calzaghe best british boxer ever ??

Discussion in 'British Boxing Forum' started by doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008.


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  1. doug.ie

    doug.ie 'Classic Boxing Society' Full Member

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    guys...i know this must have been asked before...
    but i was asked this on another forum and i came to the conclusion that calzaghe probably is the best of british....but i didnt feel too confident in my answer...i rate him above lewis...but who would you say ??

    here was my post on that forum...


    .........................

    the question was...

    Discussion in work Yesterday.. and it got quiet heated, where does Calzaghe rate in the Greatest "British" Boxers of all time..above Lennox Lewis?
    Better than Ricky Hatton? Prince Naseem? Barry McGuigan even Nigel Benn and Henry Cooper got a mention...

    I said I'd ask my mate Doug..He'll have a decent answer...!!!

    Where does Calzaghe rate in Britian, not the World..?



    .....

    my reply...

    people rate lennox lewis as best..well, most do...i think he was a tad over-rated...he got sparked twice by b-class boxers, although he won the rematches {mcall and rahman}...he beat bruno who was never world class {although he did win the world title}...lewis was around at the right time...10 years earlier i dunno if he'd have beat a prime tyson, not like the half dead tyson he did beat...holyfield gave him wars...at the end of holyfields peak {holyfield fights for the title again soon..at 46!!}..lewis's best win came against the better klitshkco, but he was lucky as hell...he was getting beat and it was stopped on a cut..

    hatton didnt perform at world level for a long time before mayweather..and his biggest win was an over the hill kosta tszyu...who was a great..

    mcguigan...no way...not a hope...i shouldnt say it as an irishman...but he didnt do enough to be considered a great..just my opinion...azumah nelson would have toyed with him...toyed with him...and he was only champ for a short time...

    naseem...he was ok...but well exposed by berrera and no real other greats on his record..although wins over mc cullough and paul ingle were impressive..

    benn fought some great opponents..but if you mention him you must mention eubank...

    cooper...yeah..ok..

    i'd throw ken bucahan from scotland into the mix...held his own with a prime roberto duran for 13 rounds...
    wales howard winstone..{he fought as a world title holder in porthcawl in wales}
    jimmy wilde from metrhy tidfel


    i'm getting confused now...
    This content is protected

    ok..i'll go with calzaghe...and i'll explain why i pause..
    on paper records can look good, but you have to allow for how good the opposition were when they beat them....
    ie...tyson looks good on lewis cv, but in reality he was washed up..
    jones jr looks good on calzaghes, but he too was washed up...

    but...calzaghe is unbeaten..but he has fought wbo rated boxers for 8-9 years of that..not the best boxers at his weight...no prime jones or toney etc...but he has beaten bernard hopkins, and hopkins showed in his latest fight that he is all there...he is a master...
    so based on that more than anything, i think i will have to say calzaghe....also take in to account his win over kessler, who has been unbeaten before and after calzaghe beat him and there's no-one else to touch him...

    calzaghe...i think
    This content is protected
     
    doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008
    doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008
    #1
  2. TFFP

    TFFP Guest

    This is the problem. I doubt all the people at work are historians of boxing. It is all too easy to get sucked into thinking Calzaghe is the greatest, or that Hamed and Hatton are candidates when they are what you know.

    The reality is that Calzaghe has stamped his place in a top 10 now, and that Hatton and Hamed do not even make a top 10.
     
    TFFP, Nov 11, 2008
    TFFP, Nov 11, 2008
    #2
  3. Beeston Brawler

    Beeston Brawler Comical Ali-egedly Full Member

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    Lennox Lewis :deal
     
    Beeston Brawler, Nov 11, 2008
    Beeston Brawler, Nov 11, 2008
    #3
  4. doug.ie

    doug.ie 'Classic Boxing Society' Full Member

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    who would your top10 be ?
     
    doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008
    doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008
    #4
  5. kurt2006

    kurt2006 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Got to be Rick Astley.
     
    kurt2006, Nov 11, 2008
    kurt2006, Nov 11, 2008
    #5
  6. Beatboxer

    Beatboxer Well-Known Member Full Member

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    As TFFP said, hes top 10 but he ain't the best.

