Nino Benvenuti v. Sumbu Kalambay

A fair argument, with 25 years of hindsight to clarify matters. I was talking of the time. I may now agree with some of your points, but certainly would not of, at the time.

Kalambay came into the bout with Graham, with his resume showing a defeat to an aged Kalule who had been been thrashed by Graham. Graham was seemingly in top form, finally ready to make the step up to world title holder in the post Hagler era. The Barkley fight was set, this 'Kalambay' was merely a 'tune up'.

As for McCallum/KalambayI: McCallum was boxing's 'hidden gem'. A man who had to take a back seat to the 'Four Kings', but post Curry was now ready to be boxing's new superstar. And then for whatever reason he did not show up for his Coronation...

 

btw i don't have any issues with you not rating him booze.

Just highlighting the way his wins and talent were somewhat dismissed by large chunks of the Brit and American boxing media when he was active was very harsh.What you say is pretty much how many saw it in Britain at the time though, i agree.Tate, Olajide, McCallum after the Curry win to an extent and still Hearns were seen as the most likely successors to Hagler over in America, with even the likes of Graham totally obscure.

I was surprised at how quickly special looking fighters had emerged on the scene after Hagler's loss.Going into the Nunn Kalambay bout it seemed to me we wouldn't have long to cement the next great middle, though in the end Nunn proved a coked up let down and Kalambay too old to comeback for long afterward.

 

Haven't watched McCallum-Kalambay II for a bit but I think I had Kalambay winning it closely. He was fading a bit by that point and McCallum fought a much better fight in terms of plan and execution. Super fight though and I wouldn't dig my heels in too deeply with anyone who thought Mike nicked it. The slick and mobile types who could match his technical ability were never his forte, so I suppose you have to credit him for taking them on and managing to wrest some success from the situation.

And yeah, I agree Sumbu looked better than Toney did. McCallum made Toney a better fighter for it though imo, even if he highlighted some of Toney's weaknesses.

 

The rematch is pretty clear for McCallum IMO. He won at least 4 of the first 6 rounds, and Kalambay never managed to claw back that lead.

Many close rounds, but in most of them Mike dictated the pace behind his jab and thus took the fight.