by James Slater: It was a night of nostalgia yesterday evening in Las Vegas, as two former world champions from the 1990s, in former WBC heavyweight champ Oliver McCall and former IBF cruiserweight titlist Arthur Williams, attempted to continue their careers while boxing at an advanced age.
For the 44-year-old “Atomic Bull” the night proved a success, as McCall scored a close but unanimous ten-round unanimous decision over 37-year-old giant Lance Whitaker.. Still one tough man, despite his age, McCall, who has never been down much less stopped in any single fight, scored a 1st-round knockdown in the fight held at The Orleans Casino in Vegas. “Mount” Whitaker, himself no spring chicken, got up and battled back well, but in the end the former WBC champion who once stopped all-time great Lennox Lewis did enough to get his hand raised. All three judges had the bout scored as a McCall victory by identical scores of 95-94.
Now, 54-9(37) McCall keeps on rolling and it’s possible he may get himself a big fight before his long and at times entertaining career finally comes to and end. Whitaker, who was embarking on the third fight of a comeback of his own, will no doubt demand a rematch, seeing as how close last night’s fight was. The 37-year-old who stands an impressive 6’8″ is now 34-6-1(28).
“King” Arthur Williams, the man who reigned as IBF cruiserweight champion in 1998 to ’99, failed to battle Father Time in his bout though. Coming in against Oxnard’s 28-year-old Victor Barragan having won his last three fights, the 44-year-old was stopped in the 7th-round. Now 46-16-1(30) Williams may well have to announce his retirement. In improving to 11-4(3), Barragan scored the biggest win of his pro career, even if it was over a man who has seen better days.
Also on the Vegas card, Elijah McCall, Oliver’s son, of course, made it to 4-0-1(4) as he stopped Colorado’s Reginald Jackson with a body shot in the 2nd-round of his scheduled four-rounder. The 21-year-old is next up to fight on December 4th, once again at The Orleans in Vegas. Jackson, who had won his only other pro fight, is now 1-1(1).
Credit must go to the ageing “Atomic Bull,” though, the star of last night’s show. He may never be champion again, and he may never even get as far as challenging for a major belt again, but McCall still has it in him to severely test, or maybe even defeat, a number of the up-and-coming young guns of today’s heavyweight division.