More skilled: Mike McCallum, Michael Nunn, Sumbu Kalambay, or James Toney?

[Ray Corso]

Toney for me.

[Humean]

Skill isn't what you show in one fight against one style. It's what you can do overall against all styles. Versatility, adaptation, offence, defense, leading, countering etc etc. All of the above.

Kalambay was an exceptional talent and could have been quite a spectacular champion in another era, todays anyone, but while he showed great skill, he didn't do it enough, against as broad a range of fighters, at the highest level, as the others did.

He also dropped fights that he arguably shouldn't have if he was as skilled as the others.

McCallum was hardly the only quality opponent that Kalambay fought and defeated and those opponents fought a variety of different styles. McCallum (x2), Kalule, Nunn, Barkley, Graham (x2), Collins, plus a handful of others, don't all share a similiarity of styles.

It is fine to look at the bad stuff about Kalambay but what about Toney? Did the Tiberi fight never happen? The two Griffin fights, or Thadzi? Do they show that Toney wasn't as skilled as people make out?

I suppose it could be said that both Toney and McCallum had more all round ability than Kalambay and that Kalambay was something of a one trick pony in comparison but if that is true then it was still one hell of a trick.

[Long jabber]

Toney for me.

of course its toney.

anyone with a right mind would pick toney

[huh?]

Of this group, technical skill goes to James Toney. McCallum a clear second. Nunn was the best athlete and all four were tough. Of the three he never fought, including Hagler, I'd put money on Roy Jones Jr. to beat em all and maybe KO Nunn. At his best Roy just had way too much of everything.

[Scott9945]

McCallum was good at everything but not great at anything. He was very well rounded but not fast footed, fast handed, powerful or a defensive master. He was very balanced and that made him successful.

Mike McCallum was one of the greatest body punchers ever. So that is something great.

[greeh]

I can't be bothered to do a breakdown of each fighter at the moment, but I will say this - Kalambay gets sold short here.

[just the facts]

If hagler had stuck around he would have lost to all 4. Hagler was pretty much done after he hearns war.. He looked aged in the Mugabi and Leonard fight.. Had he fought these youngsters from 88-92 I really don't like his chances, I think he gets outpointed by all 4.

Prime vs prime I think mccallum matches up best vs hagler, even though I think hagler beats all of these guys in his prime

You're kinda selling Hagler short here. Even the less than prime version of Hagler that fought Leonard beats all of these guys.

McCallum- he didn't have any advantages over Hagler, he wasn't faster or more powerfull. One sided decision for Hagler.

Nunn- his speed and reflexes would be a factor through the mid rounds, but then Marvin goes into destroy and destruct and takes him out like Toney did. The fight is close at the stoppage

Kalambay- any version of Hagler > any version of Kalambay. Nuff said

Toney- good fight, but Toney killed himself to make 160. Hagler isn't gonna just let Toney lay on the ropes and counter him with pot shots. Hagler by close but well deserved decision

[Sugar Adam Ali]

You're kinda selling Hagler short here. Even the less than prime version of Hagler that fought Leonard beats all of these guys.

McCallum- he didn't have any advantages over Hagler, he wasn't faster or more powerfull. One sided decision for Hagler.

Nunn- his speed and reflexes would be a factor through the mid rounds, but then Marvin goes into destroy and destruct and takes him out like Toney did. The fight is close at the stoppage

Kalambay- any version of Hagler > any version of Kalambay. Nuff said

Toney- good fight, but Toney killed himself to make 160. Hagler isn't gonna just let Toney lay on the ropes and counter him with pot shots. Hagler by close but well deserved decision

Old hagler had he stayed active would have been carved up by the youngsters.. All four were really good world caliber fighters... Hagler in say 1991-2 fighting toney, toney probably does him like did Holyfield years later..

Hagler left at the correct moment.. Outside of a Leonard rematch, hagler had nothing else to fight for.. It would have been a shame to see a faded hagler still fighting on vs the likes of prime nunn, toney, mccallum, etc

[Anthony342]

Leonard should've gave Hagler a rematch too. I think Marvin could've had a chance to win, if he came out more aggressively.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

People need to realize that hagler was never the same after the hearns fight. Yes he won the fight, but he walked thru hell to get it, and left pieces of himself in the ring that night. He looked much slower and struggled in his next fight vs mugabi, and then couldnt even really damage a shot SRL.. There is no doubt that the hearns' bombs shaved years off hagler's career.. He was a shell of himself after that fight... the hagler that fought sibson, minter, etc would have destroyed mugabi, instead hagler struggled...

Hagler fighting on into the late 80s, early 90s, vs guys like nunn, toney, mccallum, kalambay, it would have been too much for him, and he would have about as much success as SRL did vs Norris..