Mike McCaullum vs Bernard Hopkins 160lbs.

[zuru]

(Dog-gone ElmerSalsa,I am having a hard time putting these things together ahead of you,you seem to be on my wavelength,and I can't move quick enough.I thought about this about 3am,and got up to see your Toney/Hopkins post )
Anyway,I think That McCallum was an awesomely completely fighter,who fell(like Hopkins would)under the Toney spell,and couldn't get off against him.But against Hopkins,McCallum would be a shade shorter,but maybe(?),have a slight reach.Regardless,both men would be near equals in skills,but I think as complete as Hopkins is,McCallum put those combinations together like few could,aside from his idol Sugar R.Robinson.As old school as Hopkins is,McCallum would hit him from the top of his head,all the way down to his hips,and just keep them coming,of course Hopkins would be very game,but only to be counter-punched into a close,unanimous decision loss.McCallum wins.

[zuru]

(Dog-gone ElmerSalsa,I am having a hard time putting these things together ahead of you,you seem to be on my wavelength,and I can't move quick enough.I thought about this about 3am,and got up to see your Toney/Hopkins post )
Anyway,I think That McCallum was an awesomely completely fighter,who fell(like Hopkins would)under the Toney spell,and couldn't get off against him.But against Hopkins,McCallum would be a shade shorter,but maybe(?),have a slight reach.Regardless,both men would be near equals in skills,but I think as complete as Hopkins is,McCallum put those combinations together like few could,aside from his idol Sugar R.Robinson.As old school as Hopkins is,McCallum would hit him from the top of his head,all the way down to his hips,and just keep them coming,of course Hopkins would be very game,but only to be counter-punched into a close,unanimous decision loss.McCallum wins.

Nobody has an opinion on these two master technicians squaring off?Nobody?

[BoxBuzz]

I think I'd bet on McCallum myself. I think he'd manage to slow Hopkins down and out point him. I don't think BHOP could hurt him so I like his chances. I'm one of those who thinks he was underated and avoided.

However that theory aint getting much respect from the locals these days.

I think he just might have changed history had he got the shot at the right time. But I suppose we'll never know.

[dr_devious]

Close decision on points going either way, maybe BHop shading a 3 fight series 2-1. Very close, both master boxers but BHop has the better record at MW.

[Ezzard]

I think I'd bet on McCallum myself. I think he'd manage to slow Hopkins down and out point him. I don't think BHOP could hurt him so I like his chances. I'm one of those who thinks he was underated and avoided.

However that theory aint getting much respect from the locals these days.

I think he just might have changed history had he got the shot at the right time. But I suppose we'll never know.

I agree, Buzz. McCallum would win this one. I also think he'd have cleaned up what was left of Hagler, Hearns, Leonard and Duran as he began to peak as they were all on the way out.

[dr_devious]

Big Mac is one of my favourite fighters. However, he lost to Kalambay and was driven right to the wire by Herol Graham, 2 highly skilled technicians, but both a level below BHop.

[Ezzard]

Big Mac is one of my favourite fighters. However, he lost to Kalambay and was driven right to the wire by Herol Graham, 2 highly skilled technicians, but both a level below BHop.

Graham and Kalambay were two of the most unorthodox and difficult fighters to box. They were both excellent defensively and were avoided fighters in their own right.

Hearns and Leonard (despite what some claim) always came to fight. Yes, both could box and move brilliantly but would also come down off their toes and trade. I believe McCallum would have had a size advantage which would have helped him.

I'm not saying he would definitely have beaten them but they would have been very close affairs.

[dr_devious]

I agree that McCallum would have given BHop, Leonard and Hearns close fights, and may have won some of these fight especially in multi-fight series / rematches

[elmersalsa]

I believe that McCallum would have beaten Hearns and Leonard and Duran if given the opportunity. Leonard over the welter limit nor Duran were that great. It looked that they struggle a lot to make the weight in those classes, especially Duran.

Mike was so good, it was scary. He had that left hook that put Donald Curry to sleep down pack, and he was a terrific body puncher, one of the all time best in that department.

I pick McCallum by decision. Better technician than Hopkins. I only see BHop more stronger and with a bigger punch, that's all.

[dr_devious]

Big Mac is one of my favourite fighters. However, he lost to Kalambay and was driven right to the wire by Herol Graham, 2 highly skilled technicians, but both a level below BHop.

Hopkins was a totally different fighter than those two. In some ways, he's not as good as they were.

Have seen a lot of Graham coming from the UK, less of Kalambay. Graham was one of the best British fighters never to win a world title. He was extremely awkward. Kalambay beat him twice, just seemed to have his number. They were both very awkward, other than that I dont see how they were better than Hopkins.

[dr_devious]

Hopkins had a knack of winning all his fights!
Graham was faster than Hopkins, but he dropped his hands a lot and could be caught. Hopkins had a better chin and more power than these two, and was at least as skillful and a better tactician.

[Eric the Viking]

Hopkins had a knack of winning all his fights!

No he didn't.

[dr_devious]

Hopkins had a knack of winning all his fights!

No he didn't.

He did for 12-13 years, which is a serious winning streak

[Eric the Viking]

He did for 12-13 years, which is a serious winning streak

Agreed - but you did say "all."

My problem with Hopkins' ATG status at MW is based on how he did against fellow HOF-caliber true middleweights, i.e. not guys like DLH or Tito who started out at lightweight or welter. You have to admit, he faced very few such fighters, and his record against them ain't great - I have him 0-3, with a clear loss to Jones and 2 close losses to Taylor. He won hi MW title against the extremely weak Mercado, and after that it was mostly little guys and second-raters. His most impressive wins were vs. Tito and Tarver. I give him credit for great longevity, but I gotta say, looking at his his MW tenure, it's far from impressive in an ATG sense. Like I said, 0-3 against fellow genuine HOF-caliber middles.

I think prime McCallum would have given him all he could handle, just like he did vs. Toney in their first two fights, at least one of which was a blatant robbery, almost as bad as the Tiberi incident.