Michael McKenzie McCallum (7 December 1956 – 31 May 2025) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1997. He held world championships in three weight classes, including the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight title from 1984 to 1988, the WBA middleweight title from 1989 to 1991, and the World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight title from 1994 to 1995.

A slick, hard-hitting technician in the ring, McCallum was known for his exceptionally durable chin and toughness, and was never stopped in any of his five losses. He earned his nickname of "The Bodysnatcher" due to his ability to land vicious body punches in fights. McCallum was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2011, The Ring magazine ranked him as eighth on their list of the "10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years."

McCallum died in Las Vegas on 31 May 2025, at the age of 68.

Amateur career Claimed an amateur record of 240–10 1974 – Competed as a welterweight in the World Championships in Havana, losing by a 3rd-round TKO to Clint Jackson of the United States. 1974 – Won welterweight silver medal at the 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games. 1975 – Represented Jamaica at the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City. 1976 – Represented Jamaica as a welterweight at Montreal Olympic Games. Results were: Defeated Damdinjavyn Bandi (Mongolia) points Defeated Robert Dauer (Australia) points Lost to Reinhard Skricek (West Germany) points 1977 – National AAU Welterweight Champion, defeating Marlon Starling in semifinals and Roger Leonard of the Air Force in the final. 1977 – National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion 1978 – Won welterweight gold medal at the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games. 1978 – Welterweight Gold Medalist at Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. 1978 – Won welterweight gold medal at the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games. 1979 – National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion, defeating Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims. 1979 – Welterweight Silver Medalist at Pan-American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Results were: Defeated Claudio Pereira (Brazil) Defeated Edward Green (United States) TKO 2 Defeated Javier Colin (Mexico) TKO Lost to Andrés Aldama (Cuba) KO by 2 1979 – National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion. 1980 – Lost to Alex Ramos in New York Golden Gloves.

Professional career

Light middleweight

Mike McCallum turned professional in 1981. As a professional, he fought almost exclusively in the USA. He first became a world champion in 1984 by defeating Sean Mannion to win the vacant WBA super welterweight title. McCallum would defend that title six times, winning all six fights by knockout.

His first prominent opponent was future two-weight world champion and future fellow International Boxing Hall of Fame member Julian Jackson, whom McCallum fought in his third title defense. McCallum survived some punishment in the first round and came back to stop the undefeated Jackson in the second round.

McCallum really came to prominence when he knocked out former WBC welterweight title-holder Milton McCrory and former undisputed world welterweight champion, another future International Boxing Hall of Fame member, Donald Curry in 1987. Curry was ahead on all three scorecards going into the fifth round when McCallum knocked him out with what some have called a "perfect" left hook.

Middleweight

In 1988, he moved up to middleweight, suffering his first defeat, a clear unanimous decision, in an attempt to win the WBA middleweight championship from Sumbu Kalambay. In 1989, McCallum defeated Herol Graham by a split decision to win the then-vacant WBA middleweight title (which had been stripped from Kalambay for signing to face IBF champion Michael Nunn). He defended the title three times, defeating Steve Collins, Michael Watson, and Kalambay in a rematch.

McCallum fought IBF middleweight champion James Toney in 1991. McCallum was stripped of the WBA title before the bout. The fight ended in a draw, and McCallum lost the second fight by a controversial majority decision the following year. Some felt that McCallum had won both fights.

Light heavyweight

McCallum then moved up two weight divisions and won the WBC interim light heavyweight title against Randall Yonker, then won the full WBC title by outpointing Jeff Harding in 1994. Being in his late thirties, he did not hold the crown long, losing the title to Fabrice Tiozzo. At 40 years of age, he attempted to regain the vacant Interim WBC title against Roy Jones Jr. in December 1996, but lost by a wide decision.

In his last fight, McCallum lost a rubber match to James Toney via a unanimous decision in a cruiserweight bout.

McCallum had a professional record of 49–5–1 (36 knockouts). He was never knocked out as a professional. After McCallum retired, he moved to Las Vegas and became a trainer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes55LossJames ToneyUD1222 Feb 199754Loss49–4–1Roy Jones Jr.UD1222 Nov 199653Win49–3–1Ali SaidiUD1022 Jun 199652Loss48–3–1Fabrice TiozzoUD1216 Jun 199551Win48–2–1Carl JonesTKO7 (12), 25 Feb 199550Win47–2–1Jeff HardingUD1223 Jul 199449Win46–2–1Randall YonkerTKO5 (12), 4 Mar 199448Win45–2–1Glenn Thomas1014 Aug 199347Win44–2–1Ramzi HassanUD1025 Mar 199346Loss43–2–1James Toney1229 Aug 199245Win43–1–1Fermin ChirinoUD1021 May 199244Draw42–1–1James Toney1213 Dec 199143Win42–1Nicky WalkerRTD5 (10), 10 Oct 199142Win41–1Carlos CruzatUD1029 Aug 199141Win40–1Sumbu KalambaySD121 Apr 199140Win39–1Frank MintonTKO4 (10), 19 Feb 199139Win38–1Michael WatsonKO11 (12), 14 Apr 199038Win37–1Steve CollinsUD123 Feb 199037Win36–1Herol Graham1210 May 198936Win35–1Ralph MoncriefTKO59 Jan 198935Win34–1Randy SmithUD1022 Dec 198834Win33–1David McCluskeyTKO2 (10), 27 Jun 198833Loss32–1Sumbu KalambayUD125 Mar 198832Win32–0Donald CurryKO5 (15), 18 Jul 198731Win31–0Milton McCroryTKO10 (15), 19 Apr 198730Win30–0Leroy HesterKO1 (10), 21 Mar 198729Win29–0Said SkoumaTKO9 (15), 25 Oct 198628Win28–0Irving HinesTKO4 (10)15 Sep 198627Win27–0Julian JacksonTKO2 (15), 23 Aug 198626Win26–0Jimmy ShaversTKO62 May 198625Win25–0David BraxtonTKO8 (15), 28 Jul 198524Win24–0Marcos MartinezTKO2 (10)15 Jun 198523Win23–0Luigi MinchilloTKO13 (15)1 Dec 198422Win22–0Sean MannionUD1519 Oct 198421Win21–0Hasim RazzaqKO1 (10), 10 Mar 198420Win20–0Manuel JiminezUD1025 Oct 198319Win19–0Jose VallejoTKO6 (10)31 Aug 198318Win18–0Tony SueroTKO3 (10)26 Apr 198317Win17–0Ayub Kalule7 (10), 13 Nov 198216Win16–0Carlos BetancourtTKO3 (10)22 Oct 198215Win15–0Kevin Perry1011 Jun 198214Win14–0Reggie FordTKO4 (10)30 Apr 198213Win13–0Gilberto AlmonteKO1 (10), 26 Mar 198212Win12–0Greg YoungTKO5 (10), 22 Jan 198211Win11–0Jimmy HeairTKO2 (10)8 Oct 198110Win10–0Ed HarrisKO1 (8)8 Sep 19819Win9–0Tirso RoqueKO3 (8)27 Aug 19818Win8–0Bruce StraussTKO319 Jul 19817Win7–0Freddie CreechKO310 Jun 19816Win6–0Charles SmithKO330 Apr 19815Win5–0Danny Chapman4 (4), 24 Apr 19814Win4–0Shelby WilkersonKO52 Apr 19813Win3–0Ricky SheppardKO519 Mar 19812Win2–0Rocky FabrizioKO13 Mar 19811Win1–0Rigoberto Lopez4 (6)14 Jan 1981

Titles in boxing Major world titles WBA light middleweight champion (154 lbs) WBA middleweight champion (160 lbs) WBC light heavyweight champion (175 lbs)

Interim world titles WBC interim light heavyweight champion (175 lbs)

See also List of boxing triple champions List of world light-middleweight boxing champions List of world middleweight boxing champions List of world light-heavyweight boxing champions

References

External links