Oliver McCall - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Oliver "The Atomic Bull" McCall (born April 21, 1965) is an American professional Heavyweight

Heavyweight

Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...

boxer best known for winning the WBC

World Boxing Council

The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

Heavyweight Championship in 1994 after scoring an upset knock out victory over Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

, in Lewis' home town of London, England, followed by his infamous in-ring meltdown in the rematch. In a long rollercoaster career that has been blighted by drug addiction and almost constant legal troubles, McCall has served as the chief sparring partner for a peak Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...

, then later come into his own as a professional, defeating Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

, Lionel Butler, Bruce Seldon

Bruce Seldon

Bruce Samuel Seldon is a retired American boxer and former world champion, having won the World Boxing Association heavyweight title in 1995.-Amateur career:...

, Jesse Ferguson

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

, Francesco Damiani

Francesco Damiani

Francesco Damiani is an Italian former boxer who won the silver medal at the 1982 World Championships and at the 1984 Summer Olympics. As a professional, he was the first WBO heavyweight champion.-Amateur:...

, Oleg Maskaev

Oleg Maskaev

Oleg Alexandrovich Maskaev is a Russian professional boxer and a former WBC heavyweight champion. He is an ethnic Mordvin.-Boxing career:Maskaev, a former mine worker, began his career in the 1980s as an amateur boxer in the Soviet Union, where he held a victory over world champion Vitali...

, Henry Akinwande

Henry Akinwande

Henry Akinwande is a British former professional heavyweight boxer and former WBO world heavyweight champion.-Background:...

, Przemyslaw Saleta

Przemyslaw Saleta

Przemysław Saleta is a Polish former professional boxer and kickboxer, who has also competed in mixed martial arts.-Achievements:Kickboxing:*1990 W.A.K.O. World Championships in Madrid, Spain -91 kg...

, Sinan Samil Sam

Sinan Samil Sam

Sinan Şamil Sam is a German born Turkish heavyweight professional boxer. As a professional boxer, Sam won the EBU and WBC International titles in the heavyweight division.- Amateur career :...

, and Fres Oquendo

Fres Oquendo

Fres Oquendo was born April 1, 1973 in Puerto Rico, and is a professional heavyweight boxer.He had a successful amateur background.-Amateur career:He had an amateur record of 105-51990 178 lb. Springfield Golden Gloves Champion1992 178 lb...

Amateur career

McCall had a strong amateur career prior to turning pro, twice a winner of the Chicago Golden Gloves

Chicago Golden Gloves

This amateur boxing tournament is considered by many boxing aficionados as one of the three most elite Golden Gloves titles, along with the Intercity Golden Gloves and the New York Golden Gloves. The tournament is also more formally known as the Chicago Tribune Charities Golden Gloves Tournament of...

Professional career

Known as "The Atomic Bull", McCall turned pro in 1985 and slowly worked his way up the heavyweight ranks. He beat Jesse Ferguson and future heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon and lost a very close decision to Tony Tucker

Tony Tucker

Tony Craig Tucker is a retired professional heavyweight boxer. Tucker fought professionally from 1980 to 1998. Nicknamed "TNT," he won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, and was briefly a world heavyweight champion as a professional.-Amateur career:Tucker had a notable amateur career,...

before landing the shot against Lewis in 1994. After a close first round McCall came out aggressive in the second and landed his signature counter right hand as Lewis moved forward. Lewis dropped to the canvas and got up before the count of ten, but he was unsteady on his feet, forcing the referee to wave a stop to the fight.

McCall's win over Lewis marked Don King's return to power in the heavyweight division, since none of his stable of fighters had been able to win the heavyweight title since Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson

lost it in 1990. He successfully defended the title in a bout against 45 year old ex-champ Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

in Las Vegas winning 115-112 115-114 and 114-113 on the score cards, before returning to London to face Frank Bruno

Frank Bruno

Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...

in 1995.

During a press conference before the fight McCall claimed he was going to get revenge for America after Gerald McClellan

Gerald McClellan

Gerald McClellan is a former boxer from the United States of America, who was the WBO and WBC middleweight champion. McClellan's record as a professional boxer was 31 wins and 3 losses with 29 wins by knockout...

had been rendered brain damaged after a fight with Nigel Benn

Nigel Benn

Nigel Benn , known as "The Dark Destroyer", is a British former boxer who held world titles in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions....

a few months earlier. He had claimed that he was going to hurt Bruno and that the only thing Bruno would be able to do was throw illegal rabbit punches.

The fight took place at the old Wembley stadium. Bruno started off well, working behind the jab and landing some big right hands. McCall seemed disinterested in fighting and lagged far behind on the score cards going into the latter rounds. By round 9 Bruno had built up a big lead on the score cards and looked comfortably in charge. McCall finally sparked into life in round 10 perhaps realizing that he was behind on the score cards. McCall landed several big punches over the final 3 rounds and had Bruno in trouble several times but Bruno managed to hold on and win the title by a unanimous decision.

