Ohh...Good GRIEF! Who brings you THIS Dreamfight other than Bizzy On Boxing Productions and AmatoBoxing Entertainment??? Try NOBODY! This is one (LEGIT) 'Dreamfight' that I don't think I've EVER heard mentioned!!!
Just when the water is finally still from the previous Dream Fights, Bizzy brings on another major teaser. Monzon v. McCallum, Escopeti v. Bodysnatcher.
My initial reaction is Monzon by decision, but I need to think this through more thoroughly to give a final verdict. McCallum was not known as the Bodysnatcher for nothing. He wore opponents down. He probably had as much one punch power in his fists as Monzon, as evidenced by the famous left hook that flattened Curry. And he held his own against the premier fighters of his day, giving Toney three very tough battles. But McCallum was as much a technician as a KO artist. He took a split decision from Graham in London and a split decision from Kalambay in Monaco. He was a very smart fighter who knew how to finish strong and he was a skilled defensive fighter, very durable.
Monzon was much more of a dominant performer than McCallum. While McCallum employed craft and guile as part of his repertoire, Monzon was a devastating force. Monzon had the eye of the tiger in the ring, that savagery that is borne of an impoverished childhood, like Dempsey and Duran. His inner rage fueled a ferocity that wore opponents down and brought a high percentage of TKOs. Monzon was dominating right to the end, scoring KOs in four of his last six bouts, all title defenses against the cream of the middleweight division.
Monzon and McCallum were both durable and could take it. Monzon survived Briscoe's best shot and McCallum went 36 rounds with Toney and gave as good as he got for the most part.
I think Monzon would handle McCallum the way he handled Rodrigo Valdez in consecutive bouts in 1977 before retiring, winning by unanimous decision over 12 rounds.
I agree with Mike and Ted on this one. This is one Dream Fight I never thought of and it is a good one. Monzon by decision in a tough, tough fight. McCallum is one guy who never got a lot of press but he is very deserving of his spot in Canastota.
First off my man, mike may well have been along with hearns the 2 greatest jrmiddles ever. at middle and up mike was very good. monzon, was perhaps the best at middle. still this is a good fight. i see monzon winning a close fight. mrmonzon.
**BRIEF MESSAGE FOM BIZZY** Via mental telepathy, As transcribed/interpereted by one Doc Deacon. (Medium extraorinaire) "Bizzy says you guys have got it all wrong." But the Modem is down and its driving him nuts!
Well, thank you for relaying my msg Deacon, as I was indeed under a tad bit of mental distress due to the circumstances...
YES, as I was saying -- you guys simply have it all wrong! By god, MR.MONZON was the closest guy to the actual truth! (Boy...isn't THAT ironic???)
This was a trap guys -- and you went for it hook, line, and sphincter. You see, I knew you guys would underestimate "Double M", but hey -- go ahead: McCallum should probably be about a 2-1 underdog here, but you guys are pushing it up to about 3-1. Keep it up -- let's push it up to about 5-1.
Bizzy will be laughing all the way to bank and tobacco shop.
First off, as Monzon said (boy that sounds odd...) McCallum was the greatest junior middle in history, and one of the greatest middles ever! EDER JOFRE is probably the most underrated fighter in history (due to geography and size) but Mike McCallum?
One of the most underrated middleweights in history, and perhaps the most underrated fighter of modern times.
Pastrano...McCallum was "better than good". MUCH better than good. But most of the marquee/great welters & middles of his era didn't want to fight him -- and for good reason! The man never got his just due.
Oh, and one other thing guys...
Who worked with Mike McCallum?
None other than AmatoBoxings Kenny "Well Done" Weldon! And guess what? Since this is 'Dreamfights', Weldon will once again be in his corner, however it won't be as a THIRTY year old...
...It will be as a WILY ol' SIXTY year old H.M.I.C!!! ( Head Man In Charge! )
Ohh...the crowd steps back a little now...
And a trainer here could be of paramount importance against the truly great Monzon, as I think this fight WILL probably go the distance, and will also probably be CLOSE.
But with a fair and reasonable panel of judges in this fight...I am going with MCCALLUM -- by close decision!
YES! Mikey gets his chance, topples an ALL-TIME-GREAT, and FINALLY...gets his JUST DUE!
As far as the 154/160 thing for Mikey -- not much of a concern to me. Mike was struggling like hell to make 154 before he moved up to 160. He's got a big frame, and he's a big-boned guy. He's just a pretty big dude period, really. He did very well at 175 late in his career for that matter.
Close fight guys...but I sense an upset. While on the surface it might seem to be a "major upset" to some -- it really should be looked at as nothing more than a very minor upset.
*taps on temple*...;-)
( "Hey, somebody grab the bucket of Gatorade so we can dump it over Weldon in celebration of victory...well...there's not one around so we'll just use the spit bucket!" )
You guys...*chuckle*...I just checked the poll results...yes Monzon was great, and yes this is a tough call -- but I can't believe there has only been ONE vote (yeah, wonder who that was?) cast for M.M so far...*shakes head*...
