I remember watching this fight live on tv when I was 16. Being British and a big Watson fan I was gutted. It's not until now I can look back and appreciate what a fabulous performance it was by Mike McCallum.
McCallum is so smooth that it almost looks like he's not putting much effort into his punches. Great balance, defence, punch selection, accuracy and a granite chin. What a nightmare to deal with.
Great comment , his footwork was also so good it was just him moving around , my favourite fighter . His first round vs J Jackson rivals that of hagler /hearns for me for sure .
@@keiththompson2172 Great comments there Keith and Chris, Mc Callum was brilliant. I really became a fan of his after his Jackson win, and his memorable KO of the Highly rated Donald Curry, what a shot that was, take care lads.
@@keiththompson2172 Thanks Keith, Herol Bomber Graham was very unlucky when he lost his fight with Mc Callum for the vacated WBA MW Title in 89, I think, he lost on a Split but also had a pt deduction for low blows, he was exceptional too. Both he and M Watson are 2 of the Best British Boxers to be never Crowned World Champions.
Superb observations here. Mike was perhaps the only person who could stand toe to toe with Julian Jackson and live to tell the tale. I`m sure Marvin could have as well, but only those two.
McCallum's fights ought to be watched by all young boxers. The way he parries Watson's jab with his right hand and covers his chin with his shoulder for a right hand is just beautiful. He makes throwing the right uppercut to the body look so easy.
Myself and a group of good mates watched this live at The Albert Hall as we were all huge boxing fans & knew this would be a great Contest!!! Despite us all Rooting for Mike Watson we all agreed Mike McCallum was tremendous on the night & won quite clearly despite A really gutsy effort from Mike Watson!!! RIP Griff!
He was so unlucky bud, by the time he moved up to 168 he was incredible. We never got to see him move to America and take on Nunn, Toney, Mc Clellan, Jones, Collins, Hopkins. What a treat for fans that would've been.
@@martytdd1606 Imo (American as well) he was hanging Right up there with all those guys. That wild Eubank uppercut forever changed things so f*cking SAD. He was getting so much better. Also, I excuse him in this fight (nothing to be ashamed of) because McCallum was an up and down guy. I doubt many fighters at that weight could have beaten Mike on this night.....he was simply on fire that night.
If he didn't get caught with that uppercut he would have been a great champion. I don't think he would have held the belt for long though as Watson seemed to have a desire to fight the very best. Maybe he would have come unstuck against a Toney or someone. I think he would have tried unifying for sure
Mccallum really was a master body puncher. Anyone that watches him fight he lands some heavy and very crisp body punches. Well they don't call him the Body Snatcher for nothing right.
A nice classy tribute to Watson there from a Boxing Legend the one and only the Great Mike McCallum. Quality quality fighter. Michael Watson was one strong boy and a game guy. God bless him.
Very true, Watson was quality and Mc Callum paid tribute to him and said he was 1 of the toughest, strongest opponents he ever faced along with Steve Collins. It's a pity he couldn't pay tributes to Benn or Eubank as he never fought them because of their cowardice, they wouldn't go near him back then, nor would a lot of others.
@@chriswright6245 Hi you Chris , I wouldn't , or couldn't really disagree with you there and I love your comments about Mike , he is 1 of my favourite Boxers ever , your right , he was 1 of the most complete fighters ever , he had everything and he also brought consistency with every performance . I slightly disagree about Marv ducking him as Mike was operating at 154 right up to 87 , Marv retired for good , June 88 having waited around for 14 months in the hope of a return with Leonard , which he ducked out of . A fight between them would have been a Classic Chris , really hard to call but theres a few things that went against Mike , if he was British or American , that would have helped as he didn't really have a great fan base and unfortunately , he wasn't a great draw either as Boxing fans would much prefer to see the 4 Kings battle with each other , rather than Mike fighting them , for me personally , he's 1 of my All Time favourites along with Marv and Lennox Lewis . I know as facts , Eubank and Benn avoided him as he challenged them both but there was many who did , Mike was too good for his own good , if that makes any sense , all the best , take care 🥊🥊
That could have been an all time classic. One of those what if’s that almost hurt to think too much about, makes me more grateful for what we did get like McCallum vs Toney
@@MuhammadAli-xw4yc it's funny you say that because Mike was known for breaking Brits up. It's also such a shame that Benn and Eubank never stepped up to the Body snatcher plate. They'd have been broken up too imo.
@@renzopeterson153 ,Maybe or maybe not, They brought over that undefeated bully african american to destroy Nigel Benn, That punk ended up in a coma and wheelchair, They brought over african american bully to smash up Joe Calzaghe three times and they all failed. They brought over american ginat to smash up Lennox Lewis, Michael Grant got ruined real quick. I'm hispanic and fully support my american brothers, But every country has tough guys, So our media really need to stop downplaying other countries boxers, The Klitchkos ruined alot of americans.
@@paulanthony5274 Toney was so weak from the drastic weight loss, that he was just a body in the middle of the ring. Not making excuses, but Toney had severe issues making 160 and it took its toll on him , especially in that fight. Toney was A master fighter, he just lacked the drive and desire and motivation , that others had. An unmotivated James Toney is still A master fighter
Brilliant job by the ref, commentary was not too bad either. McCallum is my favourite boxer. A true fighter. Takes blows to give bigger more effective ones.
McCallum threw at least 20 body punches in rd one alone and landed about half. I think McCallum did notice openings in Watson's defense and took advantage with punches upstairs.
To all the Benn and Eubank fans who have ever watched this fight, this is what Mc Callum used to do on a regular basis and made him the most feared and ducked 160lb guy on the Planet at that time. Watson was the Common Wealth Champ in this and was Britain's best 160lb guy back then having stopped Benn in 6rds just 10 months earlier but was totally dominated by the Bodysnatcher. I've heard lots of Benn and Eubank fans claim from the roof tops, how they would beat this guy back then, bla bla bla. If this was the case, why didn't they? Just a short while after Benn became 168 Champ in 92 and just a few months after he was given a disgraceful , outrageous half pint win over Malinga in their 1st fight, Mc Callum challenged Benn for his title , of course Benn would say" yeah I'd love to fight him and even say he could probably out body punch the Bodysnatcher" all brave words from Benn but its a pity he didn't have the balls to back up such statements . Mike Mc Callum, the most ducked 160lb fighter from 88 to 94, a guy who was robbed of the chance to Unify the division and become Undisputed King and make a lot more money that his talents deserved and all because of the other 160lb Champions cowardice to even fight The Man.
