Observations on Joe Calzaghe's career.

Whether his own fault, the fault of someone else, or circumstantial; Joe Calzaghe never faced anyone great while they were still great. His career is like George Foreman's, minus the official losses of course, without ever facing Joe Frazier.

For the record, off the record, I doubt anyone cares about my record; I thought he lost to Bernard Hopkins. I also think he beat a better version of Roy Jones than some give him credit for. The Jones that showed up for that fight may very well be one of the top 6 light heavyweights in the world. Chad Dawson, Bernard Hopkins, Glenn Johnson, Joe Calzaghe, and Antonio Tarver are the only 175 lbers I can confidently put ahead of Jones.

I really hate we didn't get to see him face Glen Johnson. Dawson would have been the legacy fight, but Johnson would have been the one for entertainment.

 

There seems to have been a totalitarian state-style erasing of memory and history that has gone on amongst Calzaghe fans as well, because none of them that I ever speak to seem to remember Joe wobbling like a tree in the wind after taking some heavy fire in the last 10 seconds of round 7 - had that round went another 10 seconds, the 'Granite-Chinned One' was on the deck again for sure.

 

Bwhahaa, ahhh. Love it.

Hopkin's buckled his legs coming off the ropes with a counter shot as well. Joe's stiffened up for a second.

Of course I don't expect the casual fan to watch bodily reactions like that, or even things half as subtle as that when scoring a fight. A grown man flailing like a ****** trying to slap fight is just so much catchier and eye pleasing.

 

I'd agree with that, All those guys were past their Prime when they fought Marciano. However Fighting 3 top 15 All time fighters look's Damn good on the old resume.

 

NO. Jones was shot -- he did not look good, he had no legs, he was slow -- if Jones had him hurt in the 1st round in his prime, Joe wouldve got KO'D in the 1st.

According and comparing to what Jones was, he was extremely shot by these standards. That his abilities make him on the random contender level of grabbing a worthless Alphabet soup belt at age 40, does not mean he was good in that fight, it means he was shot to pieces. The judgment of how shot an individual is has to be compared to their prime not some contenders out there. IMO. Jones has done nothing since he was 34. He has been damaged good's since then. Any great fighter would've KO'd him. That Joe couldn't was amazing, in fact the fight should've been stopped because of the cut.

 

Calzaghe is all time great material and I believe his greatness will only appreciate as time goes on, as is usually the case with most great fighters. The claim to being a multiple title holder and retire undefeated is a rare claim in this sport and always has been.

 

Saying that Joe's win over this version of Jones has any merit, would almost be close to saying Jones victory over Trinidad has any merit. While Trinidad was his best as a WW, the point I am trying to make is that he was WELL past his prime and shot. And to give Jones credit for that would be a joke. Jones being a shell of himself is not a great victory.

Then Lacy... lol. The hype surrounding lacy was ******ed, he beat no one. If Lacy went on to do great things afterwards, would be a greater victory. And yet the Lacy fight was Joe's greatest victory. He looked better in that fight than any other and that fight, given what it meant at the time, was the biggest of his career, the fight that made him.

 

The main problem with Jones is that he has never learned to adapt his style to his age. His athleticism is still quite remarkable. Jones is still faster than most anyone at 175. It took a top 5 light heavy to defeat Jones the night Calzaghe met him. It may speak volumes of how good Jones once was, but being a top 10 in your division is far from shot.

 

Correct. Clazaghe has a unique style that featured quick reflexes, a high punch out put, and great quickness. He is undefeated, won 20+ title fights in a row, and became a two divison champion.

He is sure fight hall of fame fighter. While his competition wasn't the greatest, he retires un-defeated.

 

He wasn't top 10, I don't even think he was ranked that high, he definitely didn't deserve a shot at the title and only got one because of his name, but even Joe said he wasn't going to fight this shot version of Jones and go for a young guy, which he flip flopped on. Jones beat 2 nobodies and a blown up Trinidad, he didn't deserve that fight.

 

I think Roy Jones would have needed to fight a top 10 guy at 168 or 175 to determine is he was still a top 10 fighter at that weight.

Clazaghe's critics kill me. In boxing, a great fighter often makes his name on other great fighters on the decline. In addion Calzaghe himself wa son the decline when he fought Hopkins and Jones. Give Joe his due. He is one of the few champs who retired un-defeated.

 

Sorry I missed the part where Calazghe admitted he stood no chance against a prime RJJ, because hes said as much. I think it was around 2001. I missed the part where Joe pulled out of the Glen Johnson fight 3 times. I also missed the part where Joe fought practically no one from 2000-2005 (except past it versions of Mitchell and Brewer)

What a load of what a load of contrived BS, RJJ and Eubanks were never friends to ask about 'Joe', why would RJJ talk about Calazghe as a career defining fight when in 2001 no one knew him in the US, few people in the UK knew him, he was a nobody, he wasnt even making top30 P4P lists. And then there was DM in RJJs own division.

As for BHOPs he did double his demands but Don King was set to take a huge steak of his purse so he was happy to sit the contact out

 

Remember also Rocky went life and death with Charles and Jersey Joe even though they had declined a bit as fighters.It makes you wonder whether he had the game to live with some of the greatest heavyweights in their prime.

He is the most consistent heavyweight champion of all time,I concede you that.

 

He is great-like Sven Ottke.

 

Joe never went after the other top10 guys in his division. If you look at the total of ranked opposition, it is pretty low. Look how few opponents he faced from the ring top10 lists below:

Rings 168 Top10 2000

Sven Ottke
Joe Calzaghe
Bruno Girard
Charles Brewer
Thomas Tate
Dave Hilton Jr.
Dingaan Thobela
Glenn Catley
Byron Mitchell
James Butler

2001

Sven Ottke
Joe Calzaghe
Byron Mitchell
Antwun Echols
Charles Brewer
Thomas Tate
Eric Lucas
Mads Larsen
Manny Siaca
Markus Beyer

2002

Title Vacant
Joe Calzaghe
Sven Ottke
Antwun Echols
Eric Lucas
Byron Mitchell
Charles Brewer
Mads Larsen
Manny Siaca
Anthony Mundine
Markus Beyer


2003

Title Vacant
Joe Calzaghe
Sven Ottke
Anthony Mundine
Antwun Echols
Danny Green
Byron Mitchell
Markus Beyer
Charles Brewer
Mads Larsen
Robin Reid

2004

Joe Calzaghe
Mikkel Kessler
Anthony Mundine
Antwun Echols
Danny Green
Jeff Lacy
Mads Larsen
Robin Reid
Markus Beyer
Manny Siaca

This is a man that is supposedly the king of his division who during his prime wouldn't face most of the top challengers, wouldn't face Otke who had 2 belts and 20defenses at 168, not that he squared off for anything other than a WBO up until Lacy in 2006 anyway