Mike McCallum

Mike McCallum

Personal information

Real name: Mike McCallum

Nickname(s): Bodysnatcher

Nationality: Jamaican

Date of birth: (1956-12-07) 7 December 1956

Place of birth: Kingston, Jamaica

Personal Statistics

Boxing career information

Mike McCallum (born 7 December 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a retired boxer. Nicknamed "The Body Snatcher" for his fierce body punching. McCallum won world titles in three weight classes.

Amateur career

Mike McCallum

Medal record
Men's Boxing
Competitor for Jamaica
Pan American
Silver	1979 San Juan	Welterweight
Commonwealth Games
Gold	1978 Edmonton	Welterweight

Claimed an amateur record of 240–10

• 1974 - Competed as a welterweight in the World Championships in Havana, losing by a 3rd round TKO to Clint Jackson of the United States.
• 1976 - Represented Jamaica as a welterweight at 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 Welterweight Champion, defeating Marlon Starling in semifinals and Roger Leonard of the Air Force in the final.
• 1977 - National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion
• 1978 - Welterweight Gold Medalist at Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
• 1979 - National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion, defeating Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims.
• 1979 - Welterweight Silver Medalist 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 Andrés Aldama (Cuba) KO by 2
• 1979 - National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion.
• 1980 - Lost to Alex Ramos in New York Golden Gloves.[1]

Professional career

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 light middleweight title. McCallum would defend that title six times, winning all six fights by knock out.

His first prominent opponent was future world champion and 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.

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 close 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.

McCallum moved up in weight again and won the WBC light heavyweight 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 in the cruiserweight division.

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 trainer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.