@@JohnnzyBoy_Son Cheers mate, it turns out that Mc Callum also challenged Eubank, just after he beat Benn the 1st time, 90, who took his WBC Belt, Mc Callum was WBA Champ then and wanted to try Unify the Division, but like many others, Eubank avoided him. It's a shame that he didn't make half the money his talents deserved and it really annoys me when I hear their fans say they would have beat him then as it's just not true.
Handed Collins his first L as a professional as well. You're right, Watson out classed Benn who was earning superstardom in the UK because of his 22-0 22KO run, this fight here proves why none of them wanted a piece of the body snatcher, Benn especially was tailor made for MM he was too hard of a man for Nigel to KO early and with his style and MM body shots it would of been an absolute disaster. Fair play to Watson for stepping up though, I think MM was 33 or 34 here too. MM is probably my favourite middleweight of the time, he fought a lot of bad dudes and beat them, he wasn't afraid of anybody.
@@THISISLolesh Cheers mate for that, I actually felt sorry for Mc Callum, he had a couple of things go against him, like not being British or American and as another Boxing fan, a Benn actually said, he didn't set his fans alight. I also think he lacked Charisma and was actually too good for his own good, if you get my meaning.
@@THISISLolesh BTW, the Benn fan I mentioned just there, was actually ringside for this fight, April 90, just 2 months after he out pointed Collins, he said he actually feared for Watson that night and was levels above, cheers and take care.
What a boxing masterclass by the body snatcher. He schooled and destroyed Michael Watson in his own backyard. Don't forget Watson was the best British middleweight at that time. This fight is the reason why fighters like Michael Nunn, Chris Eubank, and Nigel Benn never wanted to unify with him.
Shows how brilliant the british fans really are, great performance by watson just beat by the batter man. Mccallum really was a special, they dont make em like these no more
McCallum was a modern great who normally only lost to the highest quality in jones and toney.this was an error in matchmaking because Michael wasn't ready to be thrown in with such a seasoned,quality exponent of the noble art.although he made mccallum work for his win,mike was always one step ahead and one punch in front of michael and controlled proceedings.
Wow ...what a great fight and relentless pace! I missed McCallum somehow but what an awesome boxer...movement..power on attack and counter...a complete package. What's even more incredible is that ...he is 33yrs old! His reflexes and conditioning are unreal...I can honestly say I've never seen a better performance WTF was he like in HIS late 20's!? I mean you're considered an old man in boxing at this age. Still at the very top of his game...kudos to Watson ... great boxer in great shape but the champ was on another level in every department 🥊💪😎
Oh yes they were the best, so classy and sportmanlike! I remember the post fight between Hagler vs Minter, British Oly.., oh pardon FANS are really delightful.....
They got a great show and couldn’t help but clap for both fighters at the end - no booing to be heard and knew they’d witnessed a great champion and challenger - no doubt about that being the right result - great fight !
The '90s was a great, great era for UK fighters. Still, in his prime, McCallum would've taken them all, all the way up to and including Calzaghe. I think UK fans are the most loyal, knowledgable, supportive fans in the world. I even love watching UK broadcasts: The commentators are so biased (they never have an objective grip on what's going on), but what the hell? They genuinely love their fighters.
McCallum is one of the best all round fighters in the history of the sport, i could go on for days about how good he was, there is a reason he was avoided like the plague! His fight with james Toney is the most skilled boxing match in the history of the sport, two gods shoulder rolling and countering one another for 12 rounds. Never ever will there be boxers that skilled again.
McCallam was a beast who got overlooked in the division and was avoided . Gave Julian Jackson < who was unbeaten at the time > a beating after taking some of his best shots
McCallum took on all comers and I honestly think the greater portion of the Fabulous Four wanted no parts of McCallum. Mike took shots from Toney, Roy, and Crusierweights as well. Mike had every single attribute a fighter could and should have. Me personally I prefer the Middleweight version of Mike a bit more under Futch, as opposed to being under Benton who was also great.
Everything you say here is true and just 2 months before this rout of Watson, the Bodysnatcher beat Steve Collins on points in Boston, although he was given the verdict by 4-5 rounds by the judges, a lot of observers reckon it was closer by about 2-3 rounds and I agree. Collins took his best shots and never really looked in trouble in only his 17th paid fight and gave him a lot of problems leading Mc Callum to declare, " I would not like to fight that man again" a promise he would keep. In this fight, Mc Callum gave Watson a boxing lesson and beating and this was 10 months after Watson stopped Benn in 6 rds. I always said even back then that if Collins got his chances against Benn and Eubank that he'd have a massive chance of beating them and I was proved right, he was so underrated by the British and European boxing families but wow did he make them pay. Just going back to Mc Callum, what a fighter, boxer, technician, absolutely brilliant, a legend and he'd have slaughtered, mangled Benn and Eubank then, at least Watson and Collins had the balls to try which is more than the guys I mentioned and SRL amongst others.
Francis In fairness to Benn though it was a young inexperienced Benn who lost to Watson he was raw and was a much better fighter under Vic Andretti and later on too but against Watson he wasn't as good
McCallum is one of the most under-appreciated fighters ever. I think he was an all-time great on the level of Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Hopkins, Jones, Toney, Calzaghe, et al. Yet he's never mentioned and it's a shame.
@@BigboyRoy100 Calzaghe was a very good world champ and an excellent example of discipline and how how to make the best use of your skill set as a fighter. He just wasn't an all time great as a fighter,
Yeah I'm sure they were all petrified after the Kalambay fight.......come on, it was because there was NO MONEY in it. There was a huge buzz after he ko'd Jackson, but he just wasn't that kind of fighter.
@@renzopeterson153 Yeah I've heard that false narrative that a small portion of people wish were so true that happens to be a myth. Sorry it didn't work out for you guys. They weren't on that level.
What a fighting machine Mcallum was so much stamina great technical boxer great chin will to win a born champion, in my top five favourite boxers of all time, Watson was a decent fighter and in all honesty macallum had an easy night 👊🏿
Beautiful boxing masterclass the punch selection and defence all whilst standing in front of your opponent taking steps to keep u in punching range. Mike the master boxer🥊🥊
Michael Watson was game and brave but he was outmatched and outclassed in this fight by one of the most COMPLETE and underrated fighters that ever graced the ring: Mike McCallum. McCallum was like a surgeon, picking his shots and had unbelievable strength and stamina. Watson went down because he was really tired. He was very exhausted and it showed. Some people get knocked out. Some get knocked out by getting tired. McCallum would have gave a lot of problems to any of the Fab 4 of boxing. It would not surprise me if he would have beaten any of the members of the Fab 4 of Duran, Marvelous, Hearns or Leonard. He was at that level.
