Kalambay, who I see as slightly underrated, would a fight with Tommy at Middle, in the summer of 88be an awful losing fight for the Hit man? Or does Tommy put out his lights as Nunn did?
Fairly or unfairly, Kalambay's loss to Nunn seems to weigh heavily over this bout moreso than Hearns' losses to Barkley do.
Hearns tended to lose fights that he did because of physicality shortcomings; being caught and ground down late against Leonard, churned up by Hagler, caught by Barkley in one fight and just outmuscled in the other.......can't think of one where he was simply outboxed, and that's how Kalambay would have to win.
@salsanchezfan nailed it: We just don’t see Tommy Hearns get outboxed at any point in his career. Not Leonard, not Duran, not Benitez, not Virgil Hill … nobody is able to beat Hearns that way. Sumbu wouldn’t either. He’s slick and has a splendid jab and looks gorgeous when he gets in a rhythm, but Thomas just has too much skill to let him set the tone and eventually that power shows as it did when Kalambay fought Nunn. I don’t know if it happens in the first or the 12th or somewhere in between, but the Hit Man eventually takes him out and Sumbu never solves the puzzle.
Kalambay, for all his beautiful skillset, defense, and smooth style, wouldn’t have anything that will trouble Hearns at all. The only way to beat Hearns is to rough him up and overpower him, which is not Kalambay’s style at all. Hearns is very difficult to outbox and I just can’t see Kalambay being able to pull off a decision win. It can only end with Hearns out-jabbing and out punching Kalambay while keeping him on the defensive, and win by lopsided decision. Or Hearns eventually finds his mark on Kalambay and stopping him.
I think it is reverse: Hearns is Kalambay's nightmare. As mentioned Hearns had problems with fighters who could physically dominate him or get in his head (Leonard), he was comfortable if his opponent tried to beat him technically.
I believe this would be the outcome. Tommy would get himself in to a comfortable fight, working with that long fast jab. He'd drop Kalambay along the way even. It would actually be Hit Man master class and he'd get himself a nice decision.
I love Sumbu but i cant see him beating Hearns i think McCallum would be a harder fight for Hearns than Kalambay would be.
