Oliver McCall To Face Damian Willis This Saturday – Kali Meehan After That If “The Atomic Bull” Wins

By James Slater: Former World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight king Oliver McCall keeps on rolling. As old as he is (46) and as written off as he has been by many, “The Atomic Bull” remains one durable, tough campaigner; a fighter who has yet to taste the canvas a single time in a quite amazing up and down career. So, what’s McCall up to lately?

According to a news piece of Fightnews.com, McCall will face the much younger one-time hope Damian “Bolo” Willis this coming Saturday in Houston, Texas. Former pro Lou Savarese will promote and the ten-round fight will be a final eliminator for the WBF strap currently held by Australian contender Kali Meehan. The plan for McCall is simple: beat Willis and then, within an agreed sixty days, travel all the way to Australia to challenge 41-year-old Meehan. Not a bad schedule for a 46-year-old!

But can McCall, 55-11(37) get past the 30-2-1(23), 31-year-old Willis?

McCall lost his last fight, on points to fellow veteran Cedric Boswell, but he puts this loss down to his being too heavy in the fight. McCall says he was in the 260s, even though he was officially 259. According to Fightnews, McCall has been working very hard for the Willis and Meehan opportunities, and he has sparred plenty of rounds during his six-week training camp in South Florida. Judging by the photo the invaluable web site has to go with its piece, McCall does look to be in good physical condition.

Willis has only ever been halted once as a pro (by Chris Arreola way back in November of 2006, on the under-card of the Floyd Mayweather-Carlos Baldomir fight) and he has won a straight eight fights since suffering his second pro setback (on points to Kevin Johnson in August of 2007). The useful boxer who has decent punching power has not been in with any notable names during his rebuild (save former contender, the ageing Lionel Butler) but his momentum will have certainly helped his confidence.

If McCall gets off to another slow start and sees the rounds go by without him getting into his groove, he could well find himself getting out-pointed once more. Obviously, is that happens, Oliver can forget all about the fight with the 38-4(31) Meehan. However, if McCall isn’t sufficiently motivated to get going in this fight, he never will be again.

We can expect to see the best possible version of the 46-year-old against Willis. If he is firing on all cylinders, McCall should be able to bang out a close decision win – and then get his passport ready!