Ayub Kalule: A Champion Worth Remembering
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Ayub Kalule, the son of a boxer, was born on January 6, 1954 in the Buganda region of Uganda. He is arguably the greatest pugilist that country has ever produced. Kalule enjoyed an outstanding amateur career, which included a victory over US Olympian Sugar Ray Seales. He won the World Amateur boxing championship as a JR Welterweight in 1974 and was slated to represent the country of Uganda in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Kalule would have been one of the favorites at JR Welterweight, along with American Sugar Ray Leonard. However, Ayub was denied the opportunity when Uganda became one of the many nations to boycott the Olympics. Consequently, Kalule started his professional career in relative obscurity while Leonard’s Gold Medal victory vaulted him to immediate stardom.
Ayub moved to the country of Denmark and started his professional career with a four round decision victory over Kurt Hombach in April 1976. After eight consecutive victories, he was matched with JR Middleweight contender Jose Luis Duran. Kalule easily defeated Duran by a 7th round TKO. He followed this up with a 10 round decision victory over former JR Middleweight champion Elisha Obed in June 1977. After just 10 professional fights, Kalule was already a serious contender. Like a certain other tough southpaw named Hagler, the champions of the date were in no hurry to give him a title opportunity. Thus, Ayub just kept quietly and methodically racking up victories.
By April 1978, Kalule’s record stood at an impressive 20-0, 12 KO’s. He then faced Al Korovou for the Commonwealth Middleweight championship, stopping him in the 14th round. One fight later, he defended the title against Reggie Ford, destroying him in five rounds. Ayub then scored back to back decision victories over former amateur rival Sugar Ray Seales and Kevin Finnegan. Yet, in spite of his numerous victories over quality opposition, Kalule would still have to wait nearly another year for his shot at a world title. Finally, after a decision victory over David Love, Ayub would receive his long awaited title opportunity against WBA JR Middleweight champion Elisha Obed in October 1979.
Of course he had to travel to Obed’s backyard of Japan to get the chance. Both men entered the contest undefeated. Only one would leave the ring with his perfect record intact. Ayub dominated the fight from start to finish, capturing a convincing unanimous decision. He was now finally a world champion. Obed would go on to retire afterwards. Kalule was a fighting champion defending four times over the next 18 months. Next he would receive his long awaited shot at Sugar Ray Leonard.
By now, Sugar Ray had established himself as the biggest star and the best pound for pound fighter in the world. He had signed to face fellow Welterweight champion Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns in the fall of 1981 and had the audacity to challenge Kalule in a so-called “tune up” fight. The fight took place on June 25, 1981 at the Houston Astrodome. This would be Kalule’s first appearance in the United States. Leonard surprised everyone by assuming the role of the aggressor and staying flat footed while Kalule looked for opportunities to counterpunch. Sugar Ray’s superior skills and speed gave him a convincing early lead but he was paying a price. Leonard was getting hit far more often than he was used to.
Leonard rocked Kalule with blistering combinations in the 4th and looked to finish him in the 5th. However, the rugged champion was firing back with power shots of his own. By now the Sugar Man knew he was in a fight. Kalule controlled the 7th, rocking Leonard with a right uppercut. However, Leonard demonstrated a steel will and an iron chin, turning the tide with vicious body punching in the 8th round. By the 9th, the champion was finally tiring and Sugar Ray finished him off with three successive crushing rights which sent Kalule to the canvas. The fight was stopped and Leonard walked away with a hard fought victory while Ayub had suffered his first professional defeat.
Kalule rebounded from his loss to Leonard with four consecutive victories including a 2nd round technical knockout over former contender Oscar Albarado. Next Kalule faced young WBA JR Middleweight champion Davey Moore who entered with just 10 professional fights. This was a nip and tuck affair but ultimately Moore was just too young and strong, stopping Ayub in the 10th. Just 4 months later, in November 1982, Kalule faced future champion and hall of famer Mike McCallum and was stopped in 7. The former champion’s career had reached its nadir.
However, he wasn’t through just yet. In November 1984, Kalule won an 8 round decision over future Super Middleweight champion Lindell Holmes. 13 months later, Kalule bested future Middleweight champion Sumbu Kalambay by a 12 round split decision, capturing the European Middleweight title. However, in his next fight, he lost the title by a 10th round stoppage to Herol Graham. Ayub retired after this fight.
Ayub Kalule ended his career with an excellent record of 46-4, 23 KO’s. He ducked no one and faced a number of best JR Middleweight and Middleweight fighters of his era. Kalule didn’t quite achieve enough to warrant hall of fame status but he was a very solid and respectable champion. One thing is certain, unless your name is “GGG” I don’t think any of the top 154-160 pound fighters of today would want any part of this guy.