Dont know a lot about this dude. How good was he? What was his style? Basicly all I know is that he fought around MW and is considered a great name on anyone's record.
Excellent fighter. Better @ 154 than at 160. Very good technical skills, solid chin, terrific bodypuncher. He had the misfortune of being too much of a risk for too little reward, which happens to fighters time and time again over the years. He was the mandatory for Duran's WBA 154 lb. title in 1984, but Duran and Hearns in June of 1984. This led to a falling out between McCallum (a Kronk fighter) and Manny Steward, as McCallum was mad at Manny for having Hearns fight Duran when McCallum was supposed to get the title shot at Duran. Duran got stripped before the Hearns fight for not fighting McCallum, so only the WBC title was at stake when they fought.
Mike McCallum, similar to Archie Moore, has had a couple of birth dates listed. Moore has had both 1913 and 1916 listed, and McCallum has had both 1953 and 1956 listed. A similar thing happened with Marvin Hagler. The ESPN Sportscentury episode said he was really born in 1954 and lied as a kid and said 1952 to enter a tournament. It also happened again with George Foreman. I remember some things saying Jan 22, 1948, which would mean he beat Joe Frazier for the title on his 25th b-day and regained the title at 46, but most other reports have said Jan 10, 1949.
Gotten obliterated. Norris could not outbox him, and McCallum's chin was a litttle more than solid. Imagine Julian Jackson's surprise when he hit McCallum and he simply kept coming forward. And this is 154, not 160, where Jackson still hit hard, but not as hard. McCallum is arguably the greatest ever at 154, is vastly underrated and an ATG.
McCallum was a f**king beast at 154 (ask Don Curry) and at 160 an ageing McCallum gave a prime James Toney all he could handle.He also went the distance with RJJ when he 40 years old.:bbb
I do....and I actually think Norris is one of the top 5 ever at LMW. McCallum was incredibly skilled, and a devastating body puncher. Norris was skilled as well, but he often had the power to keep people at bay. This wouldn't work on McCallum IMO, who simply continue to come forward and hit him to the body, and by the 8th round or so, I see McCallum stopping him. I don't do the A beats B so he beat C as well theory, but Jackson crushed Norris, and McCallum stopped him in 2. Also, McCallum stopped Curry, beat Steve Collins, Watson, and Herol Graham (Two of the three in the UK) and many think he beat Toney that first fight.
McCallum vs Hearns would have been the fight to see (Duran would have been beaten if he had fought McCallum like he was supposed to). Too bad it never came off.
I dont think that actually. I think Tommy would have kept Mike on the end of his shots and knocked him mid to late.
