Mike McCallum is an underrated beast

[eternaldarkness]

mcallum fought the whos who of boxing including Roy jones junior great fighter to watch.

And he was one of the few fighters to make Jones look human, even though he was well past his best.

 

[Shaolin Bushido]

That's why Leonard not wanting any part of him always confused me. Pryor wasn't even in the same weight class.

They could've worked something out. They met in the ammies

 

[zapataxiv]

McCallum is my favorite (living) boxer. I actually moved across country before to learn from people in his boxing lineage and meet him. One of the greatest experiences in my life.

True craftsman and one of the best to lace em up.

Dude clowned Toney twice it’s just a shame that real boxing knowledge has become so limited that fans and judges have been swayed to picking Toney.

 

[zapataxiv]

And he was one of the few fighters to make Jones look human, even though he was well past his best.

It’s funny the commentary kept mentioning how if only he had his right power left, he could have won the fight. When I saw him training his son it seemed like one of the priorities having his son have a cannon ball of a right hand.

 

[Hagler]

Fantasy matchup : McCallum vs Hearns at 154.

The sparring footage doesn’t tell us much IMO.

I think Mike is smart enough to know he has to get inside and chop him down to get the W, and he has the tools to implement such a gameplan. Fascinating matchup anyway.

 

[mozfonky]

Made this post in another thread but felt McCallum deserved his own thread. One of the most underrated, most avoided fighter of all time.






Fans can say what they want about a guy but I think it means more coming from guys who were in the ring with them. Just look at what his peers say about him in the "Best I've Faced" series.

James Toney listed McCallum as being the Best Boxer, Best Fighter, Smartest Boxer, Best Defence, and having the Best Jab.

Michael Watson listed McCallum as having the Best Skills, Best Defence, and Smartest Boxer he faced.

Julian Jackson listed him as the Best Skills, Best Jab, and Smartest Boxer he faced.

Herol Graham listed him as the Best Overall and Smartest Boxer.

Steve Collins listed him as Best Boxer, Best Defence, Fastest Hands, Best Jab, and Smartest.

Sumbu Kalambay lists him as Best Jab, Best Skills, and tied for Best Overall

he may be overlooked by casuals and the general public but the hardcore fans and the sport fully recognized him as being one of the best and all the managers of his would be rivals never gave him the time of day because they saw no upside to fighting a guy who if they beat him, there wasn't a lot more money or fame in it and there was the very real chance of McCallum beating them. The story goes that after McCallum kayoed McCrory, Steward gave Mike a picture of Hearns and said that was the only way he'd ever get Tommy.

 

[Shaolin Bushido]

That's why Leonard not wanting any part of him always confused me. Pryor wasn't even in the same weight class.

it's been decades but i seem to recall pryor beat him in ammys?

 

[borntoloseNOT]

McCallum is my favorite (living) boxer. I actually moved across country before to learn from people in his boxing lineage and meet him. One of the greatest experiences in my life.

True craftsman and one of the best to lace em up.

Dude clowned Toney twice it’s just a shame that real boxing knowledge has become so limited that fans and judges have been swayed to picking Toney.

He has an argument for sure for beating Toney, I love McCallum, but give Toney his dues, he was the student in there and whether you agree with the decisions or not he plead his case, young Toney made adjustments in real time to keep those fights close. That said, Toneys own mouth tells the story on McCallum.

 

[Shaolin Bushido]

Fantasy matchup : McCallum vs Hearns at 154.

The sparring footage doesn’t tell us much IMO.

I think Mike is smart enough to know he has to get inside and chop him down to get the W, and he has the tools to implement such a gameplan. Fascinating matchup anyway.

He used his jab well and when he got inside he punched to body AND head to paralyze and wear down his man. He could handle himself on clinches and stayed on his opponent. He's the type fighter I could see his trainer simply giving him water between rounds with no encouagement, corrections or instructions cause he didn't need it.

 

[Stormtrooper85]

it's been decades but i seem to recall pryor beat him in ammys?

They were supposed to fight in the ammy's but Aaron was convinced to drop to Lightweight in order to try securing a spot in the Olympics


Edit: Pryor did beat Hearns in the Ammys though

 

[ExitLUPin]

I don't think any of the Fab 4 wanted to fight him for good reason. I don't think he beats all of them clearly or anything but he had one of the GOAT chins and devastating body punching. He prolly did stay at 154 for too long.amd should've been 160 sooner but I don't think those guys would've been eager to fight him anyway. Timeline from when he starched Curry doesn't add up well either though specially against Hagler and SRL retirements so they likely weren't possible

Prolly only Duran and Hearns were likely and I Believe Mike was the mandatory for Duran against Hearns too. But anyways this guys chin was insane def made of adamantium or something

Julian Jackson and Don Curry couldn't come close to really hurting him even RJJ couldn't against a shot version @ LHW

Great skillset and technique, very slick but had some trouble on the front foot against speedier guys. His relative lack of speed against some guys was an issue but he'd
Comfortably be the best fighter today from MW, SMW or LHW

 

[Hagler]

He stayed reluctantly in the ammies after 76 and got appendicitis in Moscow right before the 1980 Olympic tournament. Had he turned professional a few years earlier he would have been harder to avoid.