Calzaghe didnt do much before he became a world champ but if you work out how many fighters were top 10 rated and how many became top 10 rated after Calzaghe beat them he fought 22 SMW title fights and 15 were or became top 10 rated. I havent included Ferreyra who had been top 10 rated before fighting Calzaghe This content is protected , Thats very good but even better when you note Calzaghes LHW career, because as a career total it becomes This content is protected He fought This content is protected fighters who were rated when he fought them. Reid, Sheika, Woodhall, Veit2, Brewer, Mitchell, Ashira, Manfredo, Lacy, Kessler, Jones, Hopkins, Bika. Eubank got rated for his loss so could be included to make This content is protected
You missed 98 Title Vacant Frankie Liles Joe Calzaghe Richie Woodhall Sven Ottke Charles Brewer Robin Reid Thomas Tate Calzaghe beat the fighter that beat the #1, beat #3 Woodhall, #4 Ottke wouldnt fight him which Ottkes trainer admitted, he beat #5 Brewer, beat #6 Reid and #7 Tate was scheduled to meet Calzaghe but pulled out and retired instead, which is where Pudwill came in as a late sub
The jury is still out on Bute. Yes, fighting old ass Glenn Johnson was very Slappy-esque, he hasn't spent a decade fighting bums and old men the way Slappy did. That said, even Slappy is better than Ottke.
Marty Jakubowski was 37-0 and lost to JCChavez was 87-1 and lost to Miguel Angel Gonzalez was 101-2 and lost to Artur Grigorian just fought complete scrubs from the midwest and plains. Not a bad strategy actually...make a little cash and then get a big occasional payday. Fought Chavez twice actually.
I'm old enough to have seen some of the Rock's fights and he was NO punk. True, the big names (Luis, Walcott and Charles) were past it, but he was strong durable and hit like a mule and he was only about 195lbs. My vote goes to Lamar Clark, big White hw that had about 45 straight ko's, fought Ali and got the dog**** beaten outta' him. Did anybody mention that Latino hw David Rodriguez? Whthfk has he even FOUGHT, much less, BEATEN.
If we are talking about guys who have cracked the top 10 in their division at some point, Helenius at the moment.
Marciano isn't the worst for sure, but he's definitely one of the most overrated. The Rock was great, but not because of his undefeated record. Lamar Clarke is a good shout, Chavez Jr. is pretty bad, Joe Mesi, I always thought Mike Anchondo was hilarious.