Brilliant post there and your right, Mc Callum was a legend and massively underated because he wasn't American or British and was 1 of the most ducked fighters by Leonard, Hearns, Benn and Eubank just to name a few. I agree with you about beating 3 of the Fab 4 but not Hagler as I think he would have had too much for Mc Callum. It is just my views that Mc Callum is the 3rd best MW of the past 50 years behind Monzon 2nd and the Marvelous one, 1st.
What nobody has seemed to mention is the fact that Mccallum exploited the loss of gumshield which was the most pivotol moment in the whole fight. Open jaw with no gumshield is going to end like that. Ref should of put the gumshield back in in a war like that. Idiot ref.
Watson didn’t get any breaks in this fight and agree the ref should’ve given watson his gumshield back . Thought the ref was great otherwise but there was no other ending for watson , he was being punished andlikely been knocked out in this fight anyway
Tremendous show of guts from Watson but Mike McCallum on his A game was as good as anybody. Watson simply didn't have an answer to the sheer fitness, experience, craftiness and ring generalship that McCallum brought to the table. No wonder he was ducked by pretty much everybody.
A very young and inexperienced steve collins went the distance with mc callum and was unlucky to lose , its only when i see what mc callum did to watson that i can fully appreciate how good collins was .
Toney, Nunn? who the fuck are they? As for Roy Jones, he cant punch for shit and his fights are like watching paint dry. He got lucky winning the title then fought one bum after another. Ben in his prime would have took his head off. And Eubank would have given him a master class in how to box. You forget Eubank was taught to fight in the Bronx before he ever came to England so the man was no pussy. Todays fighters are bitches compared to the likes of Ben, Watson, Collins and Eubank. And anyway, i have two words for you. Joe Calzaghe. The end.
Black rain who is Toney and nunn? You don’t know shit about boxing so you wouldn’t know about them. Eubank caught all types of problems from Watson who mccallum destroyed and he’d outbox Roy Jones in a masterclass? Lmao what a dumbfuck statement. You’re desperate for an argument is all
tough fight Watson gassed out but he took alot of punishment boxing injuries are a accumulated trauma it's quite possible this fight contributed to his blood clot. and Gerald McLennan the same
A fight McCallum never got was against Michael Nunn. Nunn was regarded as the best middeweight in the world in 1990 when this fight took place. I wonder why they never hooked up.
I was ringside for this fight. I was and still am a huge Watson fan. It seemed like a miss match from the 1st bell. Almost like a heavyweight fighting a middleweight. Eventually his punches made a dent in Watson,who didn't fight that well. Watson was not boxing behind that jab that he was so well known for then paid the price. You can argue that it was Mickey Duffs fault for making him fight when he wasn't in top form ,but to be honest ,he wouldn't have beat the body snatcher on his best day. McCallum was a very underrated fighter . He was beat fair and square,and i was gutted.
***** Actually Watson had a great jab. When he boxed Nigel Ben he jabbed Bens eye closed. If you watched his fights he boxed superbly behind a great jab. McCallum was just to good,great defense and footwork, banged hard at the opponents body, so hard they dropped arms to block the punches and it was 'Lights out" shortly after as he shifted up to the head. Class fighter,and underrated . If he was fighting today ,he would beat most any middleweight i can think of. But i was there and i was ringside ,and McCallum looked like a giant. And i think even the crowd was scared for Watson that night.
Cant argue with your comments at all. McCallum took Watson to school that night. Back then in England it was totally divided and you chose between Eubank or Benn. Along came Watson and upset everything by beating Benn and I was a Benn fan. Watson was a very classy British and European fighter.He really had no business climbing in with McCallum.He simply wasn't at that superior level. Eubank may have given McCallum a good run as he could take a punch and was ferocious ,but he was earning well fighting domestically for the then new WBO title. I suppose he didn't want to risk it. I follow both Eubanks and Benn's sons now with interest. Hopefully they can get a fight in a few years and ill be ringside for that too.Although i remember paying 140 pounds for my ticket,nowadays its more like 1400 if you can get one.
@@MrGrahameh Just 2 months before this mauling that Mc Callum gave Watson , he beat Steve Collins on pts in Boston in a tough contest. Mc Callum deserved to win the contest by about 2 - 3 rds but Collins gave him trouble and never looked hurt either in only his 17th contest and Mc Callum said the next day," I don't want to fight that man again " a promise he would keep. I'm a Collins fan, was at lots of his fights including his 2nd one with Eubank and have always said he'd be a nightmare for him and Benn, given the chance. I will never claim Collins to be a great watch, exciting or explosive or a crowd pleaser like Eubank or Benn but he was extremely tough with an unbelievable chin and extraordinary cardio and was massively underestimated by them which would prove very costly.
Hi Graham, a Steve Collins fan from Dublin here who seen him fight lots of times and also a Watson fan. Considering the fact Collins took McCallum the distance just 2 months prior in Boston February 90 in a tough, close enough fight, how do you reckon Benn and Eubank would have fared V the Bodysnatcher at that time? The vast majority of their fans reckon they would have beat them 2 easily, I personally think not. Just to add it was only Collins's 17 fight and Mc Callum vowed the next day not to "fight that man again" a promise he would keep.
Watching this fight a day after watching Eubank Jr v Liam Williams. The difference in class of McCallum and Watson is stark compared to the aforementioned. No disrespect to Eubank and Williams, however, it has to be said that Watson and most definitely McCallum are in a different league. McCallum oozes languid class. The man was instinctive in his attack and defence. The way he moves his head, his body and feet. The selection of his shots and the diversity of his arsenal are on another planet to the majority of today’s fighters. No wonder he was avoided like the plague at his peak.
first time ever seeing a watson fight and i have to say he really reminds me of Turpin, who was also a british fighter and took Sugar Ray Robsinson's title. if i remember watching that fight on here i remember how awkward turpin was with his two hands up and straight back. he had an awkward stance but i believe it took from his grandfather who was a bare knuckle fighter. anyway, i just thought the style was very interesting. a champion like Mike even has trouble with these types, who are naturally athletic and "off-rhythm" .
McCallum, Tyson, Marciano, Hagler & Chavez. When these fighters entered the 3rd or 4th rounds and were fully acclimatised to the fight, they were impossible to hurt.
James Severn That’s true but that second fight with Eubank was pretty brutal and I remember Watson’s neck kind of whiplashing the bottom rope when he was dropped late in that fight.
7:13 McCallum`s right glove protecting as he jabbed that`s Eubank didn`t do vs Watson which is why he good hit more vs Watson than Mike did here, no comparison.
mcallum is one of the most underrated fighters of all time. Even when he was old and fighting in a higher weight he still gave a peak Toney and Jones a good fight. Would have dismantled Eubank and Benn also.
