Mike McCallum: Difference between revisions
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In 1988, he moved up to [[middleweight]], suffering his first defeat in an attempt to win the WBA middleweight title from [[Sumbu Kalambay]]. In 1989, He defeated [[Herol Graham]] to win the vacant WBA middleweight title. He defended the title several times, defeating [[Steve Collins]], [[Michael Watson]] and Sumbu Kalambay. |
In 1988, he moved up to [[middleweight]], suffering his first defeat in an attempt to win the WBA middleweight title from [[Sumbu Kalambay]]. In 1989, He defeated [[Herol Graham]] to win the vacant WBA middleweight title. He defended the title several times, defeating [[Steve Collins]], [[Michael Watson]] and Sumbu Kalambay. |
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McCallum next fought [[IBF]] middleweight champion [[James Toney]]. McCallum was stripped of his WBA title before the [[bout]]. |
McCallum next fought [[IBF]] middleweight champion [[James Toney]]. McCallum was stripped of his WBA title before the [[bout]]. The first fight ended in a draw, and McCallum lost the second fight by a majority decision. Some felt that McCallum should have won the two fights [http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=5604&more=1]. |
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McCallum next moved up in weight and won the WBC [[light heavyweight]] title by [[outpoint]]ing [[Jeff Harding]]. Being in his late thirties he did not hold this crown long, losing the title to [[Fabrice Tiozzo]]. He attempted to regain the title from [[Roy Jones Jr]], but lost by decision. In his last fight, McCallum lost his [[rubber match]] to James Toney in an attempt to win the [[World Boxing Union|WBU]] [[cruiserweight]] title. |
McCallum next moved up in weight and won the WBC [[light heavyweight]] title by [[outpoint]]ing [[Jeff Harding]]. Being in his late thirties he did not hold this crown long, losing the title to [[Fabrice Tiozzo]]. He attempted to regain the title from [[Roy Jones Jr]], but lost by decision. In his last fight, McCallum lost his [[rubber match]] to James Toney in an attempt to win the [[World Boxing Union|WBU]] [[cruiserweight]] title. |
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Revision as of 04:17, 2 April 2009
Mike McCallum | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mike McCallum 7 December 1956 |
| Nationality | Jamaican |
| Other names | Bodysnatcher |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Light Middleweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 55 |
| Wins | 49 |
| Wins by KO | 36 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 1 |
Mike McCallum (born 7 December 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a retired boxer from Jamaica who held world titles in several weight classes.
Amateur career
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Boxing | ||
Representing  Jamaica
| ||
| Pan American Games | ||
 |
1979 San Juan | Welterweight |
| Commonwealth Games | ||
 |
1978 Edmonton | Welterweight |
McCallum represented Jamaica as an amateur at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, where he was eliminated in the quarter finals. In 1979 he won a silver medal at the Pan American Games.
Amateur Achievements
Claimed an amateur record of 240-10
- 1974 competed as a Welterweight in the 1974 World Championships in Havana, lost by 3rd round TKO to Clint Jackson of the United States.
- 1976 Represented Jamaica as a Welterweight at 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Results were:
- Defeated Damdinjav Bandi (Mongolia) points
- Defeated Robert Dauer (Austria) points
- Lost to Reinhard Skricek (West Germany) points
- 1977 National AAU (USA) Welterweight champion. McCallum defeated Roger Leonard of the Air Force in the final. McCallum defeated Marlon Starling in semifinals.
- 1977 National Golden Gloves Welterweight champion
- 1978 Welterweight Gold medalist at Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
- 1979 National Golden (USA) Gloves Welterweight champion, beating Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims.
- 1979 2nd place as a Welterweight at Pan-American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Results were:
- Defeated Claudio Pereira (Brazil)
- Defeated Edward Green (United States) TKO 2
- Defeated Javier Colin (Mexico) TKO
- Lost to Andres Aldama (Cuba) KO by 2
- 1979 National Golden Gloves Welterweight champion
- 1980 Lost to Alex Ramos in New York Golden Gloves.
Professional career
As a professional he fought almost exclusively in the USA. He first became a world champion in 1984 by defeating Sean Mannion to win the WBA junior middleweight title. McCallum would defend that title six times, winning all six fights by knock out.
His first prominent opponent was current Hall of Fame boxer and then undefeated challenger Julian Jackson, who McCallum fought in his third title defense. McCallum survived some punishment in the first round and came back to stop the undefeated Jackson in the second round [1].
McCallum really came to prominence in later bouts by knocking out two contenders that had been highly regarded welterweights, former WBC welterweight champion Milton McCrory and former welterweight champion Donald Curry. Curry was ahead on all three scorecards going into the fifth round when McCallum knocked him out with what some have called a "perfect" left hook [2].
In 1988, he moved up to middleweight, suffering his first defeat in an attempt to win the WBA middleweight title from Sumbu Kalambay. In 1989, He defeated Herol Graham to win the vacant WBA middleweight title. He defended the title several times, defeating Steve Collins, Michael Watson and Sumbu Kalambay.
McCallum next fought IBF middleweight champion James Toney. McCallum was stripped of his WBA title before the bout. The first fight ended in a draw, and McCallum lost the second fight by a majority decision. Some felt that McCallum should have won the two fights [3].
McCallum next moved up in weight and won the WBC light heavyweight title by outpointing Jeff Harding. Being in his late thirties he did not hold this crown long, losing the title to Fabrice Tiozzo. He attempted to regain the title from Roy Jones Jr, but lost by decision. In his last fight, McCallum lost his rubber match to James Toney in an attempt to win the WBU cruiserweight title.
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (March 2008) |
McCallum was known as "bodysnatcher" because he specialized in body punching, but unlike most other body punchers did not take head punches in return. His greatest professional problem was that the great welterweights and middleweights Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Thomas "Tommy" Hearns and Roberto Duran knew of his achievements and declined to face him without pecuniary rewards that his own promoters were unwilling to meet. Hence he only achieved stardom at the tail-end of his career, retiring with a record of 49-5-1 (36 knockouts). He has never been knocked out in his professional career.
Honors
McCallum was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003 [4].
Amateur achievements [5]
Claimed an amateur record of 240-10
- 1974: Competed as a Welterweight in the 1974 World Championships in Havana, lost by 3rd round TKO to Clint Jackson of the United States.
- 1976: Represented Jamaica as a Welterweight at 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Results were:
- Defeated Damdinjav Bandi (Mongolia) points
- Defeated Robert Dauer (Austria) points
- Lost to Reinhard Skricek (West Germany) points
- 1977: National AAU (USA) Welterweight champion. McCallum defeated Roger Leonard of the Air Force in the final.
- 1978: Welterweight Gold medalist at Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
- 1979: National Golden (USA) Gloves Welterweight champion, beating Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims.
- 1979: 2nd place as a Welterweight at Pan-American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Results were:
- Defeated Claudio Pereira (Brazil)
- Defeated Edward Green (United States) TKO 2
- Defeated Javier Colin (Mexico) TKO
- Lost to Andres Aldama (Cuba) KO by 2
See also
References
- Boxing record for Mike McCallum from BoxRec (registration required)