Sam Langford vs. Joe Calzaghe

Sam Langford wins by KO.

Very obviously.

 

Calzaghe does well for however long it lasts. His speed and timing make him look great in picking his spots (so great there will be calls for a redundant rematch) and he'll score points in all the rounds he's involved with whilst Langford times single shots to the body that only hurt Calzaghe occasionally going away.

All this time, of course, Langford is deploying subtle pressure, coming to understand Joe's best assets - his "non-balanced" way of fighting and his masterful control of range. Calzaghe continues to move around the ring with Langford in pursuit.

At some point, Langford - by a combination of luck and generalship early in the fight, or trapping and counter-punching later in the fight - lands a flush shot on Calzaghe who has been dropped by punchers not even in the class 3 classes below Sam Langford. He's caught coming in and he doesn't get up, and if he gets up, he wishes he hadn't got up.

Is this in an era with instant replays? If not there are going to be calls of "fix", because it might be difficult for even ringsiders to see what has transpired. To those in attendance it might look like Calzaghe went on one of his standard forays and then fell down for no reason.

Basically, Calzaghe's chin isn't up to this particular job, and as Janitor may well have pointed out whilst I was typing up this response, there may be no man in fighting history so dangerous with one punch...or one who hit harder pound for pound.

I'll say...K05, but anything from 1 to around 10 is possible.

 

Are you kidding? Apart from the fact that he doesn't sell his attacks he's made for Langford in every concievable way. A volume punching swarmer without great power or concrete chin. That's Langford's ideal on paper opponent.

Literally.

 

His power was fine; but not the type of HW power neccessary to keep Sam off, that's proven.

He would beat Langford to the punch, for a while.

Yes; Joe would outbox him. Until he got KTFO.

Calzaghe has the wrong STYLE not to get hit.

Calzaghe doesn't have the CHIN to take Sam's punches when he gets hit.

I'm gonna leave you to your opinion because I know you will defend it to the very death, but there is no real reason to pick Calzaghe here. Even over four rounds I expect he would get outswarmed in a close one. But with Joe hitting so - comparitively - lightly, I think Sam would just take his time over the longer distance.

I could quite happily conceed to you that 2000 fighters are superior to 1914 fighters in every way and still happily pick Langford by KO on styles and physical equipment.

No brainer.