I just watched his fight with Julian Jackson today, and was impressed with the way he managed to take Julian apart so quickly. I know Julian wasn't the hardest fighter in the world to figure out, but Mike seemed to make an adjustment just a few minutes into the fight.
That adjustment was holding , i think it is considerred illegal. still , better than headbutt , elbow , low blow , rabbit punch.
Yea he started slipping and countering some massive bombs to the body, while working his jab to control Jackson. Then the systematic breakdown was very impressive. So what do we reckon was McCallum's best win and performance? Jackson? Kalambay? Graham? Collins? Watson? Toney? Other?
He looked great against Julian Jackson, Michael Watson and Ayub Kalule. McCallum vs Kalambay II, Minchillo, Toney I & II, Curry (despite losing for 4 rounds), McCrory, Braxton, Collins were all solid performances as well. One of my favorite performances of his is when he picked apart Randall Yonker to win the WBC light heavyweight title. He followed it up with a win over Jeff Harding in a tough fight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcorvhdbfSo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1dlKTdTcLg
His Watson win was so impressive.... Watson was an excellent world class fighter and Mike came to his home town took his best and knocked him out brutally! he could adapt so well and his patients was deadly like a vipers. Pure class.
The holding was intermittent...and very prudent. A lot more than "holding" afforded McCallum the early win. :smoke
I wonder how McCallum would have done against Hagler around 1985 - '86, if he'd been in there instead of Hearns and Mugabi.
He would have pushed Hagler, no end. He gave Hagler quite the speech about being overlooked at his HOF induction, telling Marv that "respect" was best served-up, to his way of thinking, by being given the chance to make a living, and that where a guy like Curry showed that respect, Hagler did not. McCallum related this in an interview with me two years ago.