McCallum beat a lot of really good fighters, it's a shame he never got to mix it with any of the Fab 4. Apparently, he was very difficult to manage and kept changing management.
Mcguigan awful commentary downing Watson early. From what I see he was doing just fine. Nerves early maybe, no mistakes solid technique. Some of the most experienced eyes don’t always see clearly what’s unfolding. They don’t see the minutia or sometimes completely misread the engagement. Best I’ve seen of Mccallum. Was awesome at this point. Half step ahead at everything: anticipation reflexes body punching, maintain composure, jab. Had nice pop on his shots. I felt first thing to go on him was his power. Had plenty juice left here. Made Watson pay with the counter right. Anticipate absorb/counter almost simultaneously with power right hand. In so doing, his will to keep attacking diminished. Love watching these oldies. Time machine. Mccallum definitely had timeclock count in head as he attacked hard at end of each round
Mike Watson knew he was in trouble from the first round.. Mccallum rhythm was different to anything Watson had experienced... I felt sorry for Watson and his opportunity came against a modern great. And of course the bogie man was Eddie Futch who, at the time, would not waste his time going to the ring with anything other than a great fighter..
Nearly ALWAYS a step or 2 behind in this Watson. The BEST fighters are usually the ones that set the pace and maintain it, and that's what Body Snatcher McCallum did! Just got in the drivers seat, & STAYED there! So clever, so accurate, economical and strong. Too much for poor Michael here...
American fighters showed the Brits that using stims can keep you going, right to the end? Super human levels of fitness there. Nothing that's naturally possible.
It's such a shame that we never got McCallum vs Benn and/or McCallum vs Eubank. It's in my firm belief that McCallum would've stopped Benn and beat Eubank by UD. If McCallum would have beaten them both, that would mean McCallum would've beaten every active England fighter at the time. Mike may not have had the any fights with Fabulous Four but the 90's Middleweights were just as talented if not as tough, James Toney and Michael Watson comes to mind.
Not true.for such a small island we have produced dozens of amazing champions and hundreds of good ones.ted kid lewis,jack kid berg,owen moran,jimmy wilde,benny lynch,ken buchanan,joe calzaghe,benn,eubank,froch,lennox lewis,tyson fury,john conteh,bob fitzsimmons,naseem hamed,ricky hatton.the majority of these men won on foreign soil against top opposition and proved their ability without question.
I suppose we were delusional about Henry Cooper who would have knocked out Ali if his corner men had torn his glove further and administered illegal smelling salts . That's a fact that was admitted to nearly 30 years later .
![Mike McCallum vs Julian Jackson [HQ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kZpv55MQN7g/mqdefault.jpg)
![Mike McCallum vs Julian Jackson [HQ]](/img/tr.png)
I remember watching this fight live on tv when I was 16. Being British and a big Watson fan I was gutted. It's not until now I can look back and appreciate what a fabulous performance it was by Mike McCallum.
Bias commentary
A
A young Steve collins went the distance and give mc callum a hard fight and unlucky to lose
McCallum is so smooth that it almost looks like he's not putting much effort into his punches. Great balance, defence, punch selection, accuracy and a granite chin. What a nightmare to deal with.
Great comment , his footwork was also so good it was just him moving around , my favourite fighter . His first round vs J Jackson rivals that of hagler /hearns for me for sure .
@@keiththompson2172 Great comments there Keith and Chris, Mc Callum was brilliant. I really became a fan of his after his Jackson win, and his memorable KO of the Highly rated Donald Curry, what a shot that was, take care lads.
Francis Hegarty so true; also his chin was solid even though he leaned out of punches , great to watch & poor Errol Graham !
@@keiththompson2172 Thanks Keith, Herol Bomber Graham was very unlucky when he lost his fight with Mc Callum for the vacated WBA MW Title in 89, I think, he lost on a Split but also had a pt deduction for low blows, he was exceptional too. Both he and M Watson are 2 of the Best British Boxers to be never Crowned World Champions.
Superb observations here. Mike was perhaps the only person who could stand toe to toe with Julian Jackson and live to tell the tale. I`m sure Marvin could have as well, but only those two.
Mccallum was a master boxer, one of the best in the era.
Yeah a great fighter and underrated by certain boxing publications at the time like KO Magazine..
@@paulanthony5274Americans don't like non American boxers . Lennox Lewis had same issue
@@20FreeWill They liked Honeyghan.
McCallum's fights ought to be watched by all young boxers. The way he parries Watson's jab with his right hand and covers his chin with his shoulder for a right hand is just beautiful. He makes throwing the right uppercut to the body look so easy.
Myself and a group of good mates watched this live at The Albert Hall as we were all huge boxing fans & knew this would be a great Contest!!! Despite us all Rooting for Mike Watson we all agreed Mike McCallum was tremendous on the night & won quite clearly despite A really gutsy effort from Mike Watson!!!
RIP Griff!
I'm American and I loved Michael Watson, simply because he always brought it!
He was so unlucky bud, by the time he moved up to 168 he was incredible. We never got to see him move to America and take on Nunn, Toney, Mc Clellan, Jones, Collins, Hopkins. What a treat for fans that would've been.
@@martytdd1606 Imo (American as well) he was hanging Right up there with all those guys. That wild Eubank uppercut forever changed things so f*cking SAD. He was getting so much better. Also, I excuse him in this fight (nothing to be ashamed of) because McCallum was an up and down guy. I doubt many fighters at that weight could have beaten Mike on this night.....he was simply on fire that night.
If he didn't get caught with that uppercut he would have been a great champion. I don't think he would have held the belt for long though as Watson seemed to have a desire to fight the very best. Maybe he would have come unstuck against a Toney or someone. I think he would have tried unifying for sure
Mike McCallum could do it all, he was a truly awesome fighter
Agreed so underrated it's criminal
Mccullum batters poor Watson, his stamina and skills were Sooooo Underrated, A TRUE RING LEGEND!👍🏾
Mccallum really was a master body puncher. Anyone that watches him fight he lands some heavy and very crisp body punches. Well they don't call him the Body Snatcher for nothing right.
Baby just throw the towel in them punches coming in too rapidly stay down oww!
A nice classy tribute to Watson there from a Boxing Legend the one and only the Great Mike McCallum. Quality quality fighter. Michael Watson was one strong boy and a game guy. God bless him.
Very true, Watson was quality and Mc Callum paid tribute to him and said he was 1 of the toughest, strongest opponents he ever faced along with Steve Collins. It's a pity he couldn't pay tributes to Benn or Eubank as he never fought them because of their cowardice, they wouldn't go near him back then, nor would a lot of others.
