Very good fight due to styles. Toney seems to have the perfect style to defeat everything Calzaghe had. On the other hand Calzaghe is capable of doing to Toney what Jones did if he had the power that Jones had. Calzaghe with his slapping punches wouldn't have had an easy night but I think if Calzaghe sat down on his punches he could beat Toney on volume and power.
Was Toney at his best at SMW...? Calzaghe prime also had power in his hands before they were rendered broke! The fact that Toney at his best was probably on the roids as with Roid Jones Jnr sort of tarnishes peoples opinions anywhere outside of the US.
Hard to imagine Calzaghe's power (such as it is) giving Toney trouble. Toney fought up at HW and was never knocked out. At SMW it's a good fight. I wonder how Toney's favorite move (roll left shoulder to deflect overhand right and counter with a right of his own) would have worked against a south paw. At the same time Toney had power in his left hook and a beautiful jab when he used it. I get why people could argue a points win for Joe (on activity), but Toney was comfortable on the inside and when he wasn't so heavy he did throw in combination. If I had to bet I'd put money on Toney.
Toney by close UD. His defense and counter punching were exceptional. Joe has the higher workrate, but he has nothing to keep Toney honest. JT lands the harder punches and makes him miss more. Harder punching and great defense trump workrate and slaps in my opinion.
against any toney, calzaghe comes up wanting due to his lack of clinical skills. Joe will try to capitalise on tiring toney late on by throwing maximum amounts of inferior output. however against prime toney who isn't going to gass, calzaghe is going to be found wanting all the way since calzaghe will not get his usual "window of gassing" in which to win back the points he lost when being outboxed. toney by decision or possible stoppage. joe might win against 40somethin toney, as he always has a chance against 40something greats as he proved.
Toney at his best was the man BUT he wasn't consistent. Calzaghe was consistent. I think Calzaghe would throw Toney off and pull off a close UD
And Toney has fought multiple fighters arguably on the level of Calzaghe or maybe even better across many weight divisions... Pardon Toney for being "inconsistent"