  14. Cobra33

    Cobra33 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    If Mike had problems with Graham Nunn would have been a nightmare at 6 foot 2 hits way harder then Graham and is faster.
     
    Cobra33, Jan 1, 2015
    Cobra33, Jan 1, 2015
    #14
  15. lora

    lora Fighting Zapata Full Member

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    That's not the same as not wanting any part of him though.
     
    lora, Jan 1, 2015
    lora, Jan 1, 2015
    #15
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