Tough one. I think Toney is the better all round fighter but Calzaghe´s style is difficult to beat. The Toney who lost to Jones Jr would definately be outhustled with ease. A fully fit James with no problems making weight and in the mood is a difficult man to beat. Calzaghe is fast, fit and durable. Toney struggled with talented boxers like Reggie Johnson, Montell Griffin (x2) and early rounds of Nunn. Calzaghe at his best (Lacy+Kessler) might just be too active. If they fought 10 times I´d lean toward Calzaghe winning 7-3 or 6-4.
I rare the best Toney higher and his accomplishments higher, but I'm thinking probably Calzaghe and that I'd probably hate it immensely.
I think Toney can't afford to give a flat performance other wise he's gonna lose a wide decision. But if he's firing on all cylinders then Joe has his hardest fight on his hands. Your right, mate... Tough one.
This match up has been done alot recently. https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/joe-calzaghe-versus-james-toney-at-168.721945/ https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/james-toney-versus-joe-calzaghe.718468/ https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/joseph-william-calzaghe-vs-james-nathaniel-toney.700200/ https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/james-lights-out-toney-is-he-all-wrong-for-calzaghe.697432/ https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/joseph-william-calzaghe-vs-james-nathaniel-toney.700199/
Too hard for me. I voted for Joe. Mostly, more than this fight, I would like to see a fight like prime RJJ Vs. prime Calzaghe (and not the fight we actually watched).
I'd lean toward Calzaghe b/c I think Toney would have trouble finding counterpunching opportunities in between Calz's awkward "slapping" flurries, which are also deceptively hurtful on top of being fast. It might also be an ugly & difficult to score fight, not too dissimilar from Calz's own fight w/ Hopkins.
Calzaghe didn't/was poor at formulating game plans prior to the fight. His modus operandi was to stay in range and outwork his opponent with high volume of very fast punches. This would have left him vulnerable to Toney's straight right, after which had landed, James would look to spoil and hold. This would have led to Toney winning the early rounds. As poor as Calzaghe was at formulating game plans in advance of the contest, he had a brilliant instinctual capacity to make the right adjustments mid fight. Just as he did vs Kessler and vs Hopkins, I think he'd adjust after a few rounds, start darting in and out of range, landing single shots and then moving away before he could be countered. Consequently, I see Toney having the better of the first half of the fight and Calzaghe the second half. I'd anticipate a close, debatable, distance fight, with some favouring Calzaghe's greater volume and others Toney's cleaner, harder shots.
Same here, Cecil. Joe had that high work rate, something that Toney struggles with. He's not knocking Joe out either, well I'd be gob smacked if there were a ko either way.
I think similar with Eubank. I know it was a past prime Eubank he beat but I think prime Eubank also has a problem with Calzaghe’s high output.