THE BODY SNATCHER… REVISITED
By Moncayo Blackbull (Click on picture for larger view)

INSIDEBOXING.COM (March 1, 2006) - If you followed boxing in the eighties and ninety’s then you surely remember former light middleweight and middleweight world champion Mike McCallum. The Jamaican born, McCallum had a multitude of conflicts against world class fighters such as Julian Jackson, Milton McCrory, Donald Curry, Sumbu Kalambay, Roy Jones Jr. and James Toney.

McCallum and Toney battled three times, all three going the distance, 36 rounds of championship boxing at its best. The initial encounter took place on December 13, 1991 in Atlantic City with McCallum challenging for Toney’s IBF world title. The contest ends in a draw with Toney retaining his championship.

As it should be, in every highly contested bout, the need to settle the score is demanded, therefore a rematch was inevitable. The two would meet again on August 29, 1992, this time in Reno. Again, the fight was action packed and too close for the public to be unified as to who won the bout. Officially, Toney wins with a majority decision.

It took over four years for the rubber match between these two warriors to take place but finally happened on February 22, 1997 with Toney victorious by unanimous decision. The fight would also be the last professional fight for McCallum putting and end to a most generous career.

McCallum the man whose name changed once he stepped into the ring, once in the ring he was known as the Body Snatcher, and for good reason. Attacking the midsection of his opponents was a major part of his offense.

What a fighter wouldn’t do to be able to administer a violent body attack against his opponent. Every fighter knows the damage a perfectly landed punch to the body will do, but the key is being able to land such a shot.

McCallum first became a world champion by defeating Sean Mannion on October 19, 1984 with a unanimous 15 round decision to claim the WBA Light Middleweight title. McCallum defended the title six times against Luigi Minchillo, David Braxton, Julian Jackson, Said Skouma, Milton McCrory, and Donald Curry.

Still undefeated in 32 fights, McCallum suffers his first loss when he steps up in weight to challenge Sumbu Kalambay for the WBA Middleweight crown on March 5, 1988. The fight took place in Italy with McCallum losing by unanimous decision. McCallum would not lose again till his second fight against Toney.

McCallum went on to win the WBA Middleweight championship on May 10, 1989 by defeating Herol Graham in England. McCallum defended the middleweight title 3 times, the first and second, against Steve Collins and Michael Watson.

The third title defense had to be one of the most quenching encounters of McCallum’s career. This contest would have him meet Kalambay, the only man to defeat him at this point of his career. That night on April 1, 1991, McCallum successfully defended his title and avenged his only defeat.

McCallum retired from the ring with a 49-5-1 (36KOs) record and was inducted into the boxing hall of fame in 2003. McCallum lives in Las Vegas, Nevada where he remains active in the sport as a trainer.