What's next? If he can still fight at 'close' to his best for Kessler and does him in, it'd show that he has some still left in the tank. Could anyone in the current weight area beat him if he easily does Kessler in? Considering that Kessler is probably the second best around the weight area, I'd even rank him as better than Dawson H2H, would love to see Kessler vs. Dawson down the line also. So obvious replies are going to be Dawson, who matches up fairly decent with Joe stylistically and could maybe bring a genuine 50/50 fight, but is there anyone else SMW or LHW? Joe says he wants 2-3 more after Kessler. The money may keep it at 3. So give your 3 opponents you think would be the best before a retirement, whether a fan or hater, or big fan of the opponent you'd like to see in with the original in supernatural entities.:good Me personally, I'd want - Bute/Berrio winner, Dawson, Woods/Erdei.
I think we will see Hopkins/Calzaghe because it would be a big fight here in the USA and it would be a big money fight as well. Despite Hopkins' old age, he would be a big name for Joe's resume if he were to beat him (and I would expect him to).
I should start by sayin how proud and happy I was when Joe decided to fight the very man he should be fighting, bar none - Kessler! This content is protected Joe has proven to me that he has given up on trying to get into the circle-jerkers' club, deciding instead to fight the best! He has been dumped on and ignored by them for so long and Joe has repeatedly payed a heavy price for trying to "fit in" - even late in his career, when he fought Manfredo!:-( This content is protected Thus, Joe should fight whomever would enhance and secure his legacy most. In other words, he should NOT fight whomever would improve his resume most (have-been NAMES with great resumes like Hopkins), nor Pavlik (an easy fight for Joe at 168, especially given the stage at which Pavlik is in his career - he has much to work and improve on - ), which would make Joe the Undisputed Middleweight Champion (in the old-fashioned sense of the word "Middleweight")) i.e. whomever would make Joe's title sound the greatest, nor should he go for a record win run, whilst holding on to that "0" like a nun at the gates of heaven. I think the best legacy wins for Joe after Kessler would be Bute, if the latter beats Berrio, (but NOT because Joe would be "unifying" either!!) and Dawson, if he remains undefeated too. They are both PRIME, LIVE dangermen, big threats to Joe. Obviously, as a Bute fan, I have to question whether JC v. Bute would OBJECTIVELY be a worthy fight for Joe. I am also a Calzaghe fan, so I would say it is - I cannot think of another at 168 or under as legacy enhancing/securing, including Pavlik or Taylor. Of this I am certain. If Joe beat Kessler, Bute and Dawson and still feels he has something to prove and the tank to keep going, he should fight whomever is the best at 175 at the time. This content is protected
Calzaghe-Dawson is interesting in many ways and is one of the best matchups that could be made in all of boxing. The more Calzaghe waits to fight Dawson, the more Dawson will be prime and the more credit he will get for beating him. The more Dawson waits to fight Calzaghe, the less credit he will get for beating him. I read an interview where Dawson said he could get down to SMW easily. Would the fight happen at 168 or 175? Or the new trendy 170 weight class where old greats fight eachother, 170? Either way, the fight MUST happen next year and not anytime after, especially since Calzaghe is getting old. This would be such a great matchup.. they're both extremely fast and skilled, but Calzaghe is a lot more aggressive while Dawson is a lot more defensive. I think Dawson would win a semi-close decision but it's hard to predict because he hasn't faced anybody that awkward and skilled in his career. After Calzaghe beats Kessler, fans must demand this fight because it would truly be great and it would suck to have it too late or never have it at all. Oh, and as for Bute. I don't really think he's that special and fighting him could be a waste of time right now for Calzaghe. It would be a great rebound win or retirement win after losing to Dawson though.
I think that Clinton Woods is a tougher fighter than the three of them. Shame there'd be no money in it.
if he gets by kessler i reckon b-hop first cause he ain't gettting any younger. then dawson who is probably the biggest danger at 175 and finally, a farewell fight against jones. two big names with a legit danger sandwiched inbetween them. but somehow i think even if kessler beat calzaghe he would move up to fight those big names mentioned. just like hopkins moved up after his losses to fight winky and tarver. if joe loses that wont alter his plans greatly. fans usually get over the shock and sadness, then are eager to see their man return against other names. too much stock is put into a loss or draw on a boxers record. at least the diehard joe fans can take comfort in the fact he probably lost due to age more than anything.
:good Yeah...an obvious point, but these days, it sounds crazy! It's sad that so many fans want their man to keep padding that record or hold on to that "0" forever, instead of wanting them to fight the best! I just cannot understand it!:-(
(If Joe thinks he can only fight one more fight, it should be against Dawson. If he thinks he can do two more, he should fight Bute first and then go up for Dawson.)
Bute - yes, but unlikely to happen. Not enough of a name for Calzaghe to remain at SMW. Personally i think it's the fight he SHOULD take first. Hopkins - Quite likely and not uninteresting. Froch - ??? Why? What? Why bother? Who cares? What's the point? Froch has STILL achieved nothing to warrant a fight with an (almost) undiputed champ. Froch can bang - but Joe already shown against better fighter he knows how to stay clear of power. Froch should spend more time PROVING his worth than daydreaming publicly about big fights others have actually worked their way into deserving. Froch still done feck all his age considered. Forget about him till he shows something about better opposition. Being british should't be enough in itself to land the biggest titlefight in the division. In any case - it's a thread based on false premises. Calzaghe will turn human very fast in the hands of Kessler. So on to the real question. Who will have the guts to fight Kessler after he dominates Calzaghe? (and who is not, like Froch, an utter waste of time)
Joe himself said: Hopkins at LHW and Pavlik - at 168. Of course, he might change his mind, like he did with Kessler.
