Real name Michael McCallum Wins 49 Martial art Boxing Nickname(s) The Bodysnatcher Name Mike McCallum Total fights 55 | Reach 74 in (188 cm) Role Professional Boxer Nationality Jamaican Height 1.8 m | |
Rated at Light middleweightMiddleweightLight heavyweightCruiserweight Similar People | ||
Mike McCallum - Defensive Slips & Counters
Mike McCallum: Routes to the Body
Mike McCallum (born 7 December 1956) is a Jamaican former professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1997. He is a three-weight world champion, having held the WBA super welterweight title from 1984 to 1988; the WBA middleweight title from 1989 to 1991; and the WBC light heavyweight title from 1994 to 1995.
Contents
- Mike McCallum Defensive Slips Counters
- Mike McCallum Routes to the Body
- Amateur career
- Light middleweight
- Middleweight
- Light heavyweight
- References
A slick, hard-hitting technician in the ring, McCallum was known for his iron chin and toughness, and was never stopped in any of his five losses. He earned his nickname of "The Bodysnatcher" due to his ability to land vicious body punches in fights. McCallum was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
Amateur career
Claimed an amateur record of 240–10
Light middleweight
Mike McCallum turned professional in 1981. 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 vacant WBA super welterweight title. McCallum would defend that title six times, winning all six fights by knock out.
His first prominent opponent was future two-weight world champion 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.
McCallum really came to prominence when he knocked out former WBC welterweight title-holder Milton McCrory and former Undisputed welterweight champion Donald Curry in 1987. 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.
Middleweight
In 1988, he moved up to middleweight, suffering his first defeat, a clear unanimous decision, in an attempt to win the WBA middleweight championship from Sumbu Kalambay. In 1989, McCallum defeated Herol Graham by a split decision to win the now-vacant WBA middleweight title (which had been stripped from Kalambay for signing to face IBF champion Michael Nunn). He defended the title three times, defeating Steve Collins, Michael Watson, and Kalambay in a rematch.
McCallum fought IBF middleweight champion James Toney in 1991. McCallum was stripped of the WBA title before the bout. The fight ended in a draw, and McCallum lost the second fight by a controversial majority decision the following year. Some felt that McCallum won both fights.
Light heavyweight
McCallum then moved up two weight divisions and won the WBC interim light heavyweight title against Randall Yonker, then won the full WBC title by outpointing Jeff Harding in 1994. Being in his late thirties, he did not hold the crown long, losing the title to Fabrice Tiozzo. At 40 years of age, he attempted to regain the vacant Interim WBC title against Roy Jones Jr.in December 1996, but lost by a wide decision.
In his last fight, McCallum lost a rubber match to James Toney via a unanimous decision in a cruiserweight bout.
McCallum had a professional record of 49-5-1 (36 knockouts). He was never knocked out as a professional. After McCallum retired, he moved to Las Vegas and became a trainer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.