When do you consider Calzaghe's prime to be? We all know his biggest victories have come in recent years, but when do you consider his prime? My personal selection is 1999-2003 He was taking on tough competition such as Starie, Reid, Woodhall, Mitchell, McIntyre and Brewer and winning decisively, still getting stoppages in his fights. A good combination of size for his weight, speed, movement, power and adaptability, completely trouncing good boxers like Mario Veit, while earning good decisions (despite bad judging) against better boxers like Reid. My thoughts are most people consider Joe in his prime in the last 3 years, which is simply wrong. Which is why when they compare "Toney vs Calzaghe, Prime for Prime" they're discounting Joe, believing Prime Joe is the guy who fought Hopkins. What are your thoughts?
How did you judge. Would he have looked as, fast, quick, powerful, etc...against RJJ during this period as he did against Tommy Can.
Hilarious, because Jones Jr himself was said to be fighting can's during 1998-2002. How can we judge? A: The fighters he fought weren't cans, they were legitimate, just because they didn't fly the USA banner doesn't change that, don't revise history to suit your agenda, for the fourth time. B: Because the differences in his style, the way he used to punch and how he used to fight is easily seen. For one, he threw punches with a lot more weight, a lot straighter and tended not to showboat as much. For two, the results.
Calzaghe, like Jones, was fighting the top ranked fighters in his weight class for the most part. He is criticized for not fighting better fighters from OTHER weight classes, and that's not really fair IMO.
I don't like the way RJJ gets banged sometimes....he was once as good as they came, and now older, he gets snagged alot...Being a Calzaghe and RJJ fan as well, I hope they fight soon, and show their best, and have a draw...:hey
Agree with this, sadly. Which is why I laugh when people think what Calzaghe shows today is his peak. Just because he's beating top fighters today doesn't make him in the best form he's ever been, more so it makes us realise how good he probably was when he was beating the Tocker Pudwills.
Here we are with revisionist history again. Bika, lets just discount him although he just beat some top fighters in the Contender Lacy, lets just discount him, despite owning a title and dominating some good fighters prior to Calzaghe. Veit, lets just discount him, despite him beating Brahmer in one of their fights, not to mention other great wins, only losing to Calzaghe at one stage. How about you learn how to be unbiased before posting? "Oh but I like Calzaghe" Yeah, sure.
A draw would be superb. If RJJ turned back the clock and Calzaghe delivered a Lacy like performance in terms of speed, it would be a superb fight. I still like RJJ's chances, because if he's not worried about being KO'ed, he's still confident enough to express himself, Joe has lost that knock out power, although being in his last fight, maybe he'll try gain it and **** the hands?
Calzaghe's prime was probably between '00 and '05, which makes his latest string of victories even more remarkable. The guy's no spring chicken yet he took Lacy and Kessler to school and beat a wily Hopkins in the US. Nothing to sneeze at. I remember after the second Veit fight people were criticizing Joe for being to open and easy to hit and that he'd lose the moment he stepped up. I didn't think it was such a big deal but I still picked Lacy to beat him. Boy was I wrong.