**Calzaghe Moves To No. 5 From No.8 Pound For Pound**

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by hellblazer, Nov 10, 2007.


  1. hellblazer

    hellblazer All-Time Great™