Was Kalambay's performance against McCallum the best boxing performance ever?

I think it's the best I've ever seen, at least. Picture perfect against a great opponent. Can't see how you can better it in pure boxing terms.

Agree, disagree?

 

Disagree. Top 10 though.

 

What's higher Lr?

 

it was good, but not the best. Mike had just moved up in weight, and that takes away from the win a little.. And the rematch was after Kalambay lost to Nunn. So for me, it is hard to rate their matchup as completely as had they fought when both were at middleweight a long time and had not been knocked out.

 

No, it doesn't come close to the Cross Atlantic flunking that Calzaghe delivered to Jeff Lacy...

 

Jones-Toney
Benitez-Duran
Whitaker-Chavez
Ali-Liston
Tunney-Dempsey
Douglas-Tyson
Griffith-tiger

Off the top of my head are of at least equal quality.

 

I'd rank it higher than any of the ones LittleRed listed. McCallum was pretty much dead in his prime, and I may've given him a single round. For pure boxing mastery I dunno what tops it to be honest.

 

This is about analyzing boxing, not about adding and subtracting and using multipliers and such BS. And this thread is about the first fight, not the second.

Might not have been McCallums absolutely sharpest night, but just look at how Kalambay works the jab, utilizes the ring and slips and counters when McCallum comes in close. It's just picture perfect in every department.

Haven't seen Griffith-Tiger tbh, but of the rest of them only Whitaker Chavez comes close. But fantastic as that was, I still prefer this one. The way Kalambay utilizes the jab - not only doubling and tripling it and floating in with it in Ali-esque fashion, but also alternating body and head with it, is just astonishing. Also his Toney like slipping and use of shoulders to counter Mike, while all the while keeping a near perfect guard. The movement is absolutely top notch as well. It's 10 out of 10 in every department.

 

well it was nice fight and Kalambay did great. He was always so economical and sharp and exact even in his fights with Dewitt. But the fact it was Mike's first fight at 160 detracts it from being one of boxing best performance ever. Had he done that to Hagler in 1984 or 1985 I would say yes.

 

Another way of phrasing the question is has anyone convincingly outboxed a roughly the same size opponent that was a better standard than Mike McCallum at the time Kalambay beat him.

And the answer is: of course.

There's quite a few that we don't have on film but which are highly thought of like: Pep-Saddler II, Driscoll-Attell, Britton-Walker, Robinson-Gavilan II, Joyce-Williams series, Leonard-Welsh, Locche-Cervantes I, Benton-Giardello, Ramey-Canzoneri, Mandell-Canzoneri (highlights of the latter do exist) etc.

The ones we have on film are more debateable though:

Rose-Harada (Harada looked out of sorts, but still credit to Rose for befuddling him)

Laguna-Ortiz I (Carlos looked a bit below par but Laguna's skills had a bit to do with that).

Rodriguez-Griffith II & III (this one is borderline, I don't really think Griffith is better than McCallum, maybe he's as good)

Marcel-Arguello (some may argue that it wasn't convincing, or that Alexis was still green - I disagree on both counts)

Whitaker-Chavez (Some may say Chavez was past his best, but I still think Chavez presented a quality fight, he just got outboxed)

Harada-Jofre I (some might say Harada wasn't a convincing winner or that Jofre was weight drained - I think Jofre drained as he was was still great, and Harada did convincingly win)

Larkin-Graham (some might say Graham was not as good as McCallum - imo it's debateable.

Whitaker-Nelson (Nelson was about as good as Mike imo, and Whitaker embarassed him)

Leonard-Benitez (maybe Benitez wasn't as good as Mike, it's debateable. Either way, I think Leonard had his way with him.)

Dejesus-Duran I (okay, Duran looked sluggish and out of his best shape, but Mike didn't really look razor sharp against Sumbu either imo)

Giardello-Tiger III (Joey was all class that night and countered the hell out of Tiger)

 

it was a very good performance that grew into an insurmountable lead for SK. I never expected it. Here is McCallum, the American, and the more reputable of the two fighters, and Kalambay has an easy time of it.

I had seen this before when he outclassed Simms who, maybe won one round from Sumbu (the first)

But,,,even more impressive was Micheal Nunn's performance against Sumbu!

On center stage here, in the states, in front of EVERYONE..big time boxing at its best and Sumbu bombs out in something like 90 seconds. Mike's left connects straight on Sumbu's chin with concussive force. Then THUD!!! goes Sumbu's head bouncing off the canvas............

Obviously, I like speed N power over sheer boxing prowess so when anyone says the way to beat so N so is to box him is full of crapola when so N so has the firepower to blow u out which Mike, along with Hagler, most certainly did

both of these outstanding lefties could box but could put u out cold before u know it!

 

disagree.
Nothing convincing or domin8ing about that track meeting
I think that Haye over Del Boy was much better.

McCallum's move up in w8 only made it better 4 Kalambay, it assured that McCallum was not drained, not a huge move up in w8 either.

right

vs a man 2 or 3 w8s smaller and 7 yrs older.

have not seen it so far, but Whitaker gets a borderline pass/fail 4 me against Ramirez in both appearances .

And since ppl consider d 1st Ramirez a robbery and d 2nd a very convincing 1 then fak ppl , especially regarding Whitaker fights

d circus stuntman never failed 2 impress , did he ?

d 1 when Tunney got KOd , d other or both?

when Douglas got KOd and Tyson got a fast count?

have not seen it so far so maybe

but maybe equal quality they still R :yep

these r not deb8able , they r ol rong.

 

When I saw your name appear on this thread I could have sworn we were in for a Norris-Leonard discussion Red :yep

 

Classic stuff