How good was Mike McCallum?

[Flo_Raiden]

I apologize if I sound like a noob. McCallum has been considered as one of the most underrated fighters so I was curious to check him out. Roy Jones and Manny Steward also spoke highly of him.
I've only seen bits and pieces of him but he seems like a very technical boxer who can trouble anyone. And he looks like the total package. His fight with James Toney is one of my favorite fights, although I hear people say that he was past it by the time he fought Toney.
How good was he and how would he have fared against the Fab 4?

[Pastrano]

I believe he could stop Hearns, decision Leonard and Hagler, not sure about Duran. Benitez would give him trouble I think cos he was such a great defensive boxer.

[IronDanHamza]

Great fighter, 3 weight world Champion. Rightful HOF'er.

Arguably the greatest Jr Middleweight of all time.

Amazing body puncher.

Beat a string of excellent figters in impressive fashion. Including a draw with James Toney.

Toney and Mcallum met 3 times, the first 2 being legit fights, Mcallum getting a draw in one and a loss in the other. James Toney said he is probably the best fighter he has ever faced including Roy Jones Jr.

He was significantly done for the last 2 fights of his career which were agaisnt Roy Jones Jr and the third Toney fight.

He was a great fighter. Very underrated in recent years.

I don't see him beating Hagler at MW or Leoanrd, Hearns, or Duran at Jr Middlleweight. Maybe Duran at Jr Middle, maybe.

[SCtrojansbaby]

People underrate his last few fights he was a legit light heavy champion a top 5 guy in the division who gave everybody problems except Roy

[lazy]

I believe he could stop Hearns, decision Leonard and Hagler, not sure about Duran. Benitez would give him trouble I think cos he was such a great defensive boxer.

No way!! You are talking about another class of fighter completely. McCallum was real good but Toney and Kalambay loses should tell you the difference in skill level between Hagler, Leonard Duran and McCallum.

[Scott9945]

No way!! You are talking about another class of fighter completely. McCallum was real good but Toney and Kalambay loses should tell you the difference in skill level between Hagler, Leonard Duran and McCallum.

At 154 lbs McCallum would have absolutely destroyed Duran. It wouldn't have even been close..

[JK1700]

McCallum was an excellent fighter, one of the best JMW's of all time and a guy very underrated by boxing fans. Only knock on him is that he didn't get to fight some of the real big names like Hearns and Leonard. That's not his fault though and he fought just about everyone who he could have fought, and did very well. He was an excellent fighter at 154 and very good at 160 too. At that weight he only lost to Kalambay (avenged) and Toney in the 2nd fight (Which I consider a robbery).

Light-Heavyweight is where he came unstuck. He was outsized for that division, and even though he could win fights with his skill, against top competition, sooner or later it was going to catch up with him. He beat Harding who was very solid, then lost to Tiozzo (another very underrated fighter) and then Jones and Toney. Although he gave a good account of himself in all 3 of those losses, they do hurt his resume abit. If you haven't seen many of his fights I would recommend : Donald Curry, Steve Collins, Michael Watson, the rematch with Kalambay, first fight with Toney and the fight with Jeff Harding.

People underrate his last few fights he was a legit light heavy champion a top 5 guy in the division who gave everybody problems except Roy

I thought he gave Roy some problems. He lost clearly, but the fight was more competitive than the scorecards indicated. There's no way that Jones won all 12 rounds.

[New England]

At 154 lbs McCallum would have absolutely destroyed Duran. It wouldn't have even been close..

i didnt want to rip on everybody who said otherwise
but you are right, sir, i dont think duran could win many rounds at all


McCallum made 154 by the grace of god
he was unbelievably physical. he carried 154 as well as anybody i can remember. dude was dangerous.

[Quarry]

I believe he could stop Hearns, decision Leonard and Hagler, not sure about Duran. Benitez would give him trouble I think cos he was such a great defensive boxer.

McCallum was very fortunate to edge the verdict over Herol Graham and lost to Kalambay. there is nothing about his record which say's he would beat Hearns, Leonard or Hagler. McCallum gets over rated

[Quarry]

At 154 lbs McCallum would have absolutely destroyed Duran. It wouldn't have even been close..

sorry but i do not agree with you. McCallum never beat any fighter who had the ability of Roberto Duran he also struggled many times to get the verdict over mediocre fighters at 154lbs. Duran would have been the most skilled fighter McCallum ever fought and IMO Duran would defeat him.