Sumbu Kalambay
Patrizio Sumbu Kalambay (born 10 April 1956) is an Italian former professional boxer who held the WBA middleweight championship. He was born in the Belgian Congo, moving to Italy during his youth, which is where he learned boxing and he still resides. The Ring magazine placed him at #9 on their list of the "10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years" in 2011.[1]
| Patrizio Sumbu Kalambay | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Patrizio Sumbu Kalambay |
| Weight(s) | middleweight |
| Nationality |  Italian |
| Born | 10 April 1956 Élisabethville, Belgian Congo |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 64 |
| Wins | 57 |
| Wins by KO | 33 |
| Losses | 6 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 0 |
Professional career
After compiling an amateur record of 90 wins and 5 losses, Kalambay turned professional in 1980. In 1985, he was outpointed over ten rounds by Duane Thomas in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. Kalambay won the Italian middleweight title by defeating Giovanni De Marco by split decision, then lost to former WBA light middleweight champion Ayub Kalule by split decision over twelve rounds for the European middleweight title.
In May 1987 at The Arena, Wembley, London, Kalambay won the European middleweight title by outpointing Herol Graham, who was 38-0 and ranked #1 in the world.
In his next fight, Kalambay defeated future three-weight world champion Iran Barkley by unanimous decision over fifteen rounds to win the vacant WBA middleweight title. He made three successful title defenses, including an upset unanimous decision win over Mike McCallum, the undefeated former WBA light middleweight champion.
In March 1989, at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, he boxed undefeated IBF middleweight champion Michael Nunn, being stripped of the WBA belt prior to the bout. Surprisingly, Kalambay was knocked out in the first round with one punch. It was the only knock out loss of his career.
In 1990, Kalambay regained the European title by defeating Francesco Dell'Aquila, and defended it against Frederic Seillier, both via ninth round stoppages. In 1991, Kalambay had a rematch with McCallum in an attempt to regain the WBA middleweight title, which McCallum won by a close split decision.
Kalambay made four more successful defenses of the European title in Italy, including a rematch win over Herol Graham, and a points victory over future two-weight world champion Steve Collins.
In May 1993, at Granby Halls, Leicester, East Midlands, England, Kalabmay lost by unanimous decision to Chris Pyatt in a challenge for the vacant WBO middleweight title.
At 37, Kalambay retired with a record of 57-6-1 (33 KOs).
Professional boxing record
| 64 fights | 57 wins | 6 losses |
| By knockout | 33 | 1 |
| By decision | 23 | 5 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | Loss | 57–6–1 |  Chris Pyatt |
UD | 12 | May 19, 1993 |  Leicester, England |
For vacant WBO middleweight title. |
| 63 | Win | 57–5–1 |  Eddie Evans |
KO | 1 (8) | Apr 14, 1993 |  Rome, Italy |
|
| 62 | Win | 56–5–1 |  Steve Collins |
PTS | 12 | Oct 22, 1992 |  Verbania, Italy |
Retained European middleweight title. |
| 61 | Win | 55–5–1 | Paul Wesley |
PTS | 10 | Jun 06, 1992 |  Salice Terme, Italy |
|
| 60 | Win | 54–5–1 | Herol Graham |
UD | 12 | Mar 12, 1992 |  Pesaro, Italy |
Retained European middleweight title. |
| 59 | Win | 53–5–1 |  Miodrag Perunovic |