    Not when you consider the likes of Fitzsimmons, Wilde etc.
     
    Beatboxer, Nov 11, 2008
    Beatboxer, Nov 11, 2008
    #6
  7. TehRileh

    TehRileh HUDDERSFIELD TOWN FC Full Member

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    I dont know, only been into boxing 2 year. I know nothing before the likes of Eubank and Benn. (and i dont know that much about them)
     
    TehRileh, Nov 11, 2008
    TehRileh, Nov 11, 2008
    #7
  8. kurt2006

    kurt2006 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    What is it with people think the likes of Fitzsimmons, Wilde etc who they have never seen were the best. Its like insisting Heniz beans are the best becuase thats what you mother always fed you.

    JC would have eat Bob Fitz for breakfast.
     
    kurt2006, Nov 11, 2008
    kurt2006, Nov 11, 2008
    #8
  9. DamonD

    DamonD Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Definitely one of the best. His stock has really risen in the last 2 years.

    But that doesn't mean I can write off the wasted years, making micky mouse defences in the UK against 'Warren specials'.
     
    DamonD, Nov 11, 2008
    DamonD, Nov 11, 2008
    #9
  10. brown bomber

    brown bomber 2010 Poster of the Year Full Member

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    lol. Thats all i can say.
     
    brown bomber, Nov 11, 2008
    brown bomber, Nov 11, 2008
    #10
  11. doug.ie

    doug.ie 'Classic Boxing Society' Full Member

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    come on jeff...i respect your opinion...give a proper answer..
     
    doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008
    doug.ie, Nov 11, 2008
    #11
  12. PrideOfWales

    PrideOfWales Winston Zedmore Full Member

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    It's ridiculous to suggest Calzaghe is the best of all time. Whether he's the best British boxer of the last 10-15 is HIGHLY debatable let alone the entire history of British boxing.

    I point you towards this tremendous article in today's Independent:

    http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/james-lawton-past-greats-unfairly-knocked-over-in-rush-to-hype-calzaghes-achievement-1009615.html

    Very good article... don't agree with it in its entirety but I echo the sentiment.

    Joe deserves to be debated when deciding the top 10 and that's all he'd ask for himself. To categorically suggest he is the best is basically stupidity.
     
    PrideOfWales, Nov 11, 2008
    PrideOfWales, Nov 11, 2008
    #12
  13. johnny gunn

    johnny gunn Member Full Member

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    1. lewis 2.calzaghe 3.naz 4.hatton
     
    johnny gunn, Nov 11, 2008
    johnny gunn, Nov 11, 2008
    #13
  14. The Lads

    The Lads Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Phew, voice of reason.


    Someone mentioned somewhere, Sugar Ray Leaonard achieved more in 2 years than Calzaghe has in his career.

    Wilde Better for me, I dont see why anyone would say NOW that joe is the best ever, but not before Hopkins and Jones fights.
     
    The Lads, Nov 11, 2008
    The Lads, Nov 11, 2008
    #14
  15. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Then you have to go an their records, achievements and contempory reports, to ignore or put them down just because you didn't see them isn't the answer.

    Boxing has changed in terms for style, training methods etc since Fitz and Wildes time and, if plucked from their time to now, would probably struggle H2H with modern greats but that doesn't change what they achieved in their own time.

    I'll go for Lennox post war and Fitz pre-war.

    I noticed the OP criticised Lewis for beating a half dead Tyson but skips over Saturday nights Calzaghe-RJJ fight and does it best minimise good wins against Holy and Klit. No offence Doug, but it sounds like one of those summations where the person doing it has already made up the their mind who they want to win and fits the fact accordingly. To give it to Calzaghe based largely on Kessler and Hopkins because Hopkins beat Pavlik?? Good win and makes Joes win look better but not enough to make JC the best ever IMHO.
     
    GazOC, Nov 11, 2008
    GazOC, Nov 11, 2008
    #15
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