@@francishegarty8087 Leonard and Hagler didn't want it either. I think Mike does em all. McCallum is complete
@@chriswright6245 Hi you Chris , I wouldn't , or couldn't really disagree with you there and I love your comments about Mike , he is 1 of my favourite Boxers ever , your right , he was 1 of the most complete fighters ever , he had everything and he also brought consistency with every performance . I slightly disagree about Marv ducking him as Mike was operating at 154 right up to 87 , Marv retired for good , June 88 having waited around for 14 months in the hope of a return with Leonard , which he ducked out of . A fight between them would have been a Classic Chris , really hard to call but theres a few things that went against Mike , if he was British or American , that would have helped as he didn't really have a great fan base and unfortunately , he wasn't a great draw either as Boxing fans would much prefer to see the 4 Kings battle with each other , rather than Mike fighting them , for me personally , he's 1 of my All Time favourites along with Marv and Lennox Lewis . I know as facts , Eubank and Benn avoided him as he challenged them both but there was many who did , Mike was too good for his own good , if that makes any sense , all the best , take care 🥊🥊
It`s a tragedy we never saw McCallum Vs Hagler; What a fight THAT would have been.
That could have been an all time classic. One of those what if’s that almost hurt to think too much about, makes me more grateful for what we did get like McCallum vs Toney
Hagler would have broken McCallum eventually in a tough fight. It would have been a vicous for the british dude.
McCallum is Jamaican mate not British 😂
@@MuhammadAli-xw4yc it's funny you say that because Mike was known for breaking Brits up. It's also such a shame that Benn and Eubank never stepped up to the Body snatcher plate. They'd have been broken up too imo.
@@renzopeterson153 ,Maybe or maybe not, They brought over that undefeated bully african american to destroy Nigel Benn, That punk ended up in a coma and wheelchair, They brought over african american bully to smash up Joe Calzaghe three times and they all failed. They brought over american ginat to smash up Lennox Lewis, Michael Grant got ruined real quick. I'm hispanic and fully support my american brothers, But every country has tough guys, So our media really need to stop downplaying other countries boxers, The Klitchkos ruined alot of americans.
Mccallum and toney the 2 best I've ever seen. Complete poetry.
Jones beat them both though but I'm not knocking them both great fighters
@@paulanthony5274 Toney was so weak from the drastic weight loss, that he was just a body in the middle of the ring. Not making excuses, but Toney had severe issues making 160 and it took its toll on him , especially in that fight. Toney was A master fighter, he just lacked the drive and desire and motivation , that others had. An unmotivated James Toney is still A master fighter
Mike Mcallum...top 5 pound for pound ANY era of middleweights
He was a junior middleweight for a long time a big one too. Just have hollow legs lol
Brilliant job by the ref, commentary was not too bad either. McCallum is my favourite boxer. A true fighter. Takes blows to give bigger more effective ones.
great job by the ref? he allowed watson to fall on to the canvas and land on the back of his head
I never saw McCallum head hunt so much. Watson must have been difficult to hit to the body. Every McCallum fight is worth studying.
He hammered watsons body in the early rounds?
He think he would have given Hagler nightmares
@@Metron65 I would pay big money to see that fight
McCallum threw at least 20 body punches in rd one alone and landed about half.
I think McCallum did notice openings in Watson's defense and took advantage with punches upstairs.
@@Metron65 Safe to say it would have been a very close fight and almost certainly a distance fight since they were impossible to knock out.
To all the Benn and Eubank fans who have ever watched this fight, this is what Mc Callum used to do on a regular basis and made him the most feared and ducked 160lb guy on the Planet at that time. Watson was the Common Wealth Champ in this and was Britain's best 160lb guy back then having stopped Benn in 6rds just 10 months earlier but was totally dominated by the Bodysnatcher. I've heard lots of Benn and Eubank fans claim from the roof tops, how they would beat this guy back then, bla bla bla. If this was the case, why didn't they? Just a short while after Benn became 168 Champ in 92 and just a few months after he was given a disgraceful , outrageous half pint win over Malinga in their 1st fight, Mc Callum challenged Benn for his title , of course Benn would say" yeah I'd love to fight him and even say he could probably out body punch the Bodysnatcher" all brave words from Benn but its a pity he didn't have the balls to back up such statements . Mike Mc Callum, the most ducked 160lb fighter from 88 to 94, a guy who was robbed of the chance to Unify the division and become Undisputed King and make a lot more money that his talents deserved and all because of the other 160lb Champions cowardice to even fight The Man.
I totally agree bud! It’s refreshing to see someone state facts and not opinions👍🏽👍🏽.
@@JohnnzyBoy_Son Cheers mate, it turns out that Mc Callum also challenged Eubank, just after he beat Benn the 1st time, 90, who took his WBC Belt, Mc Callum was WBA Champ then and wanted to try Unify the Division, but like many others, Eubank avoided him. It's a shame that he didn't make half the money his talents deserved and it really annoys me when I hear their fans say they would have beat him then as it's just not true.
Handed Collins his first L as a professional as well. You're right, Watson out classed Benn who was earning superstardom in the UK because of his 22-0 22KO run, this fight here proves why none of them wanted a piece of the body snatcher, Benn especially was tailor made for MM he was too hard of a man for Nigel to KO early and with his style and MM body shots it would of been an absolute disaster. Fair play to Watson for stepping up though, I think MM was 33 or 34 here too. MM is probably my favourite middleweight of the time, he fought a lot of bad dudes and beat them, he wasn't afraid of anybody.
@@THISISLolesh Cheers mate for that, I actually felt sorry for Mc Callum, he had a couple of things go against him, like not being British or American and as another Boxing fan, a Benn actually said, he didn't set his fans alight. I also think he lacked Charisma and was actually too good for his own good, if you get my meaning.
@@THISISLolesh BTW, the Benn fan I mentioned just there, was actually ringside for this fight, April 90, just 2 months after he out pointed Collins, he said he actually feared for Watson that night and was levels above, cheers and take care.
Thanks for the upload McCallum is so underrated
What a boxing masterclass by the body snatcher. He schooled and destroyed Michael Watson in his own backyard. Don't forget Watson was the best British middleweight at that time. This fight is the reason why fighters like Michael Nunn, Chris Eubank, and Nigel Benn never wanted to unify with him.
