On the face of it Calzaghe might be too fast and defensively capable but on the other hand Beterbiev is relentless and far from a dumb slugger. If Artur just relied on his physicality he'd get lacy'd but he doesn't, he mixes up his attack and even though he isn't the fastest, he seems to find another guy's weak points to batter them to bits. I think that this is a match you'd have to watch to see how it pans out. 50-50 maybe.
Calzaghe got knocked down by WAY past their prime Jones Jr. As @BCS8 said Beterbiev is far from the wild slugger who would be flustered by Calzaghe defense, flurries or even punches. I could see it going like Beterbiev vs Gvozdyk. Calzaghe up early with a higher work rate and better boxing but stopped late from relentless pressure and harder punches than he’s used to. Beterbiev stops him somewhere between ten and twelve in an amazing fight.
The reality is that Beterbiev absolutely destroys him. Calzaghe is, and will always be tremendously overrated. I'm shocked that the formula of holding an obscure euro belt for a decade and fighting two SHOT ATG's has been passed off as legit. Beterbiev is too strong, too skilled, too big, too everything for slappy joe.
Beterbiev handled a guy who was technically a better boxer than Calzaghe, and offensively more gifted. Not sure how Calzaghe, and his slaps would win rounds against the man from the Caucasus.
Calzaghe fought once at light heavyweight against a shot Roy Jones jr. I like Joe but I think he may lose this one. He was done by the time he moved up in weight and his hands were already broken. Beterbiev has a good chance here.
calzaghe was an excellent boxer, but i agree with a lot of what you say here. his career has some similar parallels to crawford's, and were just as deliberate. people need to remember that the best fighter calzaghe beat in his entire career who was in their prime...was mikkel kessler. and there's no two ways around this.
Good call... he didn’t. Might have been thinking someone else but it doesn’t matter. Corrected my post.
