Do you hate people who argue over the P4P crown instead of fighting for it???

He will be fighting Hopkins for the Rings 175 title next time up.

168 hasnt been sparkling with talent and for a lot of the time his only rival champion were Ze Germanz, who not only cannot be trusted, didnt want any part of Joe. Lacy was in fact the first guy with a respectable record and following who also helg a belt who wanted to fight Joe Calzaghe. yes Joes for some duds but anyone who had been champ for over a decade has.

I think hes a got a couple of great fights left in him and fighting Hopkins at 175 is probably the best fight out there for him.

 

great post

 

He was scheduled to fight Glen Johnson for the IBF, but pulled out twice with injury, then the fight was cancelled.

Joe also fought some good contenders in between the Pudwills and Mcintryes, some good fighters and some good fights to watch aswel.

 

before Calzaghe's fight with Lacy, the 168-175 wasn't deep at the time.

 

Roy Jones would have never fought Calzaghe at that time in a million years. He probably didnt even know who Joe was in all fairness, so why would Roy want to fight a dangerous risk no-name. Little reward, little gain.

Calzaghe has faced MUCH better than Woods.

No one knew who Antonio Tarver was untill the Roy Jones fights. If Calzaghe had beaten Tarver pre-Jones he would just be another name on Joe's resume that people would dismiss as being a bum, like Charles Brewer and Byron Mitchell, 2 american world champion that you havent even mentioned in any of your posts, yet were considered good fighters at the time.

Joe was scheduled to fight Johnson twice, but pulled out because of injury. Joe actually had to fight Sakio Bika because he pulled out of Glen Johnson. Joe healed in time, and Sakio was a last minute replacement.

You always forget that Joe was ducked several times by big names. Everyone knows a fight with Hopkins was done in 2002 but Hop ducked.

Also Thomas Tate, one of the more recognisable name son RJJ's resume pulled out of a fight with Joe 5 days before, which is why he had to fight (spelling?)Mgritan on 5 days notice. Tocker Pudwill was also a late replacement.

You also forget to mention that he fought and beat Robin Reid, olympic medalist, WBC champ, and would have unified the titles if Ottke hadnt have been gifted.

He also beat Omar Sheika who had just come off a win kicking the **** into Glen Johnson, someone who you've mentioned repeatdely that Joe should have fought.

 

People do tend to see things from their present perspective, as if Tarver was always a big name, etc. Pre-RJJ, a Tarver-Calzaghe fight wouldn't have looked interesting to anybody.

 

B-Hop wants your address - he gonna pay you a nice little visit. :bbb

 

Kessler and Mundine were around at 168 well before Calzaghe-Lacey.

 

Wow would Reid have unified the titles? He didn't have any when he fought Ottke.

Calzaghe's claim to being P4P is that hopkins supposedly pulled out of a fight with him. Hopkins was a middleweight then. Why didn't Calzaghe look to the light-heavys? it's only now the champion of that division is a 43 year old man that Joe decides to actually move up.

 

Fighters will always have to earn their stature.

JC is well recognized only in his turf not worldwide. :yep