By: Sean Crose
He wasn’t as well known as names like Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard, or Roberto Duran. He fought in a golden era of the sport, however, so golden that the biggest names in boxing were genuine celebrities. Still, the late eighties through the early nineties presented an array of stellar fighters worthy of greater accolades than they received. Marlon Starling was one. Simon Brown was another. And, of course, there was Mike McCallum, who passed last weekend at the age of 68. While it’s true that McCallum lived to to be admitted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, he never reached the level of fame some of his peers did. Still, there was no doubt the man known as the “Body Snatcher” had himself a very impressive career.
Perhaps McCallum’s greatest moment came in July of 1987 when he took on Donald “The Cobra” Curry. Coming back from a shocking defeat to Lloyd Honeyghan a year earlier, Curry was on a two fight win streak when he slipped through the ropes to fight McCallum for McCallum’s WBC junior middleweight title. To be sure, Curry entered the ring a 2-1 favorite that night. McCallum, however, was confident and determined.
“Stepping to his left,” Sport’s Illustrated’ s Pat Putnam was to later write, “McCallum turned hard, cracking the hook against Curry’s jaw. The challenger never saw the punch. He fell backward, bounced once and then lay stiff, his hands over his head. Curry’s eyes were open but unfocused. He heard nothing as referee Richard Steele counted him out.” It might well have been the crowning moment in the then 30 year old McCallum’s career. “”Hearns. Hagler. Any of those guys,” McCallum said of potential future opponents. “Now that people know me, I want to be a fighting champion. I’d love to fight Hearns.”
He never got that fight. Indeed, he was outboxed by Sumbu Kalambay in his very next match. It was a loss he would go on to avenge three years later. McCallum also had two fights against James Toney (a draw and a loss) and a failed attempt at shocking Roy Jones Jr. at the age of 39. Still, although he never hit the fame that Hearns, Leonard, Duran and others found, McCallum was nothing if not the recipient of much good will. As noted fighter/trainer/broadcaster John Scully indicates, McCallum was a respectful pro from another era, not this age of fighter/showmen. For that alone, he should be appreciated.
Rest in Pece.
