Mayweather/Castillo 1, Ward/Kovalev 1, Calzaghe/Reid, Finito/Alvarez 1, Marciano/La Starza 1

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Flo_Raiden, Jun 9, 2025.

  1. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Floyd Mayweather Jr, Andre Ward, Joe Calzaghe, Ricardo Lopez, and Rocky Marciano are the only HOF fighters that managed to remain unbeaten throughout their careers, although many would agree that they had at least one fight that some think could have gone the other way with the decision win.

    Out of the fights listed on the title which would you say is the most controversial and disputed fight in your view that should have gone to the other fighter? And which fighter would you say would be the most affected historically speaking if they were handed a loss that could have likely change the trajectory of their career and perhaps people's perception on them?

    Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Jose Luis Castillo 1
    Andre Ward vs Sergey Kovalev 1
    Joe Calzaghe vs Robin Reid
    Ricardo Lopez vs Rosendo Alvarez 1
    Rocky Marciano vs Roland La Starza 1
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2025
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  2. Lonsdale81

    Lonsdale81 Member Full Member

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    I've only seen 3.. Worst to least worst:

    Ward Kovalev
    Floyd Castillo
    Calzaghe Reid

    I don't think Reid beat Calzaghe BTW.

    Marciano fight I've only read about .. La Starza’s technical boxing matched Marciano’s aggression.. but Marciano’s pressure likely swayed the judges. I'd have to watch it.
     
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  3. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Never seen Marciano/LaStarza 1 and I don't remember Lopez/Alvarez 1 as it's been years since I've seen it.

    But for me the top 2 would be....

    Ward/Kovalev 1
    Mayweather/Castillo 1

    I think more fans believe Ward, Mayweather, lost those fights rather than winning them so they would be my top 2.

    Calzaghe/Reid was close but I think alot of fans overall feel Calzaghe just about deserved to edge it.
     
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  4. Hannibal Barca

    Hannibal Barca Active Member Full Member

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    Only saw the first two. I thought Castillo clearly won, whereas I thought the Kovalev fight was closer.
     
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  5. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    If you haven't seen Lopez vs Alvarez 1 it's a good fight where a seemingly invincible Lopez gets dropped hard by Alvarez's right hand. To Lopez's credit he gets up and still fights on with arguably his best opponent in his career. The fight gets stopped in round 8 due to an accidental headbutt. I had Alvarez winning it by a point with the KD giving him the edge.

    The second fight between the two is even better that was also very close and competitive. Lopez edged it this time winning via SD although some have argued about Alvarez having a case as well. I recall scoring the fight for Lopez in a tight contest. One thing for certain is that Alvarez had a style that pushed Finito to his limits and made for great fights.

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    Last edited: Jun 9, 2025
  6. themaster458

    themaster458 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Of the ones I watched Ward-Kovalev was a clear robbery rest were close but I thought overall the winner deserved it:
    My personal ranking from biggest robbery to reasonable of the ones I watched:
    Ward-Kovalev
    Mayweather/Castillo 1
    Calzaghe/Reid
    Haven't watched the others though glanding at boxing rec scores avg scores suggest that people think Calzaghe beat Reid and that Lopez beat Alvarez and that Marciano beat La Starza while the others were robberies
     
  7. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I seem to recall Bernard Hopkins also giving Calzaghe a very close fight where Calzaghe won it via split decision with some arguing about Hopkins winning it. Calzaghe's pressure and workrate was really the only thing that helped him edge it and get through what was a very ugly fight that doesn't warrant a rewatch.
     
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  8. Lonsdale81

    Lonsdale81 Member Full Member

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    Oh I think the word 'fight' is pushing it somewhat buddy.. that is one fight you couldn't pay me to watch again .. BHop is a legend but his game plan here was to flick a jab, hug Joe like they were long-lost cousins, then complain to the ref about imaginary low blows.. every time Joe breathed near him, Hopkins was clutching his pearls and crying to the ref about fouls.

    Hopkins landed a few clean shots but clean shots don’t win rounds if you’re landing them as infrequently as Hopkins was.. & for me you haven't won a fight if you're constantly looking for a way out of it..

    Let's not kid ourselves about Calzaghe either.. he was a far cry from the guy who steamrolled Lacy or outboxed Kessler.. but if u followed his career you'd know that by that point he already had one foot out door & was sloppier than a bar room brawler.. but his flurries, messy as they were, buried B-Hop’s output.
     
  9. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    I don’t think the Mayweather or Ward fights were controversial.
     
  10. FrankinDallas

    FrankinDallas FRANKINAUSTIN

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    Calzaghe should have been deducted a point for his act of sodomy on Bhop. Shameful.
     
  11. Ike

    Ike Member Full Member

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    In my opinion Ward and Mayweather clearly lost their first fight against Kovalev and Castillo.
     
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  12. Mastrangelo

    Mastrangelo Active Member Full Member

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    Did not see Marciano vs LaStarza - but the other 4 were scored fairly in my opinion.
    Floyd vs Castillo I - I probably saw 10 times by now and never had it for Castillo, even though He's one of my favorite fighters.
    Kovalev vs Ward I - This one I saw 3 times I think, always the same score. 114:113 Ward, just like the judges.
    Calzaghe vs Reid - I had Calzaghe winning by a point.
    Lopez vs Rosendo I - I had Rosendo ahead by a point, so coud hardly argue with a draw. I remember having a feeling that Rosendo was coming on, so Lopez probably got a bit lucky with the fight being stopped earlier.

    They were all controversial in a sense that They were close and argument could be made both ways, but certainly noone of those was a robbery.
     
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  13. FThabxinfan

    FThabxinfan Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Rosendo Alvarez was simply an underrated Nicaraguan, people talk about relentless Roman Gonzalez, technical Alexis Arguello,bad mouth Ricardo Mayorga,but many didn't remember the buffalo Rosendo Alvarez.
     
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  14. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Which is a shame, El Bufalo was a great fighter and one of Nicaragua's best fighters. One could imagine how he would have been viewed if he actually got at least one win over Finito Lopez.

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  15. FThabxinfan

    FThabxinfan Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Saw a dude downplaying him as a cheater that used headbutts and got spanked vs Lopez in the second fight with the Mexican's boxing skills,despite the fact that Alvarez made it close.