Who do you have in this post Hagler match up? This is a fight that could have happened but of course Barkley got in the way of it. Take the versions that both faced Barkley. Leonard had just fled the division and these two were the titlists contesting top spot. Sumbu schooled the man who would ktfo out of the hitman but does that mean anything here? So I ask a double edged question. 1) who should have ranked higher at the time both were titlists. 2) who would have won had they faced off.
1) You mean just before they lost their titles (to Barkley and Nunn respectively)? Kalambay, I'd say. He'd won it against a more impressive opponent and had looked untroubled against the top fighters he'd faced. 2) While I think Sumbu was the overall better MW, I have a really hard time seeing him get past Hearns who usually had it easy with pure boxers (from Benitez to Hill). Too much reach, speed and power.
I think I agree with Bokaj and that's sort of my quandary. ranking a man above a other when both have titles and one is perceived as the better fighter having beating better names. I know looking back they switched a bit a top the ring rankings all the way until duran vacated and nunn sparked Sumbu.
