Sumbu Kalambay vs Tommy Hearns

Where is the fight taking place? If it's North America, how many wins does Sumbu have there?

Tommy Hearns was a legendary A-level fighter. Sumbu was a B-level European guy.

 

Embarrassing statement.

 

I was around then George. You weren't.

Sumbu made one appearance in North America & was smoked inside of a round.

European boxing was very much second tier back then. That's just a fact.

People who weren't around back then who want to tell it differently are kidding themselves.

 

So Kalambay schools Barkley, who then flattens Tommy...

Styles may make fights, but this is evidence Sambu was very much in the same class as 87/88 Tommy Hearns.

 

Agree, Kalambay very much was on the same level as Hearns at 160 as evidenced by their common opponents.

 

Sumbu did well in Europe, was brought over to test his metal in the big show & the rest is history.

His card was marked 'never to return' and he didn't.

 

So do you suppose that location is the reason why he was able to beat Mike McCallum? Or Steve Collins? Or Iran Barkley? Was it something in the water that caused them to lose?

You might have been around, but you clearly weren't paying much attention.

 

I was a fanatical fan back then, George. In much the same way you are now.

Europe was a boxing backwater at the time. And when I say Europe, I mean Western-Europe b/c the rest of the continent was still behind the iron curtain.

Sumbu did great in boxing's second division (Western Europe), was given a run in first division for his efforts & unfortunately it was all over inside of a round.

If you go to North America as a defending world champion & get smoked inside of a round, your credibility as a professional fighter goes down the toilet.

Sorry to say it guys, but that's what happened.

 

Second tier fighters don't beat prime Mike McCallum.

End of story.

 

It doesn`t matte how many wins Kalambay had in North America, none of the fighters in North America at that weight during that era were better than McCallum except maybe Nunn, no American fighter had a scalp as elite as McCallum on their resume at that point in that division, silly comment.

 

McCallum was not a second division fighter.

 

Who cares? Why do people place such a high regard on the American sporting audience?

 

I don’t always agree with you mark, but this was spot on! Keep this **** up

 

You're talking through your freckle, as usual, Mark. The best middleweights were in North America. Undefeated Michael Olajide got beaten by undefeated Olympic gold medalist Frank Tate who got beaten by undefeated Michael Nunn who got beaten by undefeated James Toney. That's who the best middleweights were back then, Mark. Not Mike McCallum who is best remembered for his win against Donald Curry at Junior Middle. I know those things Mark not b/c I looked them up, but b/c I was around then & saw it for myself.

Sorry to break it to you, Mark, but he wasn't top tier at Middleweight. And if you're not in the top tier, Mark, where do you think that puts you? Don't take my word for it. Go & look at any ratings from back in those days. You won't find Mike McCallum at the top of any universal Middleweight rankings. To give Sumbu Kalambay some credit, he did make it to the top at Middleweight (the Big Show as I called it) but he didn't stay there very long. He got stopped inside of a round by a guy who wasn't a recognised puncher & returned from whence he came.

If you don't care, Mark, why bother responding to all of my posts on this thread? I'm just trying to share some knowledge I have from back in the day. The best Middleweights back then were Americans, Mark. I'm not American but I'm telling you how it was. Sumbu, to his credit, travelled there & fought one of them. He lasted less than a round but good on him for having a go.

 

1. Michael Nunn
2. Sumbu Kalambay
3. Mike McCallum
4. Roberto Duran
5. Iran Barkley
6. Michael Watson
7. Herol Graham
8. Steve Collins
9. Nigel Benn
10. Dennis Milton These are the ring magazine ratings in 1990.