McCall returned to the ring 6 months after losing his title when he beat future WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev

Oleg Maskaev

in less than 3 minutes with a sneaky right hand. A month later McCall beat James Stanton in 6 rounds.

Lewis vs. McCall II

Lewis and McCall squared off again on February 7, 1997, in Las Vegas. In a bizarre fight, McCall refused to fight in the fourth and fifth rounds, beginning to cry and eventually forcing the referee to stop the fight and award Lewis the victory. The referee for the fight, Mills Lane

Mills Lane

Mills Bee Lane III is a retired boxing referee, a former boxer, was a two term Washoe County District Court Judge, and television personality...

, stated in an interview after the match, "In the third round, he got in close, and then seemed frustrated, and then he just backed off and put his arms down. . . . I thought he was playing possum but then I saw his lips started to quiver and I thought, 'My God, is he crying?'" Lane stopped the fight when McCall had refused to defend himself for several rounds.

In 2001 at the age of 36 he resurrected his career with a tenth round knockout of Henry Akinwande

Henry Akinwande

Henry Akinwande is a British former professional heavyweight boxer and former WBO world heavyweight champion.-Background:...

, at the time one of the most avoided contenders in the world, on a high profile Lennox Lewis undercard in Las Vegas. McCall was ranked number 4 in the world off this performance, but was arrested shortly afterwards and imprisoned for over a year, losing his ranking.

In December 2004 he lost a close points decision to fellow contender DaVarryl Williamson

DaVarryl Williamson

DaVarryl Williamson is an American boxer originally from Washington, D.C., but later a resident of Aurora, Colorado. His ring nickname is "Touch of Sleep". He has a current professional record of 26-6, 22KO...

on a high profile Don King undercard from New York, and in 2005 he traveled to Germany for an eliminator to skillful and well regarded Cuban Juan Carlos Gomez

Juan Carlos Gomez

Juan Carlos Gómez is a professional boxer. A former Cuban amateur star, he is also a former WBC Cruserweight Champion and a devout Muslim. He lives in and boxes out of Orlando, Florida, USA.-Early years and defection:...

, and was outpointed over ten rounds. However this loss was removed from McCall's record as Gomez later failed a drug test.

Aiming for another shot at the title

Despite his legal troubles, Oliver's career has since continued. He began his next run at a title with a first round TKO of Kenny Craven in June 2006.

McCall defeated Darroll Wilson

Darroll Wilson

Darroll Lamont Wilson is a professional boxer. He is a journeyman heavyweight best known for his performances against more notable contenders.-Pro Boxing Career:...

in a fourth-round TKO in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 9, 2006, for the WBC Fecarbox Championship.

On December 9, 2006, McCall defeated Yanqui Diaz

Yanqui Diaz

Yamplier Azcuy Díaz is a professional heavyweight boxer from Cuba, currently living and fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada-Amateur career:...

via seventh-round KO in Hollywood, Florida.

On 16 June 2007, McCall defeated Sinan Samil Sam

Sinan Samil Sam

Sinan Şamil Sam is a German born Turkish heavyweight professional boxer. As a professional boxer, Sam won the EBU and WBC International titles in the heavyweight division.- Amateur career :...

for the WBC

World Boxing Council

International Heavyweight Championship by unanimous decision in Ankara

Ankara

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....

, Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

. This guaranteed him a shot at the WBC

World Boxing Council

Heavyweight Championship (currently held by Vitali Klitschko

Vitali Klitschko

Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously...

). However, McCall took a fight with slick Cuban fighter Juan Carlos Gomez

Juan Carlos Gomez

, a fight which McCall lost. As a result, Gomez took his place as the WBC's next mandatory challenger.

The long inactive McCall defeated Australian John Hopoate

John Hopoate

John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New...

by 2nd round TKO on the May 22, 2009, for the vacant IBA intercontinental heavyweight belt. McCall dominated the fight and knocked Hopoate down twice.

He defended his IBA continental belt against Franklin Lawrence by a ten round unanimous decision on August 21, 2009, at the Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

On October 23, 2009, he defended his IBA continental title again by a ten round unanimous decision against 6'8" Lance Whitaker

Lance Whitaker

Lance Whitaker is an American heavyweight boxer, who won the bronze medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata...

.

McCall's next opponent was Timur Ibragimov

Timur Ibragimov

Timur Ibragimov is a heavyweight professional boxer.-Personal:...

. The two fought at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida. Ibragimov is a fringe contender with a impressive 27-2-1 record, however he hasn't fought anyone on McCall's level before. The former world champion lost the bout by unanimous decision, with the scores of 117-111 twice and 119-109. It was McCall's first loss since his comeback in 2009.

