Who do you rank higher: Andre Ward or Joe Calzaghe

The Welsh Dragon never resort to illegal tactics to win big fight, just plain old boxing. Yes he slapped a bit after his hand injuries but never bored me like Ward did.

 

Joe had a complete career and to me much better than Ward.

 

Has to be Joe. He beat bhop and Jones who are two ATGs and Hall of fame boxers.

 

Real life Joe is still ranked higher. If Andre continued his career he could have moved passed Calzaghe. But Andre has decided to retire with really good names on his ledger. He beat Froch, Kessler, Dawson and Kovalev, twice. That's a really good resume and retiring undefeated is a feather in his cap. But Joe has W's over Bhop and Jones Jr on his resume. There's no debating who ranks higher between the two. That's real life

 

One of those guys was completely shot. I would favor Ward over the versions of Hopkins and Jones the Calzaghe beat.

 

One of them was definitely past their primes and on the way out, the other went on to win the lineal LHW world title and beat a lot of top fighters until he recently hung up the gloves. Joe dominated Jones Jr. which he was supposed to do at the stage of both of their careers. A lot of ATGs and Hall of fame boxers beat old, past their best legends that adds to their legacies. Most of them do it. Floyd has done it, PAC has done it, DLH, Marciano,....the list goes on and on. It's almost a right of passage or merely passing of the torch. I'm not sure if I'd favor Ward over a prime Joe. Styles makes fights. Joe was very fast and unrelentingly. He also was extremely crafty. We'll never know the outcome but it's an interesting mythical match up

 

Calzaghe

 

Ward accomplished more and looks much more skilled head to head.

 

Underrated Joe C no problem .. UNLESS Ward gets in his 5 intentionally head butts and multiple low blows ,, then its a fight

 

Calzaghe by far!!!

 

ward by a good margin, he multiply defended the full titles, not one that was unrecognised for 10 years. Joe only defended another title JUST ONCE, although admittedly the WBO became a major title in 2005 so you can add Lacy Ashira, MAnfredo (good grief how on earth was that defence) Kessler to that single major title defence.
6 defences is still behind guys like Froch, so its laughable to rate joe ahead of ward when he didnt even surpass his domestic rivals.

Its odd, we have yet to see a SMW get into double figure defences of the major titles, unless you live under the daydream that Ottke really had an undefeated run.
I reckon its because it has been less prestigious historically, the good fighters tend to leave it for bigger prizes.

 

lowblow to Hopkins and a massive series of fake stoppages in cardiff. come on!

 

Joe for me, but not by much. Not to the point that I'm happy to argue loads with someone picking Ward

 

Current Sullivan Barrera is a far better Win than 2008 Jones. Ward's LHW career is vastly superior to Calzaghe's. Joe MIGHT be more accomplished of the 2, but It certainly isn't because of those 2 wins at 175.

 

agreed, ward left joe behind long ago.

so did froch to be fair, though marginally.