Hardly he was more consistent but his resume is mostly also-rans... he's the most overrated "legend" ever... "OH! OH! OH! HE WOULD HAVE BEAT... HE COULD HAVE BEAT..." Fuck that, who DID he beat? Starling was a master boxer, same as McCallum. McCallum basically had a longer career and was more dedicated, but to say he's in a "different league" is nonsense
Nunn and Starling were also world-class. I don't see how McCallum's resume supports an "undisputed" ATG
McCallum was just such a natural. He was one of those guys who could make everything seem rehearsed. He was so relaxed in the ring. Everything his opponent did, he countered and reacted with second nature. He wasted no movement. He may have improvised in there, but it didn't look like it. As I said, it looked rehearsed. And that's because he had such great instincts.
Well, if we go on names only, we have Jackson, McCrory, Curry, Graham, Watson, Collins and two close as hell fights with Kalambay (a very underrated, quality fighter). That's a pretty good collection, even compensating for the fact that Curry was post-Honeyghan and McCrory was post-Curry. He beat the fucking shit out of Watson, the best of the three world class British middleweights at the time. He knocked Jackson out inside five minutes. He was also pretty well avoided for quite a while. Starling was definitely world class, I agree. A cracking fighter. Nunn was talented but proved very little. MTF
of course, all very good... my only point was that people act like McCallum was like a Duran/Leonard level guy... he wasn't. He has a better resume than Starling or Nunn. In the ring, however, in terms of looking at fighters on a fight by fight, who beats who basis, it's nonsense to suggest McCallum was in some otherwordly class. Starling's claim to greatness is soured because he lacked consistency and dedication, not because he lacked the requisite skills and talent. At his best, he was a great, great boxer, just like McCallum was
Ah, okay, now I'm with you. :truce: That just takes me back to my original point; Nunn's entire reputation is based on that win. There is very little to suggest from the rest of his career that the Kalambay fight was anything other than one of those freak boxing results; one of those anomalies which happen in the sport sometimes. I agree with your other post. McCallum was a great fighter, and an ATG in my and most other people's books. But he's not a top-ten guy like the others you listed. MTF
Who in the world has McCallum in the top ten OAT? Brother clogg just wants to rail against the (imaginary) establishment like a good tim.