Joe Calzaghe the greatest super middleweight ever...

A mixture of The Ring and Boxing Monthly used there. All had been top 10 rated in both at some point

That rating with Sheika at 10 wasnt the WBO but SMW division at that time. Sheika was a top 10 SMW at the time beating G Johnson.

1: Joe Calzaghe* (Britain), 28-0, WBO
2: Sven Ottke (Germany), 19-0, IBF
3: Glenn Catley (Britain), 26-3, WBC
4: Bruno Girard (France), 37-2-1, WBA
5: Byron Mitchell, 20-1-1
6: Markus Beyer (Germany), 18-1
7: Richie Woodhall (Britain), 26-2
8: James Butler, 16-1
9: Charles Brewer, 35-6
10:

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20-1

See it notes who the champs were then.

In answer to the question on Sheika, there was a box off to fight Calzaghe between O Sheika and G Johnson where Calzaghe had to fight the winner. Sheika beat G Johnson to earn a title shot.

 

Now he is, but not then. Back then he was a frindge contender.
Same could be said for Toney at CW the way he was bossed round and beaten recently, its how it often ends up.

Sheika not too long ago fought Diaconu a world rated LHW and pushed him very hard, this was just before Diaconus fight with Dawson.

 

Your are getting bogged down in details. If a champion not named Joe Calzaghe fights the #10 rated fighter in his division, do you consider that to be a good defense?

 

I look at all of the details surrounding the fight before I make an assessment.

Do you consider Frochs defence against Dirrell a good one? Dirrell hadnt beaten anyone major at the time, in fact his biggest win was and arguably still is Oganov. Dirrell still hasnt beaten a top SMW. All facts have to be looked at before I can give an answer

 

I guess you don't want to acknowledge that you view Joe facing the #10 guy a lot more fondly than you would any other fighter.

Dirrel was talented, but unproven. The merit of the win will be clearer once Dirrell has progressed through his career a bit. As of now, it looks like a decent win.

 

Thanks for the compliment CHAL_DIESEL. I try and just give over facts. Many dont know the full facts and just follow what others on ESB tell them.
Many didnt follow the SMW division until Calzaghe beat Lacy, so many good wins went undetected.

 

Further on from this post. I look at it for how it is.

Look at The Rings annual 1998 ratings

1. Frankie Liles
2. Joe Calzaghe
3. Richie Woodhall
4. Sven Ottke
5. Charles Brewer
6. Robin Reid
7. Thomas Tate

Calzaghe at #2 beat the fighter that KOd #1 Liles,
beat #3 Woodhall,
#4 Ottke refused to fight him,
beat #5 Brewer,
beat #6 Reid
#7 Tate pulled out against Calzaghe and retired,

People try and pretend these defences never happend and that Calzaghe suddenly appeared when he beat Lacy

 

He never appeared on American TV prior to fighting Lacy. Of course, 168 was very new and had no star power at that time. Plenty of other U.K. fighters were on TV here quite a bit back then (Lewis and Hamed for example), but they were fighting legitmate stars like Holyfield and Barrera.

 

Where were they ranked, and by which when Calzaghe fought them?

All I'm saying is that theese rankings are all over the place....Not doubting you my friend, just trying to get an accurate picture.

I didn't say anything about Sheika, I'm guessing that was meant for someone else.

Didn't he fight Brewer in like '01?

 

:deal

 

Achievement wise no one is better than Calzaghe in the SMW division. Thats the answer to the thread.

H2H wise, there will be quiet a lot that would beat him from MW - LHW.

What could have Calzaghe done to be appreciated further?

His era wasnt the best but Calzaghe did more of less clean it out. But he could have still:-

Stick around a little longer, Unify SMW titles quicker, beat one of the young guns who would later on enhance his status, Tell Warrren to bounce earlier.....

beat some Top 10 SMW's. Not the ones in the WBO top 10 SMW or the Britsh version of the top 10, but the generally worldy recognised top 10 SMW's.

These would have enhance his legacy alot more.

Still Calzaghe did very well, best british fighter in recent times behind Lennox IMO.

 

Calzaghe was the greatest and he did not even beat up women like Void.