154 Leonard vs McCallum

[kg0208]

Leonard skipped this weight but came back much later. Could he have beaten McCallum?

[PowerPuncher]

No

[Thread Stealer]

I'd give Leonard in 1981, when he fought at 154, a pretty respectable chance of beating McCallum.

[kg0208]

AT JMW...Mike would tear SRL a new a hole!!! Why??, Mccallum is one of the best technical and tactical boxer in the HISTORY of boxing or any sport. The man has the hardest chin in the history of Boxing (and dont go telling me he was down when he was 40 against RJJ)..He took JJacksons shots flush and hunted him down. One of the best body puncher in history... And lastly the most avoided fighter in the history of Boxing...Enough said

I'll put it this way The great Roberto Duran would rather slit his wrist than fight this man....Thats why I think he was top 10 GOAT

Well I have McCallum in my top 50. He was avoided, but because of this his resume isn't as good as some of the other ATG. It would have been boosted if he had beaten Toney.

[LeonardLeroy]

Now can you sound objective when you say that?

[kg0208]

Now can you sound objective when you say that?

Huh?

[Fedor Em]

I would say McCallum wins a very close decision at 154 based on size alone, but it would be a hell of a chess match.

[kg0208]

I think Leonrd wins a close decision. But I think McCallum can beat hearns.

Wow really? Everytime I have suggested that fight people always pick Hearns by close UD.

Would be interested in how you see it going, as I also think McCallum COULD beat Hearns at this weight.

[kg0208]

See my answer above,

The Fab four avoided him and still..Curry (remember him when he was the MAck?), McCrory, Jackson..Graham...these guys arent bums!!!

I dont see any of those four fight Jackson

Not calling them bums, I am saying that his resume is not as good as the top 10 ATG's.

[Thread Stealer]

I'll put it this way The great Roberto Duran would rather slit his wrist than fight this man....

Or he'd simply rather sign to fight a more lucrative bout with Tommy Hearns.

[kg0208]

Hey if they avoided him, he cant fight them but hes no JMM.. He's fought world class SCARY guys like Jackson, Curry...And the difference its that its well documented that he was avoided...unlike JMM who being avoided was a myth propagated by PAC haters

I don't acknowledge a such thing as PAC haters, so I don't know what you're referring to. Too many Pacman supporters call posters who don't support Pacman tooth and nail or say something negative about him regardless of how true it is Pac Haters. So I don't believe in them.

Either way, avoided or not, he doesn't get credit for being avoided in my rankings. I don't know if he would have beaten them or not. He was not a huge name and those fighters were fighting each other. His resume isn't as good as the top 10 guys all time on the majority of most people's lists.

[kg0208]

But dont you see a pattern that some of the guys he was willing to fight, the Fab four wasnt willing to? I think the only crossover is Kalule

Certainly I see the pattern. Either way, if I am ranking on accomplishments and skill level, H2H etc, I cannot rightfully say that McCallum is top 10 IMO because guys in the top 10 have better resumes and comparable skills.

[kg0208]

Not saying top 10 either since he didnt really fight those guys..But skill level he's up there with the elite of elites even better than the Fab four if you take Tactics(SRL on par) and just being a great technician into consideration...He also had some natural abilities..like the ability to take a cinder block flush into his head.

Well, Hearns is one of the great boxers ever. Many consider him the best pure boxer in recent memory. He had immense skill. If Hearns had a chin like Haglers, we would be looking at a fighter perhaps greater than SRR. No exxageration.

[Thread Stealer]

But dont you see a pattern that some of the guys he was willing to fight, the Fab four wasnt willing to? I think the only crossover is Kalule

McCallum had the misfortune of bad timing, and also, importantly, being too low of a reward/risk.

Leonard was inactive from 1982-87 save for one fight against Kevin Howard.

Duran chose to fight a more lucrative bout against Tommy Hearns rather than his WBA 154 lb. mandatory in The Bodysnatcher, which caused a fallout between Mike (who was a Kronk fighter) and Manny Steward. The title became vacant, and McCallum won it 4 months after Hearns-Duran.

Hearns defended his 154 lb. title shortly before McCallum won his 154. lb title, then Tommy moved up to middleweight to take on Hearns. He would defend this title once more, after his fights versus Marvin Hagler and James Shuler.

And Hagler and McCallum were in different weight classes. Mugabi split time between both 154 and 160, but I think he was the mandatory at 160 when Hagler fought him. Of course, Hagler had no problem fighting 154 lb. champs in Duran and Hearns. Unfortunately for Mike, he wasn't a name like those 2. The talk of Hagler-Duran heated up right after Duran beat Moore. And Hagler-Hearns had been scheduled a couple years before, but Tommy hurt his hand/finger. The Fab 4 proved time and again they were willing to fight other top fighters, so I doubt it was fear, but McCallum didn't provide as much of a reward as the other guys did. So unfortunately he got left out of the big fights, and was often known as "the guy who the Fab 4 avoided", rather than "the guy who beat Curry, Braxton, McCory, Jackson, etc...."

[box03]

Mccallum was good fighter who can hit hard and was a pretty good boxer, the man gave jackson his first loss with a knockout in the second round I believe. He also had two close fights with James Toney, one being a draw the other a majority decision.Toney who was at or near his best, yet Mccallum was a little past his prime. Yes he didnt fight the names SRL fought but he rarely had a bad performance and always came to fight. I think Mccallum can beat him but if it went to the cards Im almost positive SRL would get the victory no matter what.

[Sonny Carson]

Hearns wouldn't be able to take McCallum's power at 154.

[darkdestroyer]

I'll go with the body snatcher :bbb

[Titan1]

It could go either way, but not too many people will beat Mike at 154, so I think he may edge it out by SD.

[Executioner]

Leonard

[Axe]

I think McCallum would've beaten Hearns and Leonard at 154. Both very close fights.

[redrooster]

body snatcher easy-probably by late knockout because of all Ray's running. Let's face it, Leonard could have taken the fight but was afraid to and any fight he was afraid to take he'd probably lose.

[Executioner]

body snatcher easy-probably by late knockout because of all Ray's running. Let's face it, Leonard could have taken the fight but was afraid to and any fight he was afraid to take he'd probably lose.

Jeeeeeeeeeesus dude! If you're going to pick someone to beat Leonard (like you always do) at least pick some by decision. :lol: According to you, everyone stops Ray. :lol:

[Drew101]

body snatcher easy-probably by late knockout because of all Ray's running. Let's face it, Leonard could have taken the fight but was afraid to and any fight he was afraid to take he'd probably lose.

Now, Juan Roldan, on the other hand...stops the Bodysnatcher in one.:D
































( Sorry, Rooster...couldn't resist)