Mike Mccallum was indeed a good fighter. He won the 154 pound title and defended it six times in four years till he got beat by Kalumbay. He won it from Sean Mannion.Thats a fine record and he did beat Donal Curry and Julian Jackson.Monzon however beat guys like Benvenuti, Griffith,and Rodrigo Valdez and had like 14 defenses and NEVER LOST it over I believe 7 years at a higher weight.of 160. Its no suprise that it seems everyone is picking Monzon but Bizzy.Whats in that p[ipe of yours Brian. Anything is p;ossible of course but the las vegas odds would be making Monzon a heavy favorite.
Nothing but the finest cavendish my friend -- of which I would be smoking plenty of after this bout. (lol)
I'm not here to at all denigrate Monzon or his credentials -- for they are beyond reproach. But this notion that McCallum is 'out of his league' here I find to be a preposterous load of donkey do-do; M.M was one of the cagiest middles that ever lived, and was never stopped. I think this would be a very close and competitive bout.
As for Vegas making Monzon a heavy favorite here - a far more heavy favorite than what he SHOULD be that is - you might just be right on that one.
It seems like a classic case of that actually. Part of the reason why I find this fight to be a bit titilating, perhaps...
McCallum reminds me of Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, and dare-I-say Bernard Hopkins a bit. As in = Much better than what many realize. ( * I would give Monzon the slight nod over Hopkins, but I indeed think Bernard would make it 'close and competitive'.)
BTW - The very close loss to Kalumbay was avenged, but Kalumbay's style no doubt just gave him some problems. *shrugs shoulders* He also has a win over Steve Collins at the age of about 35, who is a guy that was recently brought up here in a piece as a possible Hall Of Fame candidate, a notion I actually don't agree with. ( Collins was a good fighter, but neither great nor "famous" -- except for in Ireland perhaps.)
McCallum was avoided by the superstar welters and middles of the 80's as if a flatulent airline passenger with tuberculosis; they wouldn't touch him with a 10-foot pollock.
Mike is hungry for respect in this one gentlemen...he is HUNGRY for a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T...
BTW - The very close loss to Kalumbay was avenged, but Kalumbay's style no doubt just gave him some problems. *shrugs shoulders
Bizzy- Close? The scores in the first Kalamby-McCallum fight are VERY deceiving, and extremely suspect IMO. Kalamby won going away, easily outboxing him over the 12 rounds. I was rooting for Mike, but he fought a horrible,listless fight that day, Kalamby was the definition of Ring Generalship, a term I've never cared for but which fit that fight to a "T". I have a good copy if you need it.
Oh...who will be McCallum's ace cutman, just in case? Well, if we go with the living, it would have to be probably the best cutman alive today...
Jacob "Stitch" Duran.
Duran actually co-hosts an internet-radio show weekly with Nick Ward, who is incidentally a VERY big McCallum supporter and pretty asute 'handicapper'. The show was off the air in 2006, but was recently picked back up in 2007. It is on fighthype.com .
( I'll try and put it up in The Links section later. Anyways, I'm out for now...;-)
Well guys, I think that DreamFight #4 well probably captivate and 'capture the imagination' of the masses a bit more than this one ( * Man -- I LOVED this one myself! lol. ) but I do have to say the following...
In terms of sheer excitement and refined skill -- it's highly unlikely that anything will match the original of Galento-Carnera.
( Hey -- I'm just being realistic there guys...lol.)
Intreresting comment Ted. McCallum at one time was part of the Kronk stable. He really wanted to fight Hearns but I don't think Manny Steward wanted that to happen. Too bad...That would have been a great fight. How about " The Body Snatcher " vs " Marvelous Marv " ?
Carnera-Galento..No joke Biz, that could have been a hell of a fight. Gil Clancey always said a short guy should fight " small " against a much taller opponent. Stay as low as possible, weave under his jab, get inside and work him over. I can really see Galento doing that to Primo. I think it would be a bloody, gory pier six brawl with Two Ton towering over a prone Carnera in one of the late rounds.
Intreresting comment Ted. McCallum at one time was part of the Kronk stable. He really wanted to fight Hearns but I don't think Manny Steward wanted that to happen. Too bad...That would have been a great fight. How about " The Body Snatcher " vs " Marvelous Marv " ?
Jim- I remember when McCallum beat Milt McCrory, the TV Cameras didn't capture it but the announcer mentioned something about McCallum getting up in Manny Stewards Face.
Galento-Golota...After Galento conected with one of his patented from the floor left hooks...Golota would have the same shell shocked look he had when Lennox Lewis teed off on him. It would be goodnight Golota.
actually it may be the right time to reprint the aritice I wrote on Galento vrs Golata with Brian Bizzack at ringside-How does that sound ?
YES! That was the one in which Golota hit Tony in the 'breadbasket' (or ballsack?) and then Tony responded by expelling a horrendous torrent of gas in the face of the polski! A SPLENDID piece!
( I NEVER get tired of Galento pieces, I NEVER get tired of fart jokes, and I NEVER get tired of seeing my own name in print!!!)
*thumb up!* (and pull my finger!)
send it to bizzyonboxing@hotmail.com and I'll 'cut & paste' it!!!
BTW - The very close loss to Kalumbay was avenged, but Kalumbay's style no doubt just gave him some problems. *shrugs shoulders 
