The boxing world mourns the loss of Mike McCallum. The former champion in three different weight classes passed away in Las Vegas at the age of 68.
Mike McCallum, one of the most successful and respected champions of the 1980s and 1990s, died suddenly on Saturday in Las Vegas (USA). McCallum, who was world champion in three weight classes, was 68 years old. According to reports, he drove to a gym in Las Vegas (USA), where McCallum trained several fighters. According to the Jamaica Observer, he was found on the side of the road and later pronounced dead.
Feared as a “body snatcher”
McCallum was born on December 7, 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica. He represented his country at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and remained an amateur for four years before making his professional debut in January 1981. Technique, power and a high ring IQ characterized McCallum. Because he repeatedly and skillfully knocked out his opponents with body shots, he made a career for himself as “The Bodysnatcher”. In his 55 professional fights (49-5-1), McCallum was never knocked out, knocking out 36 of his opponents himself.
In his career, which ended in 1997, the fighter from the Caribbean island won world titles in the light middleweight, middleweight and light heavyweight weight classes. McCallum was Jamaica’s first boxing champion and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. Boxing greats of his time such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran avoided him in the ring – they considered a duel with McCallum too risky and not lucrative enough.
Rivalry with James Toney
The Jamaican won his first world title in October 1984 in New York. McCallum defeated Sean Mannion by unanimous decision on points in the fight for the vacant WBA half-middleweight crown. In 1988 he moved up to middleweight and a year later he also won the WBA title there when he defeated England’s Herol Graham in London. At the age of 37, McCallum won a world championship belt in another limit. In March 1994, he knocked out Randall Yonker in the fifth round to win the vacant WBC light heavyweight title.
After a defeat against James Toney in February 1997, McCallum finally resigned. The two had fought a total of three duels, two of which Toney won and one of which ended in a draw. Lights Out” Toney often refers to his old rival as the best boxer he ever fought.
Text: Frank Schwantes
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