Legal troubles

Although never knocked down as a professional boxer, McCall's career has been mottled by several stints in drug rehabilitation facilities and arrests for disorderly behavior. He has attempted numerous comebacks, though the efforts have repeatedly been frustrated by run-ins with the law.

In January 2006 he was arrested by police in Nashville, Tennessee, who say they had to use a Taser on McCall after he tried running away from officers trying to arrest him for trespassing in a public housing development.

Police told reporters that McCall had in his possession a glass pipe and a five-dollar bill containing a small amount of cocaine. They say the 40-year-old McCall later spat at an officer and threatened to kill him.

He was held on $299,000 bond and charged with criminal trespass, resisting arrest, assaulting police officers, threatening to kill an officer, and being a fugitive from justice on charges in his home state of Virginia. He was released on May 8, 2006.

On the weekend before his scheduled fight with Zuri Lawrence

Zuri Lawrence

Zuri Lawrence is a professional heavyweight boxer best known to score a few notable wins over famous boxers but never reaching contender status.-Career:...

at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in nearby Hollywood, Florida

Hollywood, Florida

-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...

, McCall was arrested for possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia in Fort Lauderdale, preventing him from fighting. He was ultimately sentenced to probation. McCall was able to get another big fight, this time against Fres Oquendo

Fres Oquendo

, scheduled for December 7, 2010. McCall won in a split decision over the favored Oquendo.

On December 9, 2010, two days after his latest victory, McCall was again arrested in Fort Lauderdale for possession of cannabis and a violation of a municipal ordinance, causing him to violate the terms of his probation stemming from the February cocaine charge. As a result of the probation violation, McCall was facing six years in Florida State Prison. McCall's attorney was able to have him reinstated on his previous probationary term, modified to include a drug and psychological evaluation followed by any necessary treatment.

Personal

McCall was raised on the South Side of Chicago, and is married with four daughters and three sons.
He has two children currently in high school, one daughter: Jeneva McCall who is currently fifth best in the state of Illinois for discus throw and one son: Mikael McCall who is currently a freshman running back for the University of Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes football

The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...

. McCall has one other son, Elijah McCall

Elijah McCall

Elijah McCall is an American boxer. He is the son of former heavyweight champion Oliver McCall. -Early life:Elijah passed on a football scholarship at James Madison University to pursue boxing...

is currently a professional boxer as well.

Professional boxing record

Damian Wills

Damian Wills, born February 3, 1980 in Hollywood, California, is a professional Heavyweight boxer. Nicknamed "Bolo", Wills is the former California State and WBE Continental Americas Heavyweight Champion.-Cristobal vs. Wills:...

|UD
|10
|20/08/2011
|align=left|

Cedric Boswell

Cedric Boswell is a professional heavyweight boxer from the United States. He was touted as a future heavyweight contender early in his pro career, which began in 1994....

|UD
|10
|18/03/2011
|align=left|

Fres Oquendo

|SD
|12
|07/12/2010
|align=left|

Timur Ibragimov

Timur Ibragimov is a heavyweight professional boxer.-Personal:...

|UD
|12
|15/06/2010
|align=left|

Lance Whitaker

Lance Whitaker is an American heavyweight boxer, who won the bronze medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata...

|UD
|10
|23/10/2009
|align=left|

Franklin Lawrence
|UD
|10
|21/08/2009
|align=left|

John Hopoate

|TKO
|2
|22/05/2009
|align=left|

Juan Carlos Gómez

Juan Carlos Gomez

|UD
|12
|19/10/2007
|align=left|

Sinan Şamil Sam

Sinan Samil Sam

Sinan Şamil Sam is a German born Turkish heavyweight professional boxer. As a professional boxer, Sam won the EBU and WBC International titles in the heavyweight division.- Amateur career :...

|UD
|12
|16/06/2007
|align=left|

Marion Wilson

Marion Wilson, born October 19, 1956 in Florence, SC, is a heavyweight boxer. Marion, despite having faced a who's who list of heavyweight elite, has never been knocked out. He was once stopped, by Derek Isaman in 1991, which was due to a cut...

|UD
|8
|24/02/2007
|align=left|

Yanqui Díaz

Yanqui Diaz

Yamplier Azcuy Díaz is a professional heavyweight boxer from Cuba, currently living and fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada-Amateur career:...

|KO
|7
|09/12/2006
|align=left|

Darroll Wilson

Darroll Lamont Wilson is a professional boxer. He is a journeyman heavyweight best known for his performances against more notable contenders.-Pro Boxing Career:...

