McCallumLAS VEGAS, Nevada, CMC:
MIKE MCCALLUM, Jamaica's former three-time world boxing champion, has described his 1987 win over the American Donald Curry as the most memorable accomplishment of his career.
McCallum, who will be inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame later this year, surprisingly chose his sensational fifth round knockout of Curry over title-winning championship bouts against Sean Mannion, Herol Graham and Jeff Harding.
"The fight with Donald Curry is one of those moments that I will never forget. Curry was on top of his game, he was one of the best fighters pound for pound," McCallum said when asked to select his biggest moment in the ring.
Las Vegas bookmakers had listed Curry a slight favourite over McCallum, and the American - with crisp punching and superior speed - had controlled the early rounds before he was flattened by a stunning left hook.
"It was a great fight, and after beating him I said 'well I must be the man', it was a good time in my life, I look back at those times and I am overwhelmed," McCallum told CMC.
The bout was McCallum's sixth and final defence of his World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight (154-pound) title, after which he moved up to the middleweight (160-pound) division.
McCallum, who held world titles at junior middleweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight will be inducted into World Boxing's Hall of Fame on October 19 in Los Angeles with other big names, George Foreman of the United States, and Mexicans Lupe Pintor and Miguel Canto as the 'The Class of 2002'.
The 46-year-old McCallum, now retired, became the first Jamaican world boxing champion when he out-pointed Mannion at Madison Square Garden in October 1984.
His 16-year professional career of 49 wins (36 knockouts) against five losses and one draw, ended in February 1997 when he unsuccessfully challenged James Toney for the WBU cruiserweight title.
