F***-off

I can't blame Calzaghe for not fighting Hopkins sooner, as Hopkins was the one who pulled out in 2002-03, wanting more money at the last minute, unhappy with the amount King was going to take. I don't find it a coincidence that once Hopkins was out of the King contract after beating Tito, that he started getting big money fights again.

On the other hand, I've read quotes where Calzaghe himself admits he wanted no part of Jones (before his decline).

 

I really try to give you the benefit of the doubt cause it seems like you try and put a lot of thought in your posts and it almost seems like you're trying to be a sports writer or a journalist of sorts. However, as usual, your facts are skewed to say the least.

JLC was definitely not p4p champ at the time. In fact, he couldnt make lightweight and was forced to move up to jr welter. He had a **** poor showing in his fight with Ngoudja? sp? where most believe he actually lost. He failed to make weight in his 2nd and 3rd fights with Corrales, the third being cancelled because of it. He was by far old and washed up by the time Hatton fought him.

Luis Callazo, while I believe beat Hatton and has been on the wrong end of a few decisions is still a B level fighter. As far as KT goes, he made him come over to England at the age of 35 and althought coming off of a dominant win over Sharmba Mitchell, hadnt fought in almost 2 years before that. Nonetheless, he was mugged in that fight and the ref let Hatton get away with murder.

You have to keep in mind mandatories and the fact that Calzaghe doesnt decide who fights in his division. He could have fought Jones or B-Hop a lot sooner and in their primes, but many boxers have said they are almost impossible to negotiate with.

However, calzaghe did unify the belts against Lacy, a fight at the time everyone wanted to see, which he thoroughly dominated. Bika is a tought opponent, Andrade, Kessler, again unifying. He then beat B-Hop, who recently gave Pavlik a boxing lesson and Jones. Although Jones is far from his prime, Calzaghe at 36 is no spring chicken himself. Which he again thoroughly dominated Jones.

While i agree calzaghes record is somewhat padded and he could have made better fights a lot sooner...and Im not saying he is the best fighter in the world by any means..he cant be at least respected for what he has done?

 

Clinton Woods is one tough hombre that has always held my respect.

 

Exactly

 

Overall tone of the post indicates we have yet another Calzaghe hater on board (or maybe an old one under a new alias).


Hopkins ducked Calzaghe in 02.

Jones was never anxious to meet him anywhere (Little doubt as to who would have won).

I'm surprised you didn't bring Toney into the mix.

Scar often does when he's arguing this point.

 

Just re-read the OP.

He DOES mention Toney.


That should tell any serious boxing fan all he needs to know about this lad's knowledge.

 

Sorry, but this is just bollocks.

James Toney was not, as you claim, still fighting at light heavyweight when Calzaghe won his title. He last fought at light heavyweight nearly a year previously then moved up to cruiser to fight McCallum. Five months before Calzaghe v Eubank he attempted to make light heavyweight to fight Thadzi and missed the weight limit by five pounds.

Winky Wright was a light middleweight in the time frame you reference. How can he have been one of the top guys at 168-175 when he never fought anywhere near those weights?

I'm not sure who the hell Montell Griffith is. Perhaps you mean Montell Griffin, who lost everytime he stepped up to world level in those years?

Glen Johnson was 'one of the top guys at 168 - 175? Post-2003 maybe, but you would have been laughed out of the house had you suggested this when he lost to anyone with a winning record at SMW.

How you think you can spout this crap when you can't even get basic facts right like what weights people were fighting at at what time is just ridiculous. I mean, how hard is it to look this **** up?

 

Toney is the usual stupid Calzaghe troll mistake. But this one goes one better with Ronald Wright. WTF?!

 

same old **** americans only respecting a british fighter after they lost to an obese yank:dead

 

I think the Op mentioned how much he respected British fighters for stepping up and fighting. Hatton and Woods he gave them both respect. You guys just can't stand the fact that Joe C doesn't get the respect he could have earned by stepping up and fighting stiff competition that was available. He refused to fight outside of Wales. Doesn't change the face he padded his record with C level fighters and then fought two greats when he thought they were past their prime. He will always be doubted unless Kessler wins that tourney.

 

why didn't the ts mention carl froch then if he wasn't just another typical biased yank?

 

He is factually wrong, however, about the alledged 'stiff competition' that he cites as being available during that period. Do you really want to associate yourself with a post written by someone who thinks Winky Wright was an elite light heavyweight between 1997 and 2005?

 

I agree Winky was never in the same weight class as Joe C. I think Joe C had great skill. I just think Joe C never truly tested himself. He has no defining fight. Face it Lacy was grossly over rated. The only prime live fight Joe C took was Kessler. His legacy rides with him. Joe C could have probably beaten some of the fighters he mentioned but he never got in the ring and tried.

 

He named six fighters, two of whom (Wright and Toney) didn't have one single fight between them at the 168-175 weight range he specifies in the eight year time frame that he specifies. That signifies someone who knows nothing about the subject he speaks about. Why would you associate yourself with such a factually deficient argument?

 

You don't have to say Calzaghe is a great fighter, but saying you don't respect him is laughable to me.. In the ring he was a fierce competitor and always came to fight. He's one of the more intense gamers we've had. Be real. He would go at anyone with all he had. If you can't respect that you don't respect this sport.