Legendary boxer Mike ‘The Bodysnatcher’ McCallum dead at 68

Legendary boxer Mike “The Bodysnatcher” McCallum died over the weekend in Las Vegas. 

He was 68 years old. 

McCallum was driving to a Las Vegas gym Saturday, and he fell ill and had to pull over to the side of the road, The Jamaica Observer reported.  

He was then found unresponsive before later being pronounced dead, though his official cause of death remains unknown and Las Vegas police have yet to publicly comment on the matter. 

In a statement to The Jamaica Observer, Sport Minister Olivia Grange expressed shock and sadness over McCallum’s death. 

“It is with utter and complete sadness that I learned of the death of Jamaica’s three-time World Boxing Champion Michael McKenzie McCallum,” Grange said in a statement. “I express my personal condolences to his mother, siblings and his children. On behalf of the Ministry of Sports I take this opportunity to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of this legendary Jamaican.” 

McCallum was revered during his time in the ring over the years, having won across three different weight classes and becoming the first Jamaican boxer to win a world title in 1984 when he defeated Sean Mannion at Madison Square Garden for the WBA Junior Middleweight title. 

He fought in 55 bouts throughout his career, winning 49 and losing five, while one ended in a draw.

McCallum was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003, and in 2011, Ring Magazine included him on a list of the “10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years.”

“Greatly saddened by passing of  Mike McCallum. Mike was lovely guy, humble guy, great champion,” Rich Marotta, the founder of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, wrote on X. “He was an Inaugural year inductee of @nvbhof and, as resident of Las Vegas, always wanted to be part of the events, big or small. Had greatest nickname in boxing, ‘The Bodysnatcher’ RIP.”