The differences I perceive between the two are that Berto has faster hands PfP than Jeff, and thus his combinations are a bit more explosive. And though he's muscular, he's not completely bulked up like Jeff is. On the other hand, I'm not sure Berto has Lacy's chin.
I consider Lacy to be leagues above Berto. Handspeed is the only edge Berto has - although explosive his combinations have no real fluidity. Lacy actually has better defense and better overall skill, despite being slightly slower. Jeff is a former titlist who lasted 12 rounds with Joe Calzaghe, Berto would struggle to manage that even.
Perhaps, but we also have to remember that Lacy matured quickly, while Berto seems to be making more gradual progress. He can improve his skills to an extent, although I don't think he has the legs to ever deal with good, consistent movers. And going 12 full rounds with Calzaghe was the worst thing that could have happened to Jeff. Eight or nine was more than enough for the fight to be called.
Surely Jeff can retire a proud man now, having managed to survive 12 rounds against an on form Joe Calzaghe? It is a great achievment, maybe on par with being a 3 weight world champion or something like that. Just imagine, he'll be able to tell his grandchildren he shared a boxing ring with Joe Calzaghe.
Ha ha. Out of curiously, CHJ, and with genuine affection, what will you do if Calzaghe happens to lose to Kessler? I mean, I know you'll say now that it isn't possible, but what if lightning strikes or your guy simply gets old? Is there a young fighter out there you like? Will you change your moniker to "Glass Jaw Khan"?
I am genuinely having trouble picking a winner. Calzaghe may have aged, you can't tell when he's fighting Manfredo though. If he hasn't he can beat Kessler in a boring fight by out boxing him or just overwhelm him with volume. The sign that Calzaghe has aged would be slow reflexes resulting in Kessler's predictable right hand hitting home frequently. Khan't_win_gold...but I give Khan zero chance of ever becoming a true P4P fighter.
Interesting. I'd favor prime Calzaghe at least moderately over today's Kessler, but we don't know what state Joe truly is in. It's the fight that excites me most this fall. I was just kidding on Khan. I have no opinion, but the outright hatred of him by most Brits on this board (while most others don't seem to care) is a hoot. The series of posts immediately after he got KDd were classic.
I'd be very confident if Calzaghe was younger. I'd give prime Calzaghe a 30% chance of KOing Kessler and a 71% chance of winning a UD.
We have to be realistic though. Kessler is the closest thing to a real life Ivan Drago ever seen (the prime version that killed Creed). 35 year olds just aren't meant to beat young, undefeated, unified champions. How often does that actually happen? I don't give Mosley much hope against Cotto for similar reasons. But Calzaghe is leagues above Mosley, the only reason we give him hope against Kessler, despite being past prime. It would be an unrivaled accomplisment in boxing perhaps. Calzaghe needs to win more round than Kessler has lost his entire career in this fight.
I think you're being a bit dramatic here, but I somewhat agree with your post. Most recently, Hopkins did dominate prime Trinidad, and a worn Morales did outfight Pacquaio in their first encounter. (I realize Morales wasn't that old, but he had shown wear and tear already after so many wars.) Nothing we've seen so far from Calzaghe suggests a significant drop, although we agree that he hasn't been tested in a long time. I'm still predicting him to win, but in a close fight.
Would you consider Bika a World Class test? I wouldn't. Calzaghe essentially cruised to a decision after a hardfought first few rounds. Yes, that's because he's skilled enough to do it, but you'll be in the minority if you say Bika represents a greater threat than Kessler. My position is that Calzaghe's No. 1 question mark is age, while Kessler's is whether he truly is a Great, or just a Very Good. He doesn't have the resume for us to know for sure, no matter how much of a push he gets from the home folks.
OK. When you don't state your opinions with unerring certainty, I usually agree with respect to this fight. I agree about Bika. He's a very solid gatekeeper, and I mean that as a compliment. Your analysis of Kessler the Conventionalist is on point, but the one place you consistently shortchange him is his superb timing. Calzaghe can beat him with speed and angles, but he'll have to work very hard to fight an off-cadence fight. My prediction right now is that JC gets caught with right hands through the first half of the fight, dropping some rounds in the process, but Joe adjusts by dropping his workrate a little and winning with economy and crispness. Kessler's timing will make this a difficult fight for Joe, and if Calzaghe's reflexes and/or stamina have dipped from his 2006 level, he very well may lose.
Correct, but going straight to the top in his 22nd match is not playing your hand too well. Many other fighters could have prepared him for adversity. Mundine would have been great, due to his speed. As I see it all of Lacys opponents had all been vulnerable to Lacys style and power; slow movers - easy to hit. When he faced a guy that could neutralize his style - he didn't know what to do, and was reduced to a punching bag.