Would Calzaghe have entered the super 6??

Im gonna say it again...

Calzaghe would NOT have been in this tourney for one MAJOR reason. There is NO WAY IN GODS GREEN EARTH that Warren allows it to happen.

Im 100% sure of this.

 

Toneys last fight at SMW was in 1994, Jones was in 1996 and Calzaghe never picked up the WBO belt until 1997.

He did try to get a fight with Hopkins earlier but none of them were ever at the same weight as Calzaghe. He could have changed weights but he didn't and part of his legacy is his run of successive defenses.

 

Would Warren have a choice? If Calzaghe was truely committed to going into this tournament, then I'm sure he had the power to force it through an ultimatum to Warren. I get the impression that even if Warren was the master-mind behind piecing out Joe's career, that whatever option Warren decided to take, like defending his title's against the likes of Tocker Pudwill, Calzaghe would be happy to play along with it.

 

theres no such thing as an internationally recognised fighter in modern day boxing who has reputation or notoriety who cant draw a big fight outside his division or have someone come up to challenge him.

the only reason why calzaghe, who nobody doubted was the best at SMW for most of his reign, never got that challeneg is because of what i said in my previous post - its not enough to to own a division and blow your own whistle from wales and hope the big fish come running...

calzaghe knew this and often referred to himself as a 'business man', and warren damn well knew it - its warren's philosophy to milk fighters rather than to put them on the world stage.

how many british fighters in recent time can you name who built up their rep in the last 25 years but never legitimately cracked the US market and never got their dues?

 

Warren was his promoter. Warren called the shots and left one of the best fighters of this generation to squander that talent for too long in relative obscurity...rarely allowing him to take the chances that take great fighters and make them into All Time Great fighters. Calzaghe had this type of talent...he could have been on the 40 or 50 best ever, had he been allowed to showcase that talent against talent that was worthy of his natural ability.

Calzaghe is one of my top 10 favorite fighters ever. I personally have been a big fan since the Eubank fight. The guy is as gifted as anyone that has entered the ring...but because of the way Warren treated him with kid gloves for 95% of his career, many people either dont believe this or choose to ignore it. And I dont blame them...

Would Joe have wanted to enter the tourney? Hell yes he would... But would Warren have allowed it, as long he was in his stable of fighters? I dont think there would be a chance in hell.

Sorry...just my opinion.

 

his legacy is the run of defences - with kessler and (to a lesser extent in hindsight) lacy. but my point was an established calzaghe who could have taken on the world.

 

With hindsight maybe he should have moved up to LHW sooner to create a better international legacy but there aren't that many names people can throw up at SMW where a genuine case can be made for saying he avoided or should have fought. Before Calzaghe Britain had Eubank and Benn at SMW so he seemed to be continuing a legacy of British fighters at that weight and early in his reign there were domestic rivals there in Reid and Woodhall who had both held the WBC belt at the weight, though both had lost it before fighting Calzaghe, and British fans do like to see the big domestic match ups getting made. It doesn't seem as unforgivable from here that he chose to stay there and there didn't seem to be as much call for him to step up at the time he was fighting there as theres been since then saying he should have.

 

Much agreed. If Warren can't negotiate to bring the likes of Ottke, Beyer, Lucas, Echols, Braehmer, Larsen etc to Wales, he's not going to negotiate for Joe to enter a tournament that would see him travel and potentially lose his title. It has never been Warrens business plan.

 

There wouldn't have been have been any need for a super 6 ... Calzaghe was the undisputed super middleweight champion.

 

You need to watch more of Bernard Hopkins.

Hopkins is CLEARLY past his best, the man needs to time when and how to throw punches and when to rely on his legs to save stamina and he's very good at it which makes him an ATG and a legend in the sport. Not everyone has the ability to manage themselves that good and successful. In his prime Hopkins was far more active.

 

Calzaghe has already schooled the best fighter in the comp. It's completely pointless for him to enter.

 

Hopkins isn't shot ... he's well past his prime but has taken less punishment than the average fighter, to go along with his superior defensive abilities, have enabled him to last so long in the game. Despite having 5 L's ... he's never been knocked out and a majority of his L's have been very close ...

 

And he can convince the media he has won all of his L's. Bhop is a hell of a guy.

 

:deal

 

Kessler is the best boxer.