TKO | 4 (12) | Nov 14, 1991 | Ancona, Italy |
Retained European middleweight title. |
| 58 | Win | 52–5–1 | John Ashton |
RTD | 6 (12) | Aug 24, 1991 | Pesaro, Italy |
Retained European middleweight title. |
| 57 | Loss | 51–5–1 |  Mike McCallum |
SD | 12 | Apr 01, 1991 |  Monte Carlo, Monaco |
For WBA middleweight title. |
| 56 | Win | 51–4–1 |  Miguel Angel Maldonado |
PTS | 8 | Nov 24, 1990 | Velletri, Italy |
|
| 55 | Win | 50–4–1 |  Frederic Seillier |
TKO | 9 (12) | Jul 8, 1990 |  Toulon, France |
Retained European middleweight title. |
| 54 | Win | 49–4–1 | Francesco Dell'Aquila |
TKO | 9 (12) | Jan 24, 1990 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Campobello di Mazara, Italy |
Won European middleweight title. |
| 53 | Win | 48–4–1 | Reggie Miller |
RTD | 1 (8) | Nov 29, 1989 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 52 | Win | 47–4–1 | Tony Powell |
KO | 5 (?) | Oct 07, 1989 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 51 | Loss | 46–4–1 | Michael Nunn |
KO | 1 (15) | Mar 25, 1989 |  Las Vegas, Nevada |
For IBF middleweight titles |
| 50 | Win | 46–3–1 | Doug DeWitt |
TKO | 7 (15) | Nov 08, 1988 | Monte Carlo, Monaco |
Retained WBA and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 49 | Win | 45–3–1 | Robbie Sims |
UD | 12 | Jun 12, 1988 |  Ravenna, Italy |
Retained WBA and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 48 | Win | 44–3–1 | Mike McCallum |
UD | 12 | Mar 05, 1988 | Pesaro, Italy |
Retained WBA middleweight title |
| 47 | Win | 43–3–1 | Iran Barkley |
UD | 15 | Oct 23, 1987 |  Livorno, Italy |
Won vacant WBA middleweight title |
| 46 | Win | 42–3–1 | Herol Graham |
UD | 12 | May 26, 1987 | Wembley, England |
Won European middleweight title. |
| 45 | Win | 41–3–1 |  Basante Blanco |
RTD | 5 (?) | Mar 21, 1987 |  Ischia, Italy |
|
| 44 | Win | 40–3–1 | Cecil Pettigrew |
PTS | 8 | Dec 13, 1986 | Ragusa, Sicily, Italy |
|
| 43 | Win | 39–3–1 | Giovanni De Marco |
RTD | 11 (12) | Sep 04, 1986 |  Silvi, Italy |
Retained Italian middleweight title. |
| 42 | Win | 38–3–1 | Cliff Gilpin |
PTS | 8 | Mar 15, 1986 | Monte Carlo, Monaco |
|
| 41 | Loss | 37–3–1 |  Ayub Kalule |
SD | 12 | Dec 19, 1985 | Ancona, Italy |
For European middleweight title. |
| 40 | Win | 37–2–1 | Giovanni De Marco |
SD | 12 | sep 26, 1985 | Caserta, Italy |
Won Italian middleweight title. |
| 39 | Win | 36–2–1 | Donald Bowers |
PTS | 8 | Jul 14, 1985 | Monte Carlo, Monaco |
|
| 38 | Win | 35–2–1 |  Jose Duarte |
PTS | 10 | Apr 27, 1985 | Avellino, Italy |
|
| 37 | Loss | 34–2–1 | Duane Thomas |
PTS | 10 | Apr 06, 1985 |  Atlantic City, New Jersey |
|
| 36 | Win | 34–1–1 | Tony Harrison |
TKO | 4 (?) | Mar 08, 1985 | Ancona, Italy |
|
| 35 | Win | 33–1–1 | Clint Jackson |
PTS | 8 | Dec 10, 1984 |  Bercy, France |
|
| 34 | Win | 32–1–1 | Tony Cerda |
PTS | 8 | Sep 22, 1984 | Monte Carlo, Monaco |
|
| 33 | Win | 31–1–1 | Bobby Hoye |
PTS | 8 | Jul 08, 1984 |  Perugia, Italy |
|
| 32 | Win | 30–1–1 | Allen Alexander |
PTS | 8 | Apr 13, 1984 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 31 | Win | 29–1–1 | Kenneth Styles |
TKO | 2 (?) | Feb 18, 1984 | Capo d'Orlando, Italy |
|
| 30 | Win | 28–1–1 | Irving Hines |
KO | 8 (?) | Dec 09, 1983 | Fano, Italy |
|
| 29 | Win | 27–1–1 | Ralph Moncrief |
PTS | 8 | Oct 30, 1983 |  Sanremo, Italy |
|
| 28 | Win | 26–1–1 | James Williams |
KO | 1 (?) | Oct 13, 1983 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 27 | Win | 25–1–1 | Guy Kennedy |
