Calzaghe announces retirement

I'm disappointed and a bit shocked. For all of Joe’s talk about legacy, his last fight was against a man who was nearly a decade past his peak.

I really thought he would have had one last bout in Wales.

Everyone knows of the question marks and holes regarding Calzaghe’s career, but he did unify the SM division and for that I salute him!

 

I thought at the time that ANY kind of win against Hopkins will do because he always struggled when he was facing a boxer happy to stay on the back foot all night. He won, desired result achieved. Would I like to have seen a better performance? Of course. But a win's a win against the most canny, technically best boxer he fought who went on to destroy a much fancied younger power puncher in his next fight.

But if nothing else, Calzaghe should be remembered for those fantasic events against Lacy and Kessler. They were great nights.

 

Hehe Flint you ****ing crack me up man


All in all I think Joe is bowing out at the right time. He can't really enhance his standing at this point. He was a great fighter I'd say. Not many fighters are unanimously rated as no 1 or 2 p4p unless they are half decent.

With more reliable hands he could've done more. Remarkable competitiveness, fighting spirit, speed, skill, intelligence. He pretty much had the full package.

The questions will always remain about him not facing RJJ and Hopkins in their prime but those questions will hang over the other guys too, to a degree.

 

Scurlaranting who do you hold in most contempt, Fatton or Slappy?

 

Omar Sheika.... had lost to Tony Booth,,, with respect, nuff said.

Woodhall....so impressive when winning the title had looked short of world class once he came to defending it turning in a number of so so perfomances including a loss to beyer.... He gave zag a fair fight though..

Veit.... untested pre zag, gets smashed to pieces.... zaggy impressive. poor viet who was a good fighter never made it to top level. more on him later....

Will Mcintyre..... more padding then the michelins mans space suit.

Brewer... at least four years past his best, herol graham floored him, Antwun echols ko'd him just one fight before the zaggy one...Brewer cnsidered chinny took zag the distance and battled him all the way.

miguel angel giminez...shut out by brian magee in his very next fight... Calzaghe ground out a dull points win.

Tocker pudwill....less sid about this one the better really... pudwills resume was poor but not as poor as his performance tonight.

Mitchell.... came into the fight off a loss... had lossed to bruno girard and sven ottke. floored zaggy and nearly upset him bfore a badly timed stoppage.

Mkrtchian... came to the fight with a largely empty record. didn't go on to achieve much else.

Salem... floored zaggy, took him the distance and came into the fight off a loss.

Veit.... .... zzzzz

Ashira... no big wins... had been ko'd in two rounds one fight earliar.

Lacy....was meant to be the big thing... never happened... never will.

Bika.....zaggy barely wins a mingfest... hardly impressive against a guy yet to prove himself at world class.

Manfredo.... no comment.

Kessler.... good European class fighter who wouln't have had a look in in the Benn/Jones jnr era...

Hopkins... a great middle, many thought he did enough.. floored zag

Jones jnr...... so horribly past his best its embarassing to even call this a victory.

There you go... let the hate begin.

 

To be fair, Hopkins & Jones (in particular) had no reason to chase Calzaghe... I can't blame RJJ for that not happening earlier. Indeed, a prime Jones would have beaten Calzaghe pretty handily. Hopkins famously pulled out of an agreed fight with Joe at a time when Hopkins' stock was as high as it ever would be.

 

"worst style he could ever face"

The only quality boxer he ever faced that was in any shape you mean. 43 at that as well.

I really can't believe how overrated Kessler is on here and it's only through the drop out in US boxing that his currency is worth anything.

 

Both. If i had to choose probably Hatton as he has been a consumate fraud. At least Joe had talent in abundance. Hatton on the other hand is fraud.

 

...gone to fight Ricky Hatton that is. :happy

 

I would think his currency is looking more than good right now, especially against the Pound. Plus he camps out in Monaco and evades taxes :blurp

Yeah okay, Kessler is not a quality boxer.

And thanks for that completely objective and not at all one sided run down, Jeff. A truely enlightening experience.

 

I think you are a bit harsh on some of these opponents - don't think the extremes you go to are fair but I can see where you're coming from.

 

I watched every one of those fights. And Jeff is on the money.

 

So did I and I disagree on a few of the comments.

 

atschRidiculous comment

 

If the worst you can say about Calzaghe is that a prime Jones or Bhop probably beat him then he can't be that bad.