MANY things in life are sadly predictable; war, death, taxes and Sumbu Kalambay being left off the ballot for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
The IBHOF should probably be rebranded as the American Boxing Hall of Fame because it seems to have developed a strange form of myopia and aversion when it concerns acknowledging outstanding fighters from overseas.
There’s nothing remotely ‘International’ about the IBHOF these days, with a distinctly US-centric focus taking hold to attract casual fight fans to the IBHOF weekend in Canastota.
Maybe this shouldn’t be a surprise for a country that dubs winners of its national sports ‘World Champions’ while only allowing Canadian franchises to participate in a two-horse race.
Inevitably, Manny Pacquiao has been added to this year’s ballot on his first year of eligibility. But the other new names are decidedly curious. There is a case for Mikey Garcia but Shawn Porter and Lucien Bute’s oddball nominations make Kalambay’s continued omission from the ballot sheet look increasingly bizarre.
Bute made nine successful defences of the IBF 168lbs belt but his challengers were hardly a murderer’s row and he lost the major fights in his career. Compare to Pongsalek Wonjongkam, who made 20 defences in two title reigns as WBC flyweight champion, but outside of the sphere of American television. Like a tree falling in the woods, do overseas world title fights really happen if no-one sees them in the US? American balloters probably believe Thailand is next to Shirtland.
Porter has been a terrific pro, but suggesting greatness, the supposed blueprint of the Hall of Fame, is a huge stretch, especially in this era of diluted titles. I’d have thought the Jamaican Simon Brown and others would have been way ahead in the queue at 147lbs. ‘Showtime’ would never have crossed my mind as a Hall of Famer. Let alone on his first year of eligibility. Do wins over Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi, Adrien Broner, Andre Berto, Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas propel one into the pantheon of greats?
If you believe they do then what do wins over peak Mike McCallum, Steve Collins, Herol Graham (twice), Iran Barkley, Robbie Simms and Doug DeWitt suggest to you? Both McCallum and Graham were unbeaten before they faced Kalambay. It’s hard to fathom how Porter would jump out ahead of Kalambay, other than regional bias or that voters simply have no knowledge of boxing before the internet age.
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kalambay (57-6-1, 33 KOs) was an outstanding stylist in a boom time for the middleweights, a fighter most would swerve in this era. He became beloved in his second home of Italy (where they affectionately dubbed him ‘Patrizio’) due to his sublime skills and footwork, and gentlemanly demeanour outside of the ring.
He eventually decided to turn pro in Europe after watching his friend die during a work placement in a copper mine, 1,600 metres below the ground, in Kipushi, Democratic Republic of Congo.
“When I came to London to fight Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham [w pts 12, for the European title, in May 1987], no one gave me a chance, the Italian press had all but written me off,” Kalambay told Italian boxing expert Luca Rosi in Boxing Monthly in 2018. “I don’t think there was an Italian journalist present. You have to remember that Graham had been unbeaten for eight and a half years and was 38-0. But I was confident that I could do it and I think I proved I was a worthy winner.”
Kalambay then defeated the heavy-handed Iran ‘The Blade’ Barkley for the WBA crown, vacated by Marvin Hagler. The following year, Barkley would stop the great Thomas Hearns in three rounds. “I think the Barkley fight was possibly my best performance. I found the answers to everything he threw at me and executed my game plan perfectly against a very dangerous opponent. It was a fantastic fight in Livorno. I won by a unanimous points decision and I was literally on top of the world. It was to be the last 15-round fight before they reduced the number to 12.
“Pretty much all the big fights took place in Italy. I fought in Livorno for Barkley and then Pesaro and Ravenna for Mike McCallum and Robbie Sims. McCallum, who had moved up from light-middleweight, was 32-0 coming into the fight. Angelo Dundee said in commentary that he didn’t realise I was that slick. That was a huge compliment. The viewing figures for the DeWitt fight were incredible, I think over six million tuned in to watch the Monte Carlo matchup. Such a great feeling to know I had the support of a country behind me – every time I fought it was like that.”
A slow-starter, Kalambay was caught cold in the first round by a streaking, brilliant Michael Nunn in 1989, a finish voted the knockout of the year, a rare blot in an otherwise superlative career. Afterwards, he regained the European title, defeated Collins and Graham, again, before dropping a split decision to McCallum in their rematch.
Yet his omission from the IBHOF ballot has been a source of bemusement and consternation for fight aficionados for a number of years.
Long after sharing 24 rounds with McCallum (with four judges separating them by a solitary point), the ‘Bodysnatcher’ and Kalambay remain firm friends, but the Italian-African is still waiting for his nomination from the Hall of Fame. McCallum was inducted way back in 2003!
“For sure, it would have been a great honour for me,” he humbly told Rosi. “Clearly, Mike must have been more deserving than me, and I’m really pleased for him.”
Kalambay, ever the gentleman. But the wait for wider recognition, frustratingly, continues.