TKO | 6 (8) | Sep 03, 1983 | Marsala, Italy |
|
| 26 | Win | 24–1–1 | Jimmie Sykes |
PTS | 8 | Jul 24, 1983 | Rome, Italy |
|
| 25 | Win | 23–1–1 | Wilson Bell |
KO | 1 (?) | Apr 10, 1983 | Sanremo, Italy |
|
| 24 | Win | 22–1–1 | Bruce Johnson |
TKO | 6 (?) | Feb 24, 1983 | Bologna, Italy |
|
| 23 | Win | 21–1–1 |  Salvador Perez Ramos |
KO | 2 (?) | Dec 10, 1982 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 22 | Win | 20–1–1 | Stacy McSwain |
TKO | 3 (?) | Nov 26, 1982 |  Saint-Vincent, Aosta Valley, Italy |
|
| 21 | Win | 19–1–1 | Buster Drayton |
PTS | 8 | Oct 30, 1982 | Sanremo, Italy |
|
| 20 | Win | 18–1–1 | Joe Ouru |
DQ | 1 (?) | Sep 01, 1982 | Forio d'Ischia, Italy |
|
| 19 | Win | 17–1–1 |  Jose Quinones |
TKO | 2 (?) | May 29, 1982 | Milan, Italy |
|
| 18 | Win | 16–1–1 | Costello King |
KO | 2 (?) | Apr 02, 1982 | Milan, Italy |
|
| 17 | Win | 15–1–1 | Steve Williams |
TKO | 2 (?) | Feb 05, 1982 | Bologna, Italy |
|
| 16 | Win | 14–1–1 | Gabriele Lazzari |
TKO | 6 (?) | Dec 26, 1981 | Bologna, Italy |
|
| 15 | Win | 13–1–1 | Jose Lozano |
PTS | 8 | Dec 11, 1981 | Milan, Italy |
|
| 14 | Win | 12–1–1 | Michel Pagani |
KO | 2 (?) | Nov 13, 1981 | Rome, Italy |
|
| 13 | Win | 11–1–1 |  Sonny Kamunga |
KO | 7 (?) | Oct 23, 1981 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 12 | Win | 10–1–1 | Jose Luis Duran |
TKO | 4 (?) | Sep 25, 1981 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 11 | Win | 9–1–1 | Christian D'Helft |
TKO | 3 (?) | Jun 27, 1981 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 10 | Win | 8–1–1 | Giovanni Martorina |
TKO | 1 (?) | May 28, 1981 | Milan, Italy |
|
| 9 | Win | 7–1–1 | Christian D'Helft |
TKO | 1 (?) | May 15, 1981 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 8 | Win | 6–1–1 | Damiano Lassandro |
TKO | 8 (8) | Apr 17, 1981 | Pesaro, Italy |
|
| 7 | Win | 5–1–1 | Giovanni Martorina |
PTS | 6 | Mar 20, 1981 | Ancona, Italy |
|
| 6 | Win | 4–1–1 | Cosimo Carbone |
TKO | 3 (?) | Mar 09, 1981 | Rome, Italy |
|
| 5 | Win | 3–1–1 | Christian D'Helft |
PTS | 8 | Feb 05, 1981 | Paris, France |
|
| 4 | Draw | 2–1–1 | Stephane Ferrara |
PTS | 6 | Jan 08, 1981 | Paris, France |
|
| 3 | Loss | 2–1 | Aldo Buzzetti |
PTS | 8 | Dec 05, 1980 | Piacenza, Italy |
|
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Luigi Marini |
TKO | 6 (?) | Oct 24, 1980 | Ancona, Italy |
|
| 1 | Win | 1–0 |  Esperno Postl |
TKO | 7 (8) | Oct 10, 1980 |  Wolkersdorf, Austria |
Career after boxing
Sumbu Kalambay is currently the trainer of boxers Paolo Vidoz, Michele Piccirillo and Carel Sandon.
Family
He is the father of Patrick Kalambay, an Italian football midfielder.
References
- "10: Best middleweight titleholders of the last 50 years". RingTV. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
Bibliography
- Gabriele Tinti, Sumbu Kalambay,Con l'Africa dentro, Milan, Mimesis, 2010. ISBN 978-88-575-0124-6
External links
| Regional boxing titles | ||||
| Preceded by Herol Graham |
EBU Middleweight Champion May 26 – October 23, 1987 Won WBA title |
Vacant Title next held by Pierre Joly | ||
| World boxing titles | ||||
| Preceded by Marvin Hagler Stripped |
WBA Middleweight Champion October 23, 1987 – 1989 Stripped |
Succeeded by Mike McCallum | ||
| Preceded by Ray Leonard Retired |
The Ring Middleweight Champion July 6, 1988 – March 2, 1989 Title terminated |
Succeeded by Bernard Hopkins Title reintroduced | ||
Authority control  |
|---|