In a surprising development (or maybe not so much surprising seeing how so many veteran/aged fighters decide to box on when at an advanced age more and more these days) former WBC heavyweight champ Oliver McCall will fight again – at the age of 53.
McCall, 57-14(37) will face 28 year old Terrell Jamal Woods, 17-42-1(11) in Corpus Christi. McCall has not fought since back in 2014, when he lost a decision to Polish fighter Marcin Rekowski, who “The Atomic Bull” had beaten via close decision a couple of months earlier. Who knows what McCall has left to offer today. Woods may have lost 42 pro bouts, yet he is not stopped all that often (just six times, the last time being two years ago when Chinese giant Zhilei Zhang had too much for him).
Also, Woods has been active – having had eight fights this year already (winning half of them). Can McCall pull off a win over a man around half his age? Yes, Woods is a journeyman, not world ranked, but he does have that youth on his side – and plenty of experience. Woods has been in with: Zhang, Emmanuel Nwodo (who Woods decisioned), Kevin Johnson, Eric Molina, Michael Hunter and other good names.
Can McCall retain his record of having never been decked or stopped, or will Father Time push the tough Chicago man over the edge? Does McCall need the money or does he simply love to fight?
Those fight fans who do get to see this one tonight may or may not get a satisfactory answer. It seems an age ago now when McCall was fighting the likes of Lennox Lewis (twice), Larry Holmes and Frank Bruno. That’s because it WAS an age ago! Whatever happens, let’s all wish the likeable McCall good luck.
McCall cannot do any worse than former heavyweight contender Maurice Harris (think his epic war with Derrick Jefferson from 1999) did last night. Harris, now aged 42, came back from a two-year layoff to face two-time Olympic medal winner Ivan Dychko of Kazakhstan, 7-0(7). Harris, 26-22-3(11) was blown away inside the opening round at The Hard Rock in Hollywood. This is what can happen to veteran fighters who try and return to past glories.
