In the first installment of Mike McCallum’s career, we explored the Bodysnatcher’s 1980s career throughout the super welterweight and middleweight ranks. After a loss in his first outing as a middleweight for the WBA title, McCallum recovers and ends the 1980s on a high note as he defeats Herol Graham for the vacated WBA Middleweight belt in May 1989.

1990s

Throughout the early 1990s, Mike McCallum would successfully defend the WBA Middleweight title. Seeing an opportunity at the IBF belt and a match against James Toney, he was stripped of the WBA title. The December 1991 bout ended in a draw and the rematch in August 1992 resulted in suspect loss.

In 1993, the Bodysnatcher resumed his winning ways and began to move up in weight class. He made his bid for the WBC interim Light Heavyweight title in March 1994 defeating Randall Yonker. This put him in the sights of the WBC Light Heavyweight champion Jeff Harding. Months later in July, McCallum would defeat the champion after 12 rounds.

He managed one successful defense before losing the title in 1995. McCallum attempted to regain the interim Light Heavyweight belt in November 1996 but lost to Roy Jones Jr. His final match was a second loss to James Toney following 12 rounds of action for the vacant WBU Cruiserweight title in 1997.

At the end of his career Mike McCallum—the Bodysnatcher—walked away 49-5-1. Of those wins, 36 were knockouts. His command of the ring, stamina, and toughness meant that he was never knocked out. He took his boxing experience and retired to Las Vegas where he became a trainer to future fighters. McCallum was honored in 2003 with an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

REFERENCE
-http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/566
SELECTED VIEWING
-vs. Herol Graham (highlights): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1dqwazB30w