Professional boxing record

49 Wins (36 knockouts, 13 decisions), 5 Losses (0 knockouts, 5 decisions), 1 Draw [2]
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	53–3–2	James "Lights Out" Toney	UD	12	22/02/1997	Uncasville, Connecticut, United States	WBU World Cruiserweight Title. 113-115, 111-117, 113-115.
Loss	33–0	Roy Jones, Jr.	UD	12	22/11/1996	Tampa, Florida, United States	WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. 107-120, 107-120, 107-120.
Win	12–4–4	Ali Saidi	UD	10	22/06/1996	Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Loss	31–1	Fabrice Tiozzo	UD	12	16/06/1995	Lyon, Rhone, France	WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. 112-115, 112-116, 112-116.
Win	22–4–4	Carl "The Truth" Jones	TKO	7	25/02/1995	Millwall, London, United Kingdom	WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:17 of the seventh round.
Win	23–1	Jeff "Hit Man" Harding	UD	12	23/07/1994	Bismarck, North Dakota, United States	WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. 116-112, 115-114, 115-113.
Win	29–2	Randall "Kid Galahad" Yonker	TKO	5	04/03/1994	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:55 of the fifth round.
Win	24–2	Glenn "Promise" Thomas	UD	10	14/08/1993	Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom
Win	34–9	Ramzi Hassan	UD	10	25/03/1993	Amiens, Somme, France
Loss	31–0–2	James "Lights Out" Toney	MD	12	29/08/1992	Reno, Nevada, United States	IBF World Middleweight Title. 110-117, 110-117, 114-114.
Win	12–6–2	Fermin Chirino	UD	10	21/05/1992	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Draw	28–0–1	James "Lights Out" Toney	PTS	12	13/12/1991	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	IBF World Middleweight Title. 112-116, 114-114, 115-113.
Win	40–9–2	Nicky "Fire" Walker	RTD	5	10/10/1991	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	Walker retired at 3:00 of the fifth round.
Win	15–1	Carlos Cruzat	UD	10	29/08/1991	Reno, Nevada, United States	98-89, 97-91, 97-91.
Win	51–4–1	Sumbu Kalambay	SD	12	01/04/1991	Monte Carlo, Monaco	WBA World Middleweight Title. 116-114, 114-115, 116-115.
Win	22–11–1	Frank Minton	TKO	4	19/02/1991	Kansas City, Missouri, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 1:21 of the fourth round.
Win	22–1–1	Michael Watson	KO	11	14/04/1990	Kensington, London, United Kingdom	WBA World Middleweight Title. Watson knocked out at 2:22 of the 11th round.
Win	16–0	Steve "Celtic Warrior" Collins	UD	12	03/02/1990	Boston, Massachusetts, United States	WBA World Middleweight Title. 118-110, 117-111, 117-111.
Win	41–1	Herol "Bomber" Graham	SD	12	10/05/1989	Kensington, London, United Kingdom	WBA World Middleweight Title. 114-117, 117-115, 115-114.
Win	23–10	Ralph Moncrief	TKO	5	09/01/1989	Nogent-le-Phaye, Eure-et-Loir, France
Win	18–14	Randy "Manster" Smith	UD	10	22/12/1988	Vincennes, Val-de-Marne, France
Win	8–9–2	David McCluskey	TKO	2	27/06/1988	New York City, United States
Loss	43–3–1	Sumbu Kalambay	UD	12	05/03/1988	Pesaro, Marche, Italy	WBA World Middleweight Title. 115-116, 114-118, 114-115.
Win	27–1	Donald "Lone Star Cobra" Curry	KO	5	18/07/1987	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	WBA World Light Middleweight Title. Curry knocked out at 1:14 of the fifth round.
Win	31–1–1	Milton "Ice Man" McCrory	TKO	10	19/04/1987	Phoenix, Arizona, United States	WBA World Light Middleweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:20 of the tenth round.
Win	14–5	Leroy Hester	KO	1	21/03/1987	Kingston, Jamaica	Hester knocked out at 1:30 of the first round.
Win	21–2	Said Skouma	TKO	9	25/10/1986	Paris, France	WBA World Light Middleweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:25 of the ninth round.
Win	14–10–1	Irving "Suitcase" Hines	TKO	4	15/09/1986	Paris, France
Win	29–0	Julian "Hawk" Jackson	TKO	2	23/08/1986	Miami Beach, Florida, United States	WBA World Light Middleweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:03 of the second round.
Win	12–10	Jimmy Shavers	TKO	6	02/05/1986	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	35–1	David "Machine Gun" Braxton	TKO	8	28/07/1985	Miami, Florida, United States	WBA World Light Middleweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:26 of the eighth round.
Win	0–3	"Ferdinand" Marcos Martinez	TKO	2	15/06/1985	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	45–3	Luigi Minchillo	TKO	13	01/12/1984	Milan, Lombardia, Italy	WBA World Light Middleweight Title.
Win	29–5–1	Sean Mannion	UD	15	19/10/1984	New York City, United States	WBA World Light Middleweight Title. 149-136, 150-134, 149-133.
Win	––	Hasim Razzaq	KO	1	10/03/1984	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Win	23–4	Manuel Jiminez	UD	10	25/10/1983	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	5–7	Jose Vallejo	TKO	6	31/08/1983	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	14–5–2	Tony Suero	TKO	3	26/04/1983	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	40–2	Ayub Kalule	RTD	7	13/11/1982	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	Kalule retired at 3:00 of the seventh round.
Win	12–5–1	Carlos "Cano" Betancourt	TKO	3	22/10/1982	New York City, United States
Win	6–1	Kevin Perry	UD	10	11/06/1982	New York City, United States
Win	10–7–1	Reggie Ford	TKO	4	30/04/1982	New York City, United States
Win	0–4	Gilberto Almonte	KO	1	26/03/1982	Kingston, Jamaica	Almonte knocked out at 1:06 of the first round.
Win	13–3	Greg Young	TKO	5	22/01/1982	New York City, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 0:29 of the fifth round.
Win	95–23–1	Jimmy Heair	TKO	2	08/10/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	2–12	Ed "Hurricane" Harris	KO	1	08/09/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	4–0	Tirso Roque	KO	3	27/08/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	47–21–2	Bruce "Mouse" Strauss	TKO	3	19/07/1981	Warren, Ohio, United States
Win	2–0–1	Freddie Creech	KO	3	10/06/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	2–1–1	"Prince" Charles Smith	KO	3	30/04/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	2–1	Danny "Thunderhand" Chapman	TKO	4	24/04/1981	New York City, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 2:09 of the fourth round.
Win	3–1	Shelby Wilkerson	KO	5	02/04/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	––	Ricky Sheppard	KO	5	19/03/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	10–1–1	Rocky Fabrizio	KO	1	03/03/1981	Tampa, Florida, United States
Win	0–1–2	Rigoberto Lopez	KO	4	14/01/1981	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

See also

• List of boxing triple champions

External links

• Professional boxing record for Mike McCallum from BoxRec

Awards
Preceded by Don Quarrie	Jamaica Sportsman of the Year 1978	Succeeded by David Weller
Preceded by Bertland Cameron	Jamaica Sportsman of the Year 1984–1987	Succeeded by Jeff Dujon
Preceded by Jeff Dujon	Jamaica Sportsman of the Year 1989–1990	Succeeded by Patrick Patterson
Achievements
Preceded by Roberto Durán Stripped	WBA Light Middleweight Champion 19 Oct 1984 – 1988 Vacates	Succeeded by Julian Jackson
Preceded by Sumbu Kalambay Stripped	WBA Middleweight Champion 10 May 1989 – 1991 Stripped	Succeeded by Reggie Johnson
Preceded by N/A Inaugaral title	WBC Light Heavyweight Interim Champion 4 March 1994 – 23 July 1994 Unified	Vacant Title next held by Roy Jones, Jr.
Preceded by Jeff Harding	WBC Light Heavyweight Champion 23 July 1994 – 16 June 1995	Succeeded by Fabrice Tiozzo