McCallum vs Hearns at 154

Honestly I don´t see it. Yeah, Leonard did it. But this was a still inexperienced and young Hearns. He was quite a bit more mature and experienced at jmw and he was better there. And McCallum wasn´t as good as Leonard. Not as fast, not as adaptable, creative and inspired. I go with Tommy by decision in a great technical fight. Mike would be very competative.

 

I see this too but I can´t see Mike having success here. Hearns´ jab is faster harder, as precise and good timed and he has a longer reach. McCallum has a very good jab but he ain´t beating Hearns in a jabbing contest that´s where he has to adept, to be creative, move away from his usual pattern. At least that´s how I see it.

 

McCallums defense serves him well here . Hearns boxing his way to a UD thoug. I think its pretty hard to see anyone at 147/154 out boxing him. If you cannt hurt him you have no chance.

 

Not sure I understand all of this talk about McCallum's defense, least of all in comparison to Leonard. McCallum was a very well schooled boxer all-around, including on the defensive end, but he was no great defensive boxer. He was usually made to look quite hittable against the more skilled offensive fighters he faced, actually. Leonard could be hit as well, but unless his gameplan involved taking one to give one (i.e. the Kalule fight) or wading through the incoming as a means to get through with his own power shots (i.e. the Hearns fight), he impressed me more defensively than McCallum generally. I certainly can't see McCallum faring as well in that regard against a defensive/counter-punching genius the likes of Benitez.

As far as this matchup goes, I suppose it depends on what your views are on sparring sessions. Supposedly McCallum used to batter Hearns's body in their sparring sessions at Kronks, if you were wondering. That said, I'm not sure I put too much credence in it. McCallum had a great chin, but he wasn't undentable, least of all against a puncher like Hearns. Hearns was someone he wouldn't be able to fence with either, as he was so accustomed to prior to breaking the opponent down. He'd get beat to the punch I feel, and while he never seemed the type to wilt under the pressure, one has to wonder how he'd have held up to Hearn's dreaded 1-2 combo, which I could see landing quite frequently.

On the flip-side, you have to wonder at what point Hearns would start to play it safety first if McCallum decided to bull his way in upon recognising that he wasn't going places with his usual routine. Would he continue to try to keep Mike at bay with his power? Would it work? Would Mike make his way in and soften him up on the inside en route to a late stoppage?

Mike's the far more durable of the two, for sure, and for this reason I'd favor him if Hearns felt like standing in center ring with him for the majority, but if Hearns opted to box/switch up the styles on him a la Leonard I'd have to favor him. I'd say the latter is the more likely solution given that McCallum was never quite the bull that Hagler was capable of being. Hearns by close decision, with some shaky moments towards the end.

 

I hesitate to describe McCallum- who was one of my favorite contemporary fighters- as being "susceptible" to anything. But I've seen the straight right land on him with some success during his career. In fact Donald Curry buckled him briefly with a big right. If Curry could do that, what on earth is Hearns' right going to do? It's faster than Curry's and comes from a much longer reach, so good luck trying to counter it. Plus it carries a LOT more power.

Horrible stylistic matchup for McCallum. You cannot beat Hearns by trying to outbox him(ask Leonard and Benitez). He is too fast and has too long a reach. McCallum depends on the jab. His entire offensive arsenal is built around it. So what happens when the faster, rangier Hearns takes that important facet away from Mike(and he WILL take it away) and follows it up with that monster right again and again? How long can McCallum's chin hold out against those same rights that flattened Duran? Also remember that Tommy's Kronk stablemate Milton McCrory (to say he was something of a poor man's Hearns is being generous) gave McCallum an extremely tough fight before succumbing in the tenth round. He won his fair share of rounds and troubled Mike on many occasions, and he is nowhere near as fast, powerful or hard-hitting as Tommy.

The only way MM has any chance imo, is if he does what Leonard and Hagler did, abandons his boxing stance and takes the slugger role. But we've never seen him employ this strategy so it's doubtful that he would now. And even if he did, would it work? It's not like MM has the strength of Hagler. Hearns may very well be able to outmuscle him as well. McCrory was right there in McCallum's face and it wasn't like Mike was bulldozing him, right?

Moot point. McCallum employs the style that has always worked for him in this one. His jab comes up consistently short as Tommy's razorlike jab slashes at his face over and over, cutting and closing one of McCallum's eyes before 5 rounds have elapsed. As MM's vision becomes impaired Hearn's deadly right, which rocks Mike early in the fight, now begins to land with increasing frequency.

In the 8th round Hearns floors McCallum with a titanic right. Mike rises and is met by a deadly barrage that he can't see to cover up from. The ref steps in and saves the bloodied and battered Jamaican.

That's the way I see it anyway...:!:

 

Tommy was the finest 154lber I have ever seen.

McCallum is merely maybe the second finest...

McCallum would always have a percentage chance of landing a Cobra Cruncher. But if I am making a pick, Tommy should be too gifted and arguably nearly as technically proficient.

Tommy WU15 (9 rounds to 6)

 

A McCallum-Benventi match-up would be very interesting.

 

If Hearns comes out as The Motor City Cobra,he'll beat Mike on points. Whereas the Hitman would expend too much energy trying to knock the iron jawed McCallum out,and Tommy's body would be snatched.

 

McCallum would have taken Hearns apart, period. He had an exceptional chin, a terrific defense, speed, stamina and was a very good puncher .. Hearn's would never had survived his body attack ... no one knew this better than Emanuel who would never make that match up ... I love Hearn's but he has become a bit over rated these days ... his chin and his stamina were always in question against the best , especially in stylistic match ups that did not favor him in an overwhelming fashion ....