Mike 'The Body Snatcher' McCallum passes

Seven-time RJRGLEANER Sportsman of the year, Mike 'The Body Snatcher' McCallum has died.

Reports are that the three-weight division world champion passed away while on the way to the gym on Saturday.

According to reports, McCallum felt ill while driving and pulled off the road where police found him unresponsive.

He was 68 years old.

McCallum burst onto the scene in 1981, winning his first World Boxing Association (WBA) title four years later and held it until 1988.

The Body Snatcher earned the nickname because of an unusual feint that would help him to throw vicious hooks to the body. There were two results.

When boxers would grow wise to the move and protect themselves, they would inevitably leave themselves open to overhand lefts that landed with brutal accuracy, and if they didn't, the constant punishment would cause them to drop their hands with the same result. The Bod Snatcher would register damage upstairs.

McCallum would move up to the middleweight division but found it difficult to get fights with 'The Four Kings" - Roberto Duran, 'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler, Thomas 'The Hitman' Hearns, and 'Sugar' Ray Leonard.

Still, he would finally earn the WBA middleweight title in 1989 and held it until 1991,eventually losing to another multiple weight division champion in James Toney.

McCallum then moved to the light heavyweight division where he earned the World Boxing Council title in 1994 and held it until 1995, again losing to Toney.

The Body Snatcher retired with the enviable record of 49 wins, five losses, and a draw.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, voiced her office's sadness at the boxer's passing.

"It is with utter and complete sadness that I learned of the death of Jamaica’s three-time World Boxing Champion Michael McKenzie McCallum," the minister posted on social media network Facebook.

"I express my personal condolences to his mother, sibblings 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. We hope they find strength in this time of bereavement. I urge you to keep them in your prayers."

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