Sumbu Kalambay - How Good Was He?

He was a gorgeous boxer with an impeccable jab who knew how to use it. Not an ATG but he could box someone’s ears off who is in or near that level of a given night (as Mike McCallum learned).

I don’t think we can take too much from the Nunn loss, although there is a flaw there that got exposed: he stepped right into the wheelhouse, inside the southpaw’s lead foot, which is what got him clocked — and he did it a little earlier in that round too and I think you can see Nunn waiting for him to make that mistake again … which of course he did.

So I don’t like him against top southpaws for that reason, especially ones with pop (like Hagler). He also lost to Ayub Kalule.

I could see him keeping Jake LaMotta on the end of that stick for a decision, just controlling the distance and never presenting a clear and easy target. People act like Jake was Tyson sometimes and he just wasn’t — Robinson isn’t the only guy to ever beat him, lol. Many (heck most) of Jake’s best wins are over welterweights while LaMotta was scaling over 160 (he was really a super middleweight but no such division existed).

But Sumbu was a joy to watch, smooth as silk.

 

Great post …I have nothing to add

 

I think you meant that Sumbu Kalambay lost to Ayub Kalule…yes another southpaw

 

Although he didn't, not really. Terrible decision, Kalambay really deserved that nod.

Superb, classy boxer with all the tools.

 

Kalambay did beat Herol Graham. a good southpaw.

 

Yes indeed. Good catch. I’ve edited it to correct. Appreciate the assist!

 

True, but Herol had neither the power nor the inclination to stand still and plant his feet, so it’s hard to step into his wheelhouse by stepping inside the front foot to make yourself a target because Herol will make himself scarce rather than take advantage of (other than maybe to land a scoring punch).

I think Nunn saw the flaw the first time Sumbu stepped inside and set a trap for it to happen again and was ready to pounce. I suspect a Hagler would also or any other sturdy lefty.

 

Brilliant pure boxer and a beautiful stylists. Great jab, excellent counter puncher, fast hands, slick defense and movement, and just a fine technician. With that said he does have his weakness. As others said he does have issues with southpaws, which Nunn most likely capitalized on his blind spot. The Nunn loss really damaged his reputation unfortunately, which is most likely why he still doesn’t get mention a lot to this day. Gave an ATG Mike McCallum a good boxing lesson, which is somehow still overlooked.

If people thought Mike McCallum was underrated, Kalambay is even more so. How he’s still not in the HOF is beyond my comprehension.

 

Just to get an idea of Kalambay’s full arsenal. This was Kalambay at his best IMO. Very smooth, elegant boxer.

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Kalambay was floored a few times early in fights vs Graham, Kalule, Ashton. I'm just wondering if that's a little weakness in Kalambay's game, that he can be caught early especially with the Nunn loss.

But overall Kalambay is one of the most under appreciated Middleweight champions ever, fantastic smooth slippery boxer. And his dominant win over McCallum, is one of the finest boxing exhibitions over an ATG who was still in their prime. Underrated convincing wins over Graham 1st fight, Sims, Barkley, DeWitt, all fantastic performances. And even beating Steve Collins convincingly whilst past his prime was another underrated win aswell.

As for how he would do against the FAB 4, i think he has a chance against the fading Hagler of 87, but like you said the Southpaw style may be a weakness for Kalambay, although he did deal with Sims easily who was Southpaw and Graham convincingly 1st time. I think Kalambay certainly beats Duran on points bad match up for Duran IMO, the Leonard fight would be interesting a very close fight that i see Leonard winning in a disputed decision, and lastly i think Hearns beats Kalambay no one outboxes Hearns despite how good Kalambay is.

 

Your last observation is one I think is sometimes overlooked — not once in his career that I can think of was Thomas Hearns ever outboxed by anyone (at any weight). He was a master who also had thunder in his fists. But the only way to beat him was to wage war and hope you landed first (or last) while somehow surviving his barrage.

 

Should have used Sade’s “Smooth Operator” as his ring-walk music.

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I think it goes without saying that he’s underrated. Man was only stopped once in over sixty fights and that seemed like just a freak occurrence. He beat mike McCallum, herol Graham, Doug Dewitt, Iran Barkley and Robbie simms. As for how he’d do against the top 4 or 5 middles in history ? Honestly he’d probably lose to all of them. But still a very good fighter