|TKO
|4
|03/09/2006
|align=left|

Kenny Craven
|TKO
|1
|30/06/2006
|align=left|

Wallace McDaniel
|TKO
|3
|27/05/2006
|align=left|

Juan Carlos Gómez

Juan Carlos Gomez

|NC
|10
|15/10/2005
|align=left|

Przemysław Saleta
|TKO
|4
|13/08/2005
|align=left|

Kelvin Hale
|UD
|8
|10/05/2005
|align=left|

Cornelius Ellis
|UD
|8
|16/04/2005
|align=left|

Marion Wilson

|DQ
|6
|05/02/2005
|align=left|

DaVarryl Williamson

|UD
|10
|13/11/2004
|align=left|

Vernon Woodward
|TKO
|3
|25/09/2004
|align=left|

Dennis McKinney
|TKO
|3
|24/04/2003
|align=left|

Henry Akinwande

Henry Akinwande is a British former professional heavyweight boxer and former WBO world heavyweight champion.-Background:...

|KO
|10
|17/11/2001
|align=left|

Matt Green
|TKO
|1
|29/09/2001
|align=left|

Sedreck Fields
|SD
|10
|11/08/2000
|align=left|

Marcus McIntyre
|KO
|3
|25/05/2001
|align=left|

Ric Lainhart
|TKO
|1
|12/02/2001
|align=left|

Will Hinton
|TKO
|1
|18/12/1999
|align=left|

Samson Cohen
|NC
|2
|25/09/1999
|align=left|

Samson Cohen
|KO
|1
|24/02/1998
|align=left|

Abdul Muhaymin
|UD
|10
|03/02/1998
|align=left|

Mike Acklie
|KO
|1
|06/01/1998
|align=left|

Mike DeVito
|TKO
|2
|16/12/1997
|align=left|

Brian Yates
|TKO
|8
|04/11/1997
|align=left|

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

|TKO
|5
|07/02/1997
|align=left|

James Stanton
|TKO
|6
|23/03/1996
|align=left|

Oleg Maskaev

|TKO
|1
|24/02/1996
|align=left|

Frank Bruno

Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...

|UD
|12
|02/09/1995
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|26–5
|align=left|

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

|UD
|12
|08/04/1995
|align=left|

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

|TKO
|2
|24/09/1994
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|24–5
|align=left|

Dan Murphy
|TKO
|1
|26/02/1994
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|23–5
|align=left|

Art Card
|KO
|1
|18/12/1993
|align=left|

Francesco Damiani

|TKO
|8
|23/04/1993
|align=left|

Mike Dixon
|TKO
|2
|30/01/1993
|align=left|

Lawrence Carter
|KO
|3
|30/01/1993
|align=left|

Tony Tucker

|SD
|12
|26/06/1992
|align=left|

Mike Rouse
|TKO
|4
|15/02/1992
|align=left|

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

|UD
|10
|08/08/1991
|align=left|

Danny Wofford
|TKO
|5
|08/06/1991
|align=left|

Bruce Seldon

Bruce Samuel Seldon is a retired American boxer and former world champion, having won the World Boxing Association heavyweight title in 1995.-Amateur career:...

|TKO
|9
|18/04/1991
|align=left|

Orlin Norris

Orlin Levance Norris, born October 4, 1965 in Lubbock, TX, is an American boxer who held the WBA cruiserweight title and fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

|SD
|10
|17/11/1990
|align=left|

Lionel Butler
|SD
|10
|16/07/1990
|align=left|

Buster Douglas
|UD
|10
|21/07/1989
|align=left|

Bruce Johnson
|KO
|1
|01/10/1988
|align=left|

Wesley Smith
|TKO
|2
|16/09/1988
|align=left|

David Jaco

David Jaco is a retired heavyweight boxer. He spent his career as a journeyman fighting boxers to build up their career records. He retired in 1994 with 24 wins , 25 losses , and 1 draw.-Career:...

|UD
|10
|30/06/1988
|align=left|

Mike Hunter

Mike Hunter (boxer)

Mike Hunter was an American boxer who won the NABF Heavyweight title.-Professional career:...

|UD
|10
|22/01/1988
|align=left|

Kim Adams
|TKO
|2
|30/08/1987
|align=left|

Richard Scott
|KO
|2
|11/08/1987
|align=left|

Tim Morrison
|KO
|1
|30/05/1987
|align=left|

Fred Whitaker
|UD
|6
|21/03/1987
|align=left|

Al Evans
|UD
|6
|16/12/1986
|align=left|

Bashir Wadud
|UD
|6
|25/10/1986
|align=left|

Larry Roberson
|TKO
|1
|13/09/1986
|align=left|

James Churn
|KO
|1
|14/08/1986
|align=left|

Kimmuel Odum
|MD
|4
|14/08/1986
|align=left|

Felix Shorter
|TKO
|2
|18/01/1986
|align=left|

Joey Christjohn
|UD
|4
|06/12/1985
|align=left|

Lou Bailey
|TKO
|1
|02/11/1985
|align=left|

|align=left|
|-align=center

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