Shows how brilliant the british fans really are, great performance by watson just beat by the batter man. Mccallum really was a special, they dont make em like these no more
wahdncx Agreed! It's a shame McCallum never got his shot against the likes of Hagler, Hearns and the like.
lol ask Hagler how brilliant they are
McCallum was a modern great who normally only lost to the highest quality in jones and toney.this was an error in matchmaking because Michael wasn't ready to be thrown in with such a seasoned,quality exponent of the noble art.although he made mccallum work for his win,mike was always one step ahead and one punch in front of michael and controlled proceedings.
He was better than Jones and Toney..he was old when he fought them. Typical American cherrypicking bums
MM never loses his cool.
Exactly. So cool under fire. He just weathers it--confident in his defense, confident in his ability to take a punch--and figures the other guy out.
I remember watching this fight when it came on tv live. It’s a knock out I’ve never forgotten
One of the greatest fights I’ve seen!!
Wow ...what a great fight and relentless pace! I missed McCallum somehow but what an awesome boxer...movement..power on attack and counter...a complete package.
What's even more incredible is that ...he is 33yrs old!
His reflexes and conditioning are unreal...I can honestly say I've never seen a better performance WTF was he like in HIS late 20's!?
I mean you're considered an old man in boxing at this age.
Still at the very top of his game...kudos to Watson ... great boxer in great shape but the champ was on another level in every department 🥊💪😎
British fight fans were the best in the world in these years. No other nation roars like that, no one.
Yours is a rare and fine observation. Mexican boxing fans may be deemed as passionate but the British roar is a unique wonder
Oh yes they were the best, so classy and sportmanlike! I remember the post fight between Hagler vs Minter, British Oly.., oh pardon FANS are really delightful.....
They got a great show and couldn’t help but clap for both fighters at the end - no booing to be heard and knew they’d witnessed a great champion and challenger - no doubt about that being the right result - great fight !
The '90s was a great, great era for UK fighters. Still, in his prime, McCallum would've taken them all, all the way up to and including Calzaghe. I think UK fans are the most loyal, knowledgable, supportive fans in the world. I even love watching UK broadcasts: The commentators are so biased (they never have an objective grip on what's going on), but what the hell? They genuinely love their fighters.
McCallum is one of the best all round fighters in the history of the sport, i could go on for days about how good he was, there is a reason he was avoided like the plague! His fight with james Toney is the most skilled boxing match in the history of the sport, two gods shoulder rolling and countering one another for 12 rounds. Never ever will there be boxers that skilled again.
McCallam was a beast who got overlooked in the division and was avoided . Gave Julian Jackson < who was unbeaten at the time > a beating after taking some of his best shots
McCallum took on all comers and I honestly think the greater portion of the Fabulous Four wanted no parts of McCallum. Mike took shots from Toney, Roy, and Crusierweights as well. Mike had every single attribute a fighter could and should have. Me personally I prefer the Middleweight version of Mike a bit more under Futch, as opposed to being under Benton who was also great.
Everything you say here is true and just 2 months before this rout of Watson, the Bodysnatcher beat Steve Collins on points in Boston, although he was given the verdict by 4-5 rounds by the judges, a lot of observers reckon it was closer by about 2-3 rounds and I agree. Collins took his best shots and never really looked in trouble in only his 17th paid fight and gave him a lot of problems leading Mc Callum to declare, " I would not like to fight that man again" a promise he would keep. In this fight, Mc Callum gave Watson a boxing lesson and beating and this was 10 months after Watson stopped Benn in 6 rds. I always said even back then that if Collins got his chances against Benn and Eubank that he'd have a massive chance of beating them and I was proved right, he was so underrated by the British and European boxing families but wow did he make them pay. Just going back to Mc Callum, what a fighter, boxer, technician, absolutely brilliant, a legend and he'd have slaughtered, mangled Benn and Eubank then, at least Watson and Collins had the balls to try which is more than the guys I mentioned and SRL amongst others.
Francis In fairness to Benn though it was a young inexperienced Benn who lost to Watson he was raw and was a much better fighter under Vic Andretti and later on too but against Watson he wasn't as good
McCallum is one of the most under-appreciated fighters ever. I think he was an all-time great on the level of Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Hopkins, Jones, Toney, Calzaghe, et al. Yet he's never mentioned and it's a shame.
Calzaghe???
@@TheSmithDorian gotta throw the brits a bone here and there, lol
In skillset he's more on the level of Willie Pep, Durán, Pacquiao, Lomachenko.
@@SBroconis522 I concur, I simply mentioned the fighters I did because McCallum fought at a similar weight to those guys.
@@BigboyRoy100 Calzaghe was a very good world champ and an excellent example of discipline and how how to make the best use of your skill set as a fighter. He just wasn't an all time great as a fighter,
Understatement of the year " This fella can really bang ! "
I hope somebody will post the McCallum vs Collins fight. Only highlights available now.
Mike McCallum was a tremendous boxer and very underrated. All the top names at the time kept ducking him, Hagler, Hearns, Leonard and Duran.
Yeah I'm sure they were all petrified after the Kalambay fight.......come on, it was because there was NO MONEY in it. There was a huge buzz after he ko'd Jackson, but he just wasn't that kind of fighter.
@@exspiravit6920 you slight Kalambay as if he couldn't have beat any of the Fab 4. Both McCallum and Kalambay were ducked.
@@renzopeterson153 Yeah I've heard that false narrative that a small portion of people wish were so true that happens to be a myth. Sorry it didn't work out for you guys. They weren't on that level.
His Movements and Reflexes Has Also Caught My Eye.He Is A Marvel to Watch.
What a fighting machine Mcallum was so much stamina great technical boxer great chin will to win a born champion, in my top five favourite boxers of all time, Watson was a decent fighter and in all honesty macallum had an easy night 👊🏿
Beautiful boxing masterclass the punch selection and defence all whilst standing in front of your opponent taking steps to keep u in punching range. Mike the master boxer🥊🥊
Mike McCallum seems to be made of steel.
Two kings in the ring. Wow thanks.
Technically outclassed
most underrated boxer ever..McCallum was a legit monster..
Love the slight smirk McCallum gives Watson after the stare down at 5:34
Michael Watson was game and brave but he was outmatched and outclassed in this fight by one of the most COMPLETE and underrated fighters that ever graced the ring: Mike McCallum. McCallum was like a surgeon, picking his shots and had unbelievable strength and stamina. Watson went down because he was really tired. He was very exhausted and it showed. Some people get knocked out. Some get knocked out by getting tired. McCallum would have gave a lot of problems to any of the Fab 4 of boxing. It would not surprise me if he would have beaten any of the members of the Fab 4 of Duran, Marvelous, Hearns or Leonard. He was at that level.
Brilliant post there and your right, Mc Callum was a legend and massively underated because he wasn't American or British and was 1 of the most ducked fighters by Leonard, Hearns, Benn and Eubank just to name a few. I agree with you about beating 3 of the Fab 4 but not Hagler as I think he would have had too much for Mc Callum. It is just my views that Mc Callum is the 3rd best MW of the past 50 years behind Monzon 2nd and the Marvelous one, 1st.
Michael Watson
Legend absolutely awesome puncher very skilful
just a shame he never got crowned world champion
McCallum is so smooth and balanced. Doing the old soft shoe dance and meaning business.
What nobody has seemed to mention is the fact that Mccallum exploited the loss of gumshield which was the most pivotol moment in the whole fight. Open jaw with no gumshield is going to end like that. Ref should of put the gumshield back in in a war like that. Idiot ref.
Watson didn’t get any breaks in this fight and agree the ref should’ve given watson his gumshield back . Thought the ref was great otherwise but there was no other ending for watson , he was being punished andlikely been knocked out in this fight anyway
McCallum Moves Like A Slinky. Takes Years To Learn To Relax Like That In The Ring
Mike McCallum is an underrated great 👍 👏 👌
Watson is really my favorite Brit fighter from this era, he is criminaly underrated..
Tremendous show of guts from Watson but Mike McCallum on his A game was as good as anybody. Watson simply didn't have an answer to the sheer fitness, experience, craftiness and ring generalship that McCallum brought to the table. No wonder he was ducked by pretty much everybody.
DING DONG! What a battle, Great fight ❤️❤️❤️😉❤️
Round 10 was outstanding boxing
McCallum was just the consummate professional boxing champion. But Michael Watson was no mug, which proves McCallum's greatness.
great fight, McCallum is an ATG, Watson a great British m/w
Excellent fight!
Love Michael Watson... he even dated my sister back in the day when he was a mini cab driver...
A very young and inexperienced steve collins went the distance with mc callum and was unlucky to lose , its only when i see what mc callum did to watson that i can fully appreciate how good collins was .
Does anyone know anyone who sells fights from the 80’s that took place in London on DVD?
Another evidence that McCallum, Toney, Nunn, and Roy Jones would have beat Eubank and Benn
Martin soloman g man was not as skilled as any fighter mentioned so your point is garbage.
Toney, Nunn? who the fuck are they? As for Roy Jones, he cant punch for shit and his fights are like watching paint dry. He got lucky winning the title then fought one bum after another. Ben in his prime would have took his head off. And Eubank would have given him a master class in how to box. You forget Eubank was taught to fight in the Bronx before he ever came to England so the man was no pussy. Todays fighters are bitches compared to the likes of Ben, Watson, Collins and Eubank. And anyway, i have two words for you. Joe Calzaghe. The end.
Black rain who is Toney and nunn? You don’t know shit about boxing so you wouldn’t know about them. Eubank caught all types of problems from Watson who mccallum destroyed and he’d outbox Roy Jones in a masterclass? Lmao what a dumbfuck statement. You’re desperate for an argument is all
F% liars At middle or supermiddle?
You're obscuring Benns winning streak at 168! During these years he could've beaten any of them and you know it!
wutang The G-Man garbage? Theres something wrong with you dude! Haha
different class
McCallum must be one of the most underrated fighters of all time.
Warriors both of them
McCallum was in great shape for this fight. He could throw rapid fire combinations in the final round.
Watson was a good boxer puncher but McCallum was a better one. Tough night for Michael, McCallum was immensely skilful.
tough fight Watson gassed out but he took alot of punishment boxing injuries are a accumulated trauma it's quite possible this fight contributed to his blood clot. and Gerald McLennan the same
McCallum were as good as Hagler, Leonard , Duran and Hearns, and they avoided him
A fight McCallum never got was against Michael Nunn. Nunn was regarded as the best middeweight in the world in 1990 when this fight took place. I wonder why they never hooked up.
2 very classy fighter's.
MIke Mccallum was a very underated fighter....
I was ringside for this fight.
I was and still am a huge Watson fan.
It seemed like a miss match from the 1st bell.
Almost like a heavyweight fighting a middleweight.
Eventually his punches made a dent in Watson,who didn't fight that well.
Watson was not boxing behind that jab that he was so well known for then paid the price.
You can argue that it was Mickey Duffs fault for making him fight when he wasn't in top form ,but to be honest ,he wouldn't have beat the body snatcher on his best day.
McCallum was a very underrated fighter .
He was beat fair and square,and i was gutted.
***** Actually Watson had a great jab.
When he boxed Nigel Ben he jabbed Bens eye closed.
If you watched his fights he boxed superbly behind a great jab.
McCallum was just to good,great defense and footwork, banged hard at the opponents body, so hard they dropped arms to block the punches and it was 'Lights out" shortly after as he shifted up to the head.
Class fighter,and underrated .
If he was fighting today ,he would beat most any middleweight i can think of.
But i was there and i was ringside ,and McCallum looked like a giant.
And i think even the crowd was scared for Watson that night.
Cant argue with your comments at all.
McCallum took Watson to school that night.
Back then in England it was totally divided and you chose between Eubank or Benn.
Along came Watson and upset everything by beating Benn and I was a Benn fan.
Watson was a very classy British and European fighter.He really had no business climbing in with McCallum.He simply wasn't at that superior level.
Eubank may have given McCallum a good run as he could take a punch and was ferocious ,but he was earning well fighting domestically for the then new WBO title.
I suppose he didn't want to risk it.
I follow both Eubanks and Benn's sons now with interest.
Hopefully they can get a fight in a few years and ill be ringside for that too.Although i remember paying 140 pounds for my ticket,nowadays its more like 1400 if you can get one.
Micky duff is a crook. They made Mugabi fight Hagler and he nearly died in that fight. Plus his fighters have bo leg movement. He was a shit trainer.
@@MrGrahameh Just 2 months before this mauling that Mc Callum gave Watson , he beat Steve Collins on pts in Boston in a tough contest. Mc Callum deserved to win the contest by about 2 - 3 rds but Collins gave him trouble and never looked hurt either in only his 17th contest and Mc Callum said the next day," I don't want to fight that man again " a promise he would keep. I'm a Collins fan, was at lots of his fights including his 2nd one with Eubank and have always said he'd be a nightmare for him and Benn, given the chance. I will never claim Collins to be a great watch, exciting or explosive or a crowd pleaser like Eubank or Benn but he was extremely tough with an unbelievable chin and extraordinary cardio and was massively underestimated by them which would prove very costly.
