On the 7th June 2013 at Bellahouston Leisure Centre in Glasgow, Castlemilk’s Unbeaten professional boxer Gary McCallum will make his first defence of the Scottish Area Middleweight Title against Wishaw man Ryan Scott. The fight will be the chief support bout on the undercard of Willie Limond’s Commonwealth Title defence against Mitch Prince.
When the curtains opened on Gary’s life he was right into his sports, especially football where he played for Livingston Boys Club till he was 15. However, he used to stay up late with his mum and dad to watch all the big fights live on the telly and it was during one of Mike Tyson numerous wars that his dad said, “Do you no fancy trying the boxing son”, Gary recalled, “I wasn’t too sure at first but decided to go along and it’s been the best decision I have made so far”. He was 12 years old when he walked through the doors of O’Neil’s Gym in Cambuslang and that’s where it all began for Gary. He openly admits he was a shy, laid back kind of guy before he started boxing, “I suddenly changed, became more outgoing and my confidence had grown dramatically. I still had a laid back exterior but boxing had given me an inner confidence”. During Gary’s time at O’Neil’s Gym he won the British Title when he was only 14 and also lifted 2 Scottish Youth Titles.
When Gary reached 17 he felt he was not progressing enough so he decided to join Newarthill ABC in North Lanarkshire, because he knew they were a good club and it’s only fair to say he hit it off straight away with coach Wull Downie who made a big impression on Gary and more to the point he was pushing him in the right direction. It’s a 30 minute drive to get there but his father Brian was always on hand to make sure his son could pursue his career in boxing. Gary was getting inspiration watching Floyd Mayweather in his vocation demonstrating a superlative skill in the sport that merely a few mortals have possessed in history.
The Western District of Scotland is the most densely populated area in the country; therefore, the Senior Western District Title is the hardest one to win bar the Scottish, “I was only 17 and not really a senior but because I had boxed for Scotland before they let me compete, I had to win three fights to become Western District Champion”, it was an achievement alone that Gary was given permission to take part in the competition.
It was around this age that Gary first had the notion he could do this as a profession, he also became a father at 17 and moved out the family home, “Becoming a father so young was a big shock to the system, I had to grow up really quickly, it opens your eyes”. He continued boxing for Scotland all over Britain and also places like Albania and Poland until he decided to turn professional with Manager and Promoter Tommy Gilmour when he was almost 19.
Thus heralded an equivocal period in his life where he was socially pressured into living a normal life away from boxing that meant it was impossible to continue what he signed up for. This deviation from his dream was heartbreaking for Gary; the normal life was anything but, but after a reasonable period of time his lovely partner Charlene encouraged him to go back to the gym and do what he does best.
On the 17th of October 2011, Gary made his professional debut over 6 X 2 minute rounds beating Londoner Dalton Miller on points at the Raddison Blu Hotel in Glasgow. Miller had given Gary a hard professional debut, there’s not such a thing as an easy pro debut when you take everything into consideration but it was the beginning of a learning curve and a step in the right direction.
Since Gary made his professional debut he has been rapidly improving under the watchful eye of Wull Downie, and, after 8 straight wins he fought Paul Allison for the Vacant Scottish Middleweight Title in March at Ravenscraig, Motherwell. I was reporting on the fight so I can tell you Gary fought behind a good jab, out boxing his opponent throughout the fight with a variety of punches using clever footwork and great hip movement, he won almost every round until the belt was strapped around his waist.
Gary now has 2 kids and works for Glasgow City Council’s Land and Environmental Department, “It’s a physical job that’s involves driving machinery, it’s quite tough at times”, Gary pointed out. He gets up at 5.30 in the morning and returns home at 5pm, he’s barely in half an hour before he leaves for Newarthill and the kids are asleep when he returns around 9. Gary trains Monday – Friday at the club and runs at the weekends, “My body is used to it now, it would be great if my employer would support me and give me some time off before a fight”, Having said that, Gary has never asked his employer for help in any way, shape or form so the above routine will be the norm before he steps in the ring on Friday night.
Gary does get support by way of sponsorship from G&M Civil and Structural Engineering, “They pay for all my boxing equipment, training gear and medicals, anything I need really. It’s a massive help because it lets me concentrate on my boxing”. His partner Charlene supports him in every way she can by looking after the kids and making sure everything is ready to go like clockwork. It takes a special kind of woman to adapt to such a lifestyle where she sometimes only see’s Gary for half an hour a day. I asked Gary what drives him on, “I want to do it for my family and give them a better life. There’s a lot of sacrifices has to be made, Charlene is the star of the relationship, it’s for their benefit in the end”.
I always ask boxer’s what films they like to watch but at only 23 years old, becoming a father so young, working full time and training every day Gary has very little time to afford such precious luxuries but he did give me answers. His favourite film is The Hangover because he loves comedy, boxing wise it’s The fighter, based on a true story of American boxer Micky Ward who grafts by day and fights at night, Gary can relate to that. He loves the Rocky movies and his favourite is Rocky IV, because it’s the best. Chilling out for Gary involves clicking onto Youtube to watch Floyd Mayweather and Adrian Broner “I have my own style but if I see something that works I’ll keep it and try it out in the gym, your learning from the best in the world and it makes you a better fighter”, Gary believes the more he learns the more he develops.
It’s only a few days until Gary makes his first defence of the Scottish Area Middleweight Title, he has never been out the gym since his last fight and he regularly spars with fellow professionals Danny Brady, Gerry Brady, Paul Burns and Kris Carslaw who is a contender for the British Title. I asked Gary about his opponent Ryan Scott, “I fought him as an amateur when I was seventeen and won on points. I know Ryan personally, he’s a good friend in boxing but once you get in the ring its business”, Gary continued, “I’m keeping the belt, its mine until I move onto something bigger and better, losing is not an option”.
Wull Downie invited me up to the club at Newarthill last week; it did not take long to witness a natural progressing partnership a bit like poetry in motion. Gary has been blessed with a talent and Wull is his guiding light. It’s hard to describe how down to earth Gary is, for want of a better word I could say, gentleman.
I asked Gary what the secret to his success was, “Dedication”.
By Raymond Fraser Buchanan
Tickets are still available for Friday night and can be purchased by contacting Gary McCallum on Facebook or alternatively you can call the St Andrews Sporting Club 0141 810 5700
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