`Calzaghe is one of the best ever` - Roy Jones

I agree...I'm tired of people evaluating careers based upon merely won-loss record, with no consideration given to competition, era, etc.

Duran may be the greatest Lightweight of all time, and he lost 16 times. He stepped WAY up in weight class, fought until he was an old man, etc.

I respect Calzaghe as a great fighter, but the fact that he is undefeated means little to me.

All the Calzaghe fans talk about how Calzaghe was past his prime even when he fought Lacy. You know what that means???

It means that after Eubank in 1997, until Lacy in 2006, Calzaghe spent 9 of his PRIME years fighting bums, while making no effort to unify the belts, enhance his legacy, etc.

People compare RJJ to Calzaghe because of Win-Loss records, but look at the facts.

-Jones only lost when it was obvious he was "shot".
-Jones spent his PRIME winning titles in 4 weight divisions, beating multiple top contenders, champions, a couple of ATG/HOFers, and plenty of bums as well haha
-Jones rarely lost a round, and prior to McClellan getting hurt, knocked just about everyone out.

To me, it's an insult to dismiss an ATG fighter because he has losses... If you fight long enough, everyone loses...

 

lol whos the clown that said sugar ray robinson had no defence, who do you think invented the bait and fish style defence you muppet

 

Perfect summary, no matter who you are if you fight long enough and you continuesly take on the very best out there for the main part of your career you will have a loss, if you consistently face the very best like b-hop, toney, rjj have done in the past and many other greats its impossible not to have at the very least one loss

 

not because he is going to lose but because he is going to win, he has to say that so when he beats him it looks good.hopkins did the same with pavlik but i wonder if hopkins really thinks pavlik was that great, he was just saying that so he can say he beat a great fighter and not an overrated fighter.all wise give props to the guys you are about to fight so you get your full credit.you call a guy a bum and then beat his ass, then its so what even you said he was a bum, but you hype him up then in away its more impressive !
thats what roy jones jr is doing and if he did lose then well he said joe was great, but he is planning on winning this fight and thats why he said that.

 

I mean BHop, Toney, and RJJ all fought plenty of bums along the way, but they have truly defining career moments.

RJJ's move to Heavyweight, his conquering of 4 divisions, beating Toney and Hopkins in their youth/prime, etc.

Hopkins upset Trinidad in his prime, jumped up 2 weight classes to take out the LHW champion, and most recently beat the undisputed Middleweight champ.

Toney won titles in 3 divisions, fought everyone possible, beat HOFers, multiple world champions, etc. Toney is legendary for fighting from Middleweight to Heavyweight, winning titles along the way, and never ducking anyone.

Through it all, when comparing accomplishments, Calzaghe's best fights amount to things he did past his PRIME, against either old or untested competition.

Calzaghe beat a 43 year old Hopkins. While Hopkins is a freak of nature, there is no way to compare that to beating a 35 year old or 30 year old Hopkins.

Calzaghe beat Kessler, but Kessler's reputation is based upon an undefeated record against bums, and his ability to "hang in" with Calzaghe.

Finally, there's Lacy. Lacy was overrated, has been shown to not be a technically sound or dominant fighter, and that's still recognized as one of his biggest wins.

The point is, defending the WBO Supermiddleweight Belt for 9 of your prime years, while barely fighting anyone with a pulse, DOES NOT make you an ATG. In fact, it doesn't bring you anything near it...

 

James Toney Ducked Benn and Eubank who both publicly challenged him on live TV prior to their 2nd fight (World Super Middleweight Unification bout) when they were the men in the division, with Nigel Benn being WBC and linear champion having been the man who beat the man who beat the man etc. Mr Toney made up his usual unfunny and even less clever remarks abot both fighters, but did he back them up? his resume tells you he didnt, now I cant think of a reason why if you think that 2 guys are so easily beatable and they have the belts why not clean up?

 

Best ever what?For 1 year?

 

Sad man. No one ducked anyone. Look at his resume -- How in the WORLD can anyone SAY Toney ducked Benn and Eubanks, when he fought RRJ, the very crafty and difficult Griffin 2x, Micheal ****ing Nunn, Barkley, many good tough fighters like Reggie Johnson, fought the bodysnatcher, cruiswieghts, and ****ing Samuel Peter at heavy.

I swear people need to just stop it with all the ducking bs. None of these guys ducked one another. Just leave it at that.

 

It's possible that Roy Jones may be padding his bed in the event of either a win or a loss, by stating that Calzaghe is a great fighter. Whatever the outcome, if people perceive Calzaghe as being great, then win or lose, Roy will only come out looking better, given that he is past his prime.

Or

After years of dealing with the media and perhaps finally maturing, Jones may understand the political value of giving fighters their dues, as opposed to trash talking. It's no secret that talking smack usually backfires on the person who does it. For example, Floyd Mayweather is a great fighter in my mind, as well as in the minds of most. But, how much more respected MIGHT he have been, had he been more humble, such as the way George Foreman was in his comeback?

 

same thing i thought when i read it, "Silliest Statement of ESB History"

 

Jones said in the 24/7 documentary that he is really up for the fight and it was this fight that he fought the other 3 fights for and he knows its going to be a challenge. Likewise he also said at the end, that there is NO PRESSURE on him to win. If he loses no one cares, but the same can't be said for Calzaghe. And he has a point, all the pressure is on Calzaghe, because people expect him to win at this stage of RJJ's career.

And it would seem like RJJ has had a change of heart, it's just him maturing. He fell all the way to the bottom of the ladder. Humbling feeling, considering what he once was. He probably felt he would be like that forever when he was in his prime -- unstoppable, untouchable -- half man half amazing.

 

Instead of trying to find alternative reasons Jones says he is an ATG to fit in with your biased opinions on the guy,why not try and work out WHY you have your biased opinion on Calzaghe.

 

Calzaghe over the years was always ignored as just a bum by the American press but a hell of alot of American fighters always rated him very highly.Hagler said wayyy before the Lacy bout that Calzaghe was a top 5 p4p fighter.Recently in the Hopkins and Pavlik bout we got a small taste again of the ignorance of the American press when compared to American fighters and trainers.Almost all the press said Pavlik would win,whilst all the fighters and trainers seemed to pick Hopkins to win,I just don't think Americans outside of people who actually fight or train fighers really have a clue when it comes to boxing.

 

I have to agree on the Media part ! Look at Dan Rafeal for ESPN he's gotta to be one of the biggest jokes on there ! He was one journalist who had Kelly Pavlik top 5 P4P and picked him to out work Hopkins now after that loss he just rips Pavlik down ..He's a glorified message board poster thats all !