A super six at MW in 1988-1989. What happens?

It pretty much did go down.

Nunn finished Sumbu in the final, KO1.

 

BTW, Sumbu schooling Barkley and nearly sparking Graham (1st fight) now on YouTube :yep

 

No Benn or Eubank?

 

Tate and Olajide would probably have been in there instead of Graham and McCallum or Kalambay\barkley.Not because they were more deserving but they were the higher profile, more hyped american based top contenders at the time.

 

Kalambay and McCallum went 1-1 vs. each other in 2 close decisions. Kalambay also beat Graham x2 and Barkley. He was stopped in 1 by Nunn... which was a very surprising ending.

Nunn stopped Kalambay in 1.

Barkley went 2-0 (1) vs. Hearns, lost a majority-decision to Nunn, lost a UD to Kalambay. His split-decision loss to Duran is worth mentioning. The only clear loss in these 5 fights was to Kalambay. The only decision win was by split-decision vs. Hearns... the only other win was a KO win over Hearns.

In addition to going 1-1 vs. Kalambay (who beat Barkley, who went 2-0 (1) vs. Hearns) McCallum also beat Graham by close decision and drew with James Toney (who stopped Nunn in 11, who stopped Kalambay in 1). In the draw to Toney and the later majority-decision loss to Toney... McCallum actually landed more punches. They fought a 3rd time at CW and that fight was close as well, W12 Toney.


You can never count Hearns out... I'd pick McCallum vs. Hearns for the final.

I see Hearns fighting Nunn kinda like he did Hill. I see McCallum picking Barkley apart and maybe even stopping him like he did Watson.

So, who wins? It's a really tough pick IMO. I've picked for each fighter in the past but I usually go with Hearns by decision... so I'll pick Hearns, final answer!

 

I almost go with Nunn to win the whole thing. If it is in order. I think Hearns beats Kalambay, and one of the only guys who had a good chance to with his style. Tommy would have to box him like he boxed Benitez and Hill. McCallum/Barkley? I pick Mike to win a decision, but beat Barkley clearly. Nunn/Graham? I pick Nunn. More proven southpaw, and actually in this whole tournament I almost pick Nunn in 1988 to win the whole thing. Hearns vs. Mike. Hearns was 11-12 years into his pro career at this point and diminishing, and Mike almost thrived then, that fight is pickem to me at 168. Hearns vs. Nunn? At this point I would have to favor Nunn by decision. Nunn vs. McCallum? Nunn by decision again. And Hearns would want to avoid Barkley as much as he could. A terrible style matchup for him. And Mike McCallum would want to avoid Kalambay in 1988. My pick is Nunn to win it all.

 

Yeah I agree. Mike would have to be very active to get to Michael Nunn, but he could. I think of all these guys Nunn is the question mark for me. I could see Hearns or McCallum win it on their skills and experience, but the other guys like Kalambay and Nunn were quick and skilled with not as much wear and tear. I almost said younger about Nunn and Kalambay, but I remember Kalambay was about as old as Hearns in 1988 or maybe a little older, but the skills and speed is why I sort of thought they had a chance. I will never fully understand the Nunn/Kalambay knockout. Kalambay just did not expect that punch from Nunn in that manner. I don't normally believe in fluke punches, but that was a bit of a fluke punch, added to that Kalambay fighting Vegas -I think it was Vegas.