At the beginning of 1981 both of these very good light-middleweights held versions of the world title. They lost them to two all time greats, Sugar Ray Leonard and Wilfred Benitez. Supposing Ayub and Maurice had decided to have a unification fight before meeting Ray and Wilfred ? Who wins ?
Kalule would be too much for Hope. I was always high on Ayub...he just bit off more than he could chew with SRL. He was too methodiical and steady for Hope.
I go along with Kalule winning by a very hard fought decision. He could have dominated that division for a while,had it not been for the great ones such as Leonard and Benitez.
Well, I guess I'll be the contrary poster here and go with Hope. I think he was a real good fighter, as was Kalule, but I think he beat better quality fighters than did Ayub. I think people are remembering Hope being starched by Benitez too much. At least Benitez was an all-time great. Kalule was stopped by the then rank amateur Davey Moore. But really, both were good tough fighters and I would agree it would go to a decision.
Kalule was ruined at the weight by the time he fought Moore, and was very competitive throughout. He couldn't hurt Davey, but shipped a lot before wilting. Kalule would beat Hope by decision, but Hope was good.
It's a footwork fight and Mo's feet were awful against boxers and fighters who would step back, give angles and fire straight shots from distance.Big part of the reason he sttruggled with Herrera. Somehow his footwork was oddly effective on the backfoot against pressure fighters though and he was a good offensive fighter if he could plant and punch at an accessible target.the Kalule who was a lot slower on his feet against Moore and McCallum would have a tougher time than the earlier one, but i don't think Hope was fluid enough with his follow up punches to win there either, not over 10 or 12 anyway.
