Hopkins in another spoiler, but he could be upset too just as easily by Kalambay and hurt in the run of it.
Kalambay's style and movement would definitely give Hopkins trouble...but I think Hopkins would close distance and mug him for a dec win. Hopkins would have to make it ugly, or he loses.
Not much in it, but I'm leaning towards Kalambay since Hopkins wasn't that great at cutting the ring off. And if he doesn't manage to bring it into the trenches my feeling is that Sumbu's superior skill would make the difference.
it made me a bit sad but i voted hopkins. it would be a close competitive fight but hopkins knows how to win while kalambay just does what he does for 12 rounds and hopes for the decision(my main criticism of mccallum too)
I'm not sure what you mean here? Do you mean that Kalambay (nor McCallum) had the ability to change gear or game plan when the fight was going against him? Which fight did he lose this way, you mean? Actually, I can't think of too many fights that Hopkins turned around. That would be the first Mercado fight, where I think he finished the second half strongly enough to earn the decision despite just getting a draw. On the other hand, there are more fights where he failed to break the pattern...
i meant in terms of having and following a strategy designed to get the W, i don't think hopkins was great at tactical adjustments either (although he tends to stop doing anything that isn't working in the early rounds). I rate mcallum and kalambay very highly as fighters and think both are better boxers than hopkins, so there has to be a reason why he achieved more. a part of it is obviously eras/management/matchmaking, but i think do hopkins and his team are excellent strategists and neither mm or sk excelled in that area.
I agree that B-Hop is a great strategist and if he beats Sumbu it's through ring IQ. Can't really think of an instance where Kalambay's strategy failed him, though. Since you mentioned McCallum, it's true he looked a bit clueless in the first Kalambay fight, but otherwise I think he got his strategy right. He was the classic patient ring general, building an early foundation through traps and body work and usually reaping the rewards of that later on in the fight. He was especially good at adapting between fights and clearly improved strategically and tactically in both his rematches. But the Jackson fight is a an example of how well he also could adapt during a fight.
Kalambay UD at his best his jab, movement and defense see him outbox Hopkins, who would resort to trying to rush inside to make it a rough affair. It wouldn't be pretty
