JAMAICA’S multi-weight world champion Mike McCallum has died at the age of 68. Preliminary reports outline that McCallum was on his way to the gym in Las Vegas yesterday when he fell ill. Pulling his car aside, police found McCallum to be unresponsive.
Known as the ‘Bodysnatcher’, McCallum was a fierce competitor and noted body puncher during a prime stint that saw him win world titles across three weight classes. His achievements led to McCallum’s induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
Born in 1956, McCallum’s amateur career included an appearance at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada. Turning professional in 1981, McCallum picked up his first world title in 1984, defeating Ireland’s Sean Mannion over 15 rounds for the vacant WBA super-welterweight crown in New York.
Following that up with multiple defences, McCallum defeated a string of recognisable names before moving up to unsuccessfully challenge Sumbu Kalambay for the WBA middleweight title in 1988.
McCallum would eventually win that same title and became the scourge of the British Isles, beating Herol Graham to win the belt before beating Ireland’s Steve Collins and then stopping Michael Watson in London.
A revenge win over Kalambay was followed by a famous rivalry with James Toney that spanned three fights. Try as he might, McCallum could not get the better of Toney across two losses and a draw. McCallum won the WBC light-heavyweight title in 1994 against Australian hardman Jeff Harding.
By the time he travelled to France to lose to Fabrice Tiozzo and later to Florida to take on rising phenom Roy Jones Jr, he was past his best yet still tough enough to last the course and remain relatively competitive.
McCallum fought for the last time in 1997, losing a 12-round decision to James Toney in their third meeting. Mike’s final pro record stood at 49-5-1 (36 KOs). He was never stopped in any of his defeats.
