Michael Nunn vs. Sumbu Kalambay, billed as Premier Battle, was a professional boxing match contested on March 25, 1989, for the IBF middleweight title. The fight won The Ring magazine's inaugural knockout of the year award for 1989.On this day: Michael Nunn scores spectacular KO 1 win over Sumbu Kalambay, The Ring article, 2022-03-25 Retrieved on 2024-09-04
Background In January 1989, promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank announced his intentions to create a middleweight unification series in order to crown an undisputed middleweight champion.Arum Makes Big Plans, NY Times article, 1989-01-11 Retrieved on 2024-09-04 Arum's initial plans called for Michael Nunn, the IBF middleweight champion, to face WBA middleweight champion Sumbu Kalambay in a unification bout that March and then move on to face the winner of the Iran Barkley–Roberto Durán fight that would take place one month before the Nunn–Kalambay fight for Barkley's WBC middleweight champion.Promoter Bob Arum Tuesday outlined a series of fights..., UPI article, 1989-01-10 Retrieved on 2024-09-06 These plans were derailed almost immediately when the WBA refused to sanction the Nunn–Kalambay fight, instead mandating that Kalambay face their number-one ranked contender Herol Graham, though Kalambay decided to go through with facing Nunn leading to the WBA to strip him of their title.Nevada commission says Kalambay not champion, UPI article, 1989-03-24 Retrieved on 2024-09-06 Angered by the WBA's decision, Arum criticized the organization, stating that the WBA was "extorting sanctioning fees" and acting "unlawfully" by stripping Kalambay.Boxing promoter Bob Arum blasted the World..., LA Times article, 1989-03-14 Retrieved on 2024-09-04 At the insistence of Arum, Kalambay was still introduced as the WBA middleweight champion by announcer Michael Buffer during the pre-fight introductions. Kalambay, not largely known in the United States and seven years older than Nunn, was installed as a 4–1 underdog by oddsmakers.Kalambay Is Fighting for Name Recognition, LA Times article, 1989-03-25 Retrieved on 2024-09-06
The fight The fight would last just over one minute. The two fighters started the fight trying to establish their jabs, though the taller Nunn was having much more success than Kalambay. Than with seventy seconds having gone by, Kalambay threw a jab that missed Nunn, who countered with a big left hand that caught Kalambay flush and sent him down on his back. Kalambay hardly made an attempt to get back up as he was counted out by the referee, giving Nunn the knockout victory after only 1:28 of action.One Punch, 88 Seconds Are All Nunn Needs to KO Kalambay, LA Times article, 1989-03-26 Retrieved on 2024-09-06\
Fight card Confirmed bouts: Weight Class Weight vs. Method Round NotesMiddleweight160 lbs.Michael Nunn (c)defSumbu Kalambay KO1/12Cruiserweight190 lbs.Yawe Davis defRandy LeaksUD6/6Middleweight160 lbs.Dan Sherry def.Scott SharpUD6/6Cruiserweight190 lbs.Al Coledef.Lorenzo ThomasTKO3/4Super Lightweight140 lbs.Charles Murray defBenjamin QuinteroTKO2/4Super Bantamweight122 lbs.Kennedy McKinney def.Charles HawkinsTKO1/4Light Heavyweight175 lbs.Andrew Maynarddef.Rodney BrownTKO2/4Super Welterweight154 lbs.Robert Wangiladef.Louis SaucedoUD4/4
Broadcasting Country Broadcaster HBO Channel 7
References