Nigel Benn claims Joe Calzaghe would have beaten all four legends:

That weight would have been my guess actually. Cutting 10+ lbs was probably quite standard for 168 at that time. Today it might be more. Benavidez probably was around 190 for some fights at 168. Haney was 165 for a fight at 140. Some cut crazy amunts today. How much it helps to cut that much I don't know.

Leonard weighed in at 163 as the most, but said that he filled his pockets to be heavier and really barely was 160. So he would be giving up 20 lbs to someone that good, while a fair bit past his best. That's tough.

 

I'm a sad, sad, man, and as such have collated a substantial amount of data on recorded fight night weights from the past 12-years or so.

Whilst extreme outliers, such as those you reference, exist, the average increase from weigh in to fight night is just over 8%. A little less in percentage terms at the higher weights (e.g. LHW) and a higher in % terms at the lower weights. Whilst the increase is slightly more in absolute terms at the higher weights. I.e., what you'd logically expect.

The average fight night weight at SMW today is likely to be in the low 180's.

I agree with your underlying point, though, any version of SRL would be much smaller and lighter than your typical SMW is in the ring today.

 

Calzaghe should beat them all.
Which old timers are the ones Benn referring to?

 

I understand. I was reading into your comment based on arguments I'm used to seeing people make.

As a weight 168 is traditional LHW(160-175). With tweeners it(usually) serves as a B division for the original division. For me the question with Calzaghe being at 168 isn't that Calzaghe wasn't a 175 but he wasn't fighting the best 175ers as a 168.

 

Complimentary comments by Nigel, but rather silly.

They all peaked at the lower weights, and back in the days of same day weigh-ins.

Joe would have been a LHW in their era.

Joe wasn’t as great as what they were.

But of course he could have beaten them in actual H2H fights.

 

True. He was the same size as RJJ pretty much, but stayed a division below when Jones still was good. Smart move.