James Toney vs Mike McCallum 2

James Toney retained the International Boxing Federation middleweight championship with a majority decision over Mike McCallum at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada, on Saturday, August 29, 1992. Before an attendance of 3,653, Toney received the verdict after 12 rounds on scores of 118–110 and 117–110, while the third judge had the contest level at 114–114. The unusually wide winning cards did not reflect the closeness of many rounds, although Toney’s cleaner and more forceful punching gave him victory.

The contest followed their split draw in Atlantic City nine months earlier, when McCallum had controlled much of the early action before Toney rallied strongly and shook him during the final round. Since then, Toney had retained his title by a highly disputed split decision over Dave Tiberi, defeated Glenn Wolfe in another defence and stopped Ricky Stackhouse in a non-title contest. McCallum had boxed only once, outpointing Fermin Chirino. Toney entered the rematch unbeaten in 33 professional appearances, weighed 158¾ pounds and earned $700,000. McCallum, a former champion at junior-middleweight and middleweight, brought a record of 43 wins, one defeat and one draw. He weighed 158 pounds and received $500,000. At 35, the Jamaican was nearly 12 years older than the champion.

Toney began more purposefully than he had in their first meeting. The pair traded jabs in the opening round, with the champion advancing in measured steps and releasing quick combinations to the body. McCallum used his greater height to jab from outside and landed a double left hook late in the round. The second followed a similar course. Toney’s hands were quicker and his movements sharper, but McCallum continued to probe with the jab and drove hard punches beneath the champion’s elbows. At the bell, Toney struck with a short blow between a hook and a jab which rocked McCallum sufficiently to leave an impression upon the judges.

The first heavy right hand of the contest was delivered by Toney 20 seconds into the third. McCallum absorbed it without serious difficulty and answered with hooks before returning to the jab. Toney planted his feet and attempted another looping right, slipping and rolling beneath the challenger’s replies while catching others on his gloves. McCallum nevertheless remained busy enough to prevent the younger man from dictating the round completely. The fourth produced the sustained exchanges which had distinguished their first contest. McCallum struck Toney firmly in the ribs with a right, only for the champion to finish the exchange with a right to the head. A left-right combination from McCallum near the bell appeared to secure the round for him.

Toney gained greater command from the fifth through the seventh. His jab landed with more weight than McCallum’s and frequently checked the challenger before a body attack could be established. At close quarters, Toney used the left hook to the head and straight right between McCallum’s gloves, defending with subtle shoulder movements and small turns of the waist. McCallum continued landing to the body and maintained the steadier output, but many punches were taken upon Toney’s arms and gloves. The champion worked in bursts, sometimes pausing for long intervals to watch and calculate, then suddenly producing the cleaner combination. This economy made the rounds competitive because McCallum was nearly always working, but Toney’s punches were generally the more conspicuous.

McCallum was penalised one point by referee Joe Cortez in the eighth after striking Toney behind the back while holding him in a headlock. There had been some rough work between them, and the punishment was disputed at ringside. Toney had bent low during several exchanges, leaving awkward targets, and McCallum believed the deduction unjustified. Whatever its merit, the lost point placed additional pressure upon the challenger. He responded by increasing his pace and driving Toney backwards for the first sustained period of the contest, attacking the body with both hands and attempting to recover the deficit through sheer activity.

The ninth was another closely contested round. Toney landed a powerful lead left hook and followed with a second, cleaner hook as McCallum moved towards the ropes. Neither punch disturbed the challenger’s balance. McCallum immediately resumed work and struck Toney’s ribs with a four-punch series. In the tenth, Toney moved more freely, jabbing while circling and looking to bring the right hand over McCallum’s left. The older man’s jab had lost some of its earlier authority, but he remained effective when Toney rested and won several exchanges at close range. McCallum’s trainer, Eddie Futch, regarded the contest as close and instructed him that the remaining rounds were essential.

Toney stalked the challenger through much of the eleventh. A hard right landed midway through the round, followed later by a left hook and right uppercut. McCallum was tired but remained technically composed, using the jab and answering whenever the champion paused. Both men worked hard in the twelfth. McCallum, knowing that the point deduction and Toney’s stronger middle rounds might have placed him behind, pressed the action and threw combinations to head and body. Toney stood his ground and replied with shorter, heavier counters. Neither boxer was knocked down or seriously hurt, and all three judges awarded the final round to McCallum.

The decision made Toney’s record 32 wins and two draws, while McCallum suffered only the second defeat of his career. Contemporary punch figures credited McCallum with landing 332 of 849 blows and Toney with 232 of 714, but the judges placed greater value upon the champion’s harder and more visible punches. The 114–114 card and a ringside score of 115–112 for Toney were more representative of the contest than the two wide official margins. Toney announced afterwards that the difficulty of making 160 pounds had ended his middleweight career and that he intended to challenge Iran Barkley at super-middleweight. McCallum protested the scoring but acknowledged Toney’s quality. The rematch had lacked some of the sustained drama of their first meeting, yet it remained an exacting contest between two accomplished counter-punchers, with Toney’s sharper early work and more damaging combinations narrowly separating them.

James Toney and Mike McCallum were proper craftsmen. In this rematch, Toney deserved the decision; those 118–110 and 117–110 cards were nonsense. This was a close, technical contest, not a beating.

Toney landed the harder, cleaner punches and his jab was excellent, but McCallum outworked him for long periods, attacked the body and made him think every second. The point deducted from McCallum in the eighth was harsh and made his task even harder.

What impressed me was Toney’s composure against a man who could expose every mistake. Before McCallum, Toney often relied on instinct and natural talent. McCallum forced him to slow down, defend properly and choose his counters. That education helped produce the fighter who later dismantled Iran Barkley. Toney won narrowly, but the scorecards insulted McCallum’s performance. He was far too good to be reduced to a supporting role.