Who ranks highest: Lionel Rose, Ernesto Marcel, or Sumbu Kalambay

Rose is the greatest of the three from a legacy standpoint. The wins you've highlighted for each fighter prove that imo.
In terms of who was the most skilled of the three, it's a bit tougher to say.

 

Rose is the greatest, Marcel is the best and Kalambay is the happy medium.

Three very classy stylists, and all with shouts as the best out-boxer, and smoothest operator in their divisions history; and given the quality of the BW, FW and MW divisions, that's three high, high level fighters.

 

Thusly:

Rose

Kalambay
Marcel

 

Man what a great question.
Marcel can claim to have beaten one of the greatest fighters ever to lace them up - Arguello. AND he met a beast -Duran in or around his prime.

Lionel beat the great Harda. Then he beat two great fighters from Mexico in Medal and Chucho.

But for me its Sumbu.
Came over to England and beat Graham when nobody wanted to face Graham.
Boxed Iran's ears off who a year latter stops Hearns.
Totally outclassed DeWitt who a year latter became a champion.
But his grandest win: totally outboxed Mike MCcallu m rather EASILY when Mike was unbeaten. And Mike
would go on to beat ALOT of good fighters for years to come.
Bit that first fight Sumbu made it look do EASY.
Then already past his best he beats Steve Collins who then went on a tear after.
I think Rose and Marcel were more talented but Sumbu had more consistency at the world stage for a longer time period.

 

This is exactly how I see it.

 

I went to go see Lionel Rose's musical act once. Lionel Rose and the Wicked Sceptres, it was called. He did like a fusion act. He sang lounge jazz over his band's hard rock. They didn't like it that much, as it turned out, and they broke off and just billed themselves as Wicked Sceptre. But when I saw them, they were really original. They were not good. But nobody was doing what they were doing, man. And that takes artistry and balls and guts and vision. Again though, they were not good at music, so, I can't just give him ATG points for trying. That is not how any of this works. Look at Ray Robinson. I have to rate him almost exclusively on his boxing too.

 

Three of the best stylists ever.So smooth and so effortless just lovely to watch them box i would probably go with Rose then Marcel and Kalambay at third.

 

Nice distinction, George. I was really struggling to split these three tbh.

 

Unfortunately for Rose the answer for why he isn't in the hall of fame is obvious. He fought below 135 and the hall seems biased against the smaller guys. Look at Chartchai Chionoi or Hiroyuki Ebihara.

 

Not even on the ballot! Nor is Jose Medel, Rafael Herrera, Jose Legra, Chucho Castillo etc; Lou Salica I don’t even think is on!!

 

Sumbu no contest.

 

I like all three enough not to divide them too much. Very good question.

I think It goes something like Sumbu-Rose (tied) and just behind them is Marcel.

 

I like that,