Kalambay is severely underrated even to this day. Gets rarely mentioned as one of the great MWs, nor was he ever in the HOF ballad even when he should be. The man was a beautiful technician and would dominate today's class of MW if he were fighting right now.
I think he'd take Roldan out fairly smoothly,heart would keep Iran in there,but I'd expect GGG to beat him
For me he gets the Michael Spinks treatment, both are more remembered for there 1 round blowouts. Rather than being remembered for the fantastic fighters they were. As I've said numerous times, Kalambay's schooling of McCallum in their 1st fight. Is one of the best boxing exhibitions you'll see vs a great fighter in his prime.
Couldn't agree with you more. It sucks what a first round KO can do to a fighters reputation. Kalambay vs McCallum 1 was a fine display of pure boxing, while the rematch was an excellent competitive chess match that McCallum won very narrowly but you can make a case of Kalambay winning that one as well.
Your right that the 2nd fight was very close, as I remember it McCallum won most of the rounds in the early going. But Kalambay comeback strong in the 2nd half of the fight. I think I actually scored it a draw last time I watched it.
Yeah from my recollection McCallum won the first half while Kalambay swept the later half. I guess Kalambay became more gunshy early on because of what happened in the Nunn fight, but he still showed brilliance when he was putting it on McCallum. He had a style that was poison for McCallum.
You know what's funny I never actually thought of that, now that makes me wonder had McCallum and Kalambay fought a rematch before the Nunn loss. That Kalambay might of actually won the rematch, because in all honesty as you said, he lost a close decision because of his slow tentative start.