Hi Graham, a Steve Collins fan from Dublin here who seen him fight lots of times and also a Watson fan. Considering the fact Collins took McCallum the distance just 2 months prior in Boston February 90 in a tough, close enough fight, how do you reckon Benn and Eubank would have fared V the Bodysnatcher at that time? The vast majority of their fans reckon they would have beat them 2 easily, I personally think not. Just to add it was only Collins's 17 fight and Mc Callum vowed the next day not to "fight that man again" a promise he would keep.
Can someone tell me what the song is for mccallums entrance please?
"Steppin' Out" by Steel Pulse
Linko Fernandez thank you very much
Watching this fight a day after watching Eubank Jr v Liam Williams. The difference in class of McCallum and Watson is stark compared to the aforementioned. No disrespect to Eubank and Williams, however, it has to be said that Watson and most definitely McCallum are in a different league. McCallum oozes languid class. The man was instinctive in his attack and defence. The way he moves his head, his body and feet. The selection of his shots and the diversity of his arsenal are on another planet to the majority of today’s fighters. No wonder he was avoided like the plague at his peak.
first time ever seeing a watson fight and i have to say he really reminds me of Turpin, who was also a british fighter and took Sugar Ray Robsinson's title. if i remember watching that fight on here i remember how awkward turpin was with his two hands up and straight back. he had an awkward stance but i believe it took from his grandfather who was a bare knuckle fighter. anyway, i just thought the style was very interesting.
a champion like Mike even has trouble with these types, who are naturally athletic and "off-rhythm" .
McCallum, Tyson, Marciano, Hagler & Chavez. When these fighters entered the 3rd or 4th
rounds and were fully acclimatised to the fight, they were impossible to hurt.
Watson took a lot of damage in this fight previous to the Eubank bout. I didn’t realise he had been in a toughie like this before.
James Severn That’s true but that second fight with Eubank was pretty brutal and I remember Watson’s neck kind of whiplashing the bottom rope when he was dropped late in that fight.
Which is why Eubank nor Benn wanted any parts of that body snatcher.
Brutal fight
7:13 McCallum`s right glove protecting as he jabbed that`s Eubank didn`t do vs Watson which is why he good hit more vs Watson than Mike did here, no comparison.
mcallum is one of the most underrated fighters of all time. Even when he was old and fighting in a higher weight he still gave a peak Toney and Jones a good fight. Would have dismantled Eubank and Benn also.
Michael Watson would have given any middleweight problems.
This is the epitome of the analogy of body-punching as putting money in the bank to reap interest later.
McCallum beat a lot of really good fighters, it's a shame he never got to mix it with any of the Fab 4. Apparently, he was very difficult to manage and kept changing management.
One of mikes best skooling the guy just kod Nigel benn
People forget how good mccallum actually was.
Was Watson ever really ready for the Body Snatcher? When McCallum was in his prime, only a prime James Toney could out-fight him
Carlos Rosa And even then, The "Body Snatcher" was a bit past him prime when facing Tony.
+Jon Doe Agree.
Is that sir Jackie Stewart calling this fight?Sweet f1 💰 must have been running short.
Did a pretty good job 👍
I was there
Mcguigan awful commentary downing Watson early. From what I see he was doing just fine. Nerves early maybe, no mistakes solid technique. Some of the most experienced eyes don’t always see clearly what’s unfolding. They don’t see the minutia or sometimes completely misread the engagement. Best I’ve seen of Mccallum. Was awesome at this point. Half step ahead at everything: anticipation reflexes body punching, maintain composure, jab. Had nice pop on his shots. I felt first thing to go on him was his power. Had plenty juice left here. Made Watson pay with the counter right. Anticipate absorb/counter almost simultaneously with power right hand. In so doing, his will to keep attacking diminished. Love watching these oldies. Time machine. Mccallum definitely had timeclock count in head as he attacked hard at end of each round
Warriors.
Mike Watson knew he was in trouble from the first round.. Mccallum rhythm was different to anything Watson had experienced...
I felt sorry for Watson and his opportunity came against a modern great.
And of course the bogie man was Eddie Futch who, at the time, would not waste his time going to the ring with anything other than a great fighter..
Nearly ALWAYS a step or 2 behind in this Watson.
The BEST fighters are usually the ones that set the pace and maintain it, and that's what Body Snatcher McCallum did!
Just got in the drivers seat, & STAYED there!
So clever, so accurate, economical and strong.
Too much for poor Michael here...
They got that shit crackin
American fighters showed the Brits that using stims can keep you going, right to the end?
Super human levels of fitness there. Nothing that's naturally possible.
Watson was beaten by a classic boxer puncher🥊
Watson is tough
Watson wasn't used to long gruelling fights, as he had only been more than 8 rounds once at this point. Most of his fights were about 4 or 5 rounds.
It's such a shame that we never got McCallum vs Benn and/or McCallum vs Eubank. It's in my firm belief that McCallum would've stopped Benn and beat Eubank by UD. If McCallum would have beaten them both, that would mean McCallum would've beaten every active England fighter at the time. Mike may not have had the any fights with Fabulous Four but the 90's Middleweights were just as talented if not as tough, James Toney and Michael Watson comes to mind.
Mike McCallum was a SAVAGE.
The Brits have been delusional for ever about their champions.
Not true.for such a small island we have produced dozens of amazing champions and hundreds of good ones.ted kid lewis,jack kid berg,owen moran,jimmy wilde,benny lynch,ken buchanan,joe calzaghe,benn,eubank,froch,lennox lewis,tyson fury,john conteh,bob fitzsimmons,naseem hamed,ricky hatton.the majority of these men won on foreign soil against top opposition and proved their ability without question.
@@adamlees4496 Calzaghe mentioned in this thread has to be a joke....LOL
I suppose we were delusional about Henry Cooper who would have knocked out Ali if his corner men had torn his glove further and administered illegal smelling salts . That's a fact that was admitted to nearly 30 years later .
I saw this fight This did for Watson Look at the knockout
What?
Left hook to WAtson`s body at 7:15, something Eubank didn`t do often enough.
Right to the body at 7:31, pattern is set.
Nigel Benn wanted no part of The Body Snatcher.😁 McCallum I would put as one of the top 100 fighters of all time.
McCallum hit Watson so hard that even the viewers at home were seeing yellow spots!
McCallum's performance that night was near faultless. Watson was a good boxer but was outclassed. McCallum might have even given Hagler problems.
True. He would have caused Hagler problems.
DHTCF you noticed how all of those USA guys like Haglar, Hearns & Ray all avoided fighting him?
Yep.
If you wanted to show someone how to box, you could do a lot worse than show them McCallum and say, that's how to do it.
DHTCF McCallum beats Duran, Leonard, Hearns as well
But US guy named James Toney beat him twice. Another US guy Roy Jones also beat him.
Relentless in the 11th round