Former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall has revealed the one man who came the closest to stopping him during his professional career.
After making his professional debut back in 1985, McCall would embark on a career that has spanned across four decades to date. He was last in action during the summer when he fought to a draw against Carlos Reyes in Nashville.
‘The Atomic Bull’ is perhaps best known for dethroning Lennox Lewis of his WBC heavyweight title back in 1994 when he stopped ‘The Lion’ in the second round of their showdown at the Wembley Arena in London.
He made just one defence of his crown against Larry Holmes six months later before he was eventually beaten by Frank Bruno in September of 1995.
Known for having one of the most durable chins in heavyweight boxing history, McCall has not suffered a single knockdown in 78 bouts, making him one of the toughest fighters to have ever graced the sport.
In a resurfaced feature with The Ring Magazine, ‘The Atomic Bull’ revealed Lewis to be the hardest puncher that he ever shared a ring with.
“I’d pick Lennox. I’m just going off what went through my mind. Bruno hit me dead in the eye, but it wasn’t as brutal as far as the shock to my body or pain as that right hand was.
“When Lennox hit me with that right hand in the third round, that was a crunching right hand. It makes me think I don’t know how I could take the punches that came after it with my hands down.”
McCall locked horns with Lewis for a second time in February 1997, although the bout was called to a halt in the fifth round after the American had an emotional breakdown and became visibly upset in the ring, leaving the referee no choice but to stop the contest.
