He took the ring name of Mushy Callahan, discarding his more ethnic-sounding name, as most Jewish boxers did at the turn of the century. He was nicknamed "Mushy" from his Hebrew name Moishe, or Moses. According to Callahan, he took his last name from an Irish fight promoter at his Newsboy's boxing club, in hopes it would keep his family from finding out he was boxing. Callahan was a great counter puncher and possessed a fine defense.
