Sumbu Kalambay

Unbelievably underrated, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better with time.

 

Very underrated. One of the best pure boxing technicians ever at MW. Really gave McCallum a boxing lesson in their first fight.

 

It wasn't particularly competitive IMO. Kalambay really made Mike look bad. He was unable to get anything going the entire fight. Never hurt or close to it, but badly outboxed.

 

since i have never heard of him and he beat those names that you listed and was a world champ id guess he is VERY underrated

 

Terrific fighter. He schooled Barkley and badly outclassed Doug Dewitt also. His first fight with McCallum was a tremendous effort. I recall his decsion loss to Kalule being dubious and I view his KO by Michael Nunn as a bit of an aberration. Really good resume.

 

There was a similar thread on kalambay a few months back, that went a few pages.

It would be worth checking out for most peoples opinions.

After Whitaker, and alongside Hilario zapata and a few others, he was one of the most talented pure boxers of his generation.Unfortunately his big fight to establish the successor to Hagler is among the most disastrous in history.His reputation or profile has never really recovered.By the time he got back in the mix he was past his prime.

His fight with McCallum is on youtube btw.

 

Couldn`t have said it any better myself, honestly. I`ll only add that I think Sumbu`s performance in the first McCallum fight ranks among the best and most one-sided I have ever seen between two elite fighters... Kalambay utterly dominated Mike that night and I had him winning every round with ease but the 12th. He was also blatantly robbed in the Kalule fight which took place in his home country no less, terrible decision that was. Kalambay at his best was an outstanding fighter and he would have given many an all-time great all they could handle and would have likely beaten several of them too... criminally underrated fighter this man is.

 

Yes he did. Did McCallum even win a round in that fight?

 

I'd have had a hard time giving him any clearly. He was just consistently outslicked and outboxed.

 

Yes. Kalambay dominated Mike in that fight.

 

What does everyone think the reason for Kalambay's 1st round ko against Nunn? Was he just caught cold do you think?

 

No. I just think he was caught by a perfect left hand from a top form Nunn who had very underrated power.

None wants to see to give Nunn credit for that win. Nunn for a brief time was a truly special talent.