VIDEO INTERVIEW: McCallum on Hagler, Hearns, Curry and more

Boxing Banter News · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 1935 Location: BoxingBanter.com

McCallum speaks about the bitterness he retains about being
avoided by the Fabulous Four of the 1980s, particularly Marvin
Hagler and Thomas Hearns

http://sports.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Other-sports/2008/08/26/Boxing-McCallum-on-Hagler-Hearns-Curry-and-more/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/boxing/

McBride · Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 3682 Location: Spain.

I think we had a thread about this some time last year. As i dont have the knowledge or documentation availability of LRR I could only go on memory, but I was positive I had read that the big 4 avoided Mike like the plague, but others on here remained unconvinced. I still fervently believe that it was Leonard who first told MM when they met at a fight in Vegas that he couldn't speak for the other 3 but that Mike had " no chance " of sharing the ring with SRL, " too risky " seemed to be the reason.

LondonRingRules · Posted: September 02 2008, 3:08 AM Post subject:

McBride wrote: I think we had a thread about this some time last year. As i dont have the knowledge or documentation availability of LRR I could only go on memory, but I was positive I had read that the big 4 avoided Mike like the plague, but others on here remained unconvinced. I still fervently believe that it was Leonard who first told MM when they met at a fight in Vegas that he couldn't speak for the other 3 but that Mike had " no chance " of sharing the ring with SRL, " too risky " seemed to be the reason.

--- It just so happens that I'm fresh off the Toney/McCallum 1 fight that Mike is hard done by with just a draw.

Hard to score early because of the great defense shown, Mc started to slowly win clear rounds and breakdown Toney's style such that Toney began to look like a clubfighter the last few rounds.

Toney had a huge flurry that lasted 30sec in the middle of the 12th that probably got him the draw, and both fighters so spent they could barely throw punches to finish.

Mc doesn't understand the business end of boxing. He was never a factor in Marv's division before Marv retired. Marv made all relevant fights the networks wanted. Leonard a part time retired fighter only making legacy bouts. He was ducking everyone at that phase. Duran on his last legs as a championship fighter approaching 100 fights. Mc might have a different view of things had he ever stuck around so long. No reason for Duran to fight him basically.

Hearns becomes a management dispute between him and Steward. With Tommy's stellar career of constant challenges, it just seems a petty accusation.

What happens is Mc comes to this country as an unknown, slowly makes a name in a tough business from scratch, and he gets plenty of chances for titles, just not the super big names because he was starting out.

Curry, Toney, and Jones were substantial fights that made him his best money, but it so happens his story is like many fine fighters who lacked the connections to get the biggest fights out there for him. Eddie Machen never got a title shot, and Liston/Williams/Folley not until past prime because of boxing politics, they being mob affiliated.

Mcc doesn't even begin his career until the year after the classic Duran/Leonard 1980 series. Duran already running on his last legs, and Leonard shortly to retire for a few years.

And no, my memory not that great, but I can overlay timelines to figure out what is practical and what's not. I happen to like Mcc and no doubt he could have been promoted better, but he just fell into the lesser era of Toney and Jones as an older, less compelling fighter is what it boils down to. Remember, he doesn't turn pro until age 25, so by the time he becomes a name fans can remember, he's near Hagler's retirement age.

TOUGH and well skilled. That's why his IBHOF.

McBride · Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 3682 Location: Spain.

LondonRingRules wrote: McBride wrote: I think we had a thread about this some time last year. As i dont have the knowledge or documentation availability of LRR I could only go on memory, but I was positive I had read that the big 4 avoided Mike like the plague, but others on here remained unconvinced. I still fervently believe that it was Leonard who first told MM when they met at a fight in Vegas that he couldn't speak for the other 3 but that Mike had " no chance " of sharing the ring with SRL, " too risky " seemed to be the reason.

--- It just so happens that I'm fresh off the Toney/McCallum 1 fight that Mike is hard done by with just a draw.

Hard to score early because of the great defense shown, Mc started to slowly win clear rounds and breakdown Toney's style such that Toney began to look like a clubfighter the last few rounds.

Toney had a huge flurry that lasted 30sec in the middle of the 12th that probably got him the draw, and both fighters so spent they could barely throw punches to finish.

Mc doesn't understand the business end of boxing. He was never a factor in Marv's division before Marv retired. Marv made all relevant fights the networks wanted. Leonard a part time retired fighter only making legacy bouts. He was ducking everyone at that phase. Duran on his last legs as a championship fighter approaching 100 fights. Mc might have a different view of things had he ever stuck around so long. No reason for Duran to fight him basically.

Hearns becomes a management dispute between him and Steward. With Tommy's stellar career of constant challenges, it just seems a petty accusation.

What happens is Mc comes to this country as an unknown, slowly makes a name in a tough business from scratch, and he gets plenty of chances for titles, just not the super big names because he was starting out.

Curry, Toney, and Jones were substantial fights that made him his best money, but it so happens his story is like many fine fighters who lacked the connections to get the biggest fights out there for him. Eddie Machen never got a title shot, and Liston/Williams/Folley not until past prime because of boxing politics, they being mob affiliated.

Mcc doesn't even begin his career until the year after the classic Duran/Leonard 1980 series. Duran already running on his last legs, and Leonard shortly to retire for a few years.

And no, my memory not that great, but I can overlay timelines to figure out what is practical and what's not. I happen to like Mcc and no doubt he could have been promoted better, but he just fell into the lesser era of Toney and Jones as an older, less compelling fighter is what it boils down to. Remember, he doesn't turn pro until age 25, so by the time he becomes a name fans can remember, he's near Hagler's retirement age.

TOUGH and well skilled. That's why his IBHOF.

Cheers for the reply LRR. I've been offline for a while, so only just got round to reading it. I must have a lot of things wrong about Mike then. As I was under the impression he lived in New York with a wife / girlfriend who died there and left him with a little girl to bring up when he was only a teenager himself. Although that might well explain why he didn't turn pro till late, as he might have needed a steadier income with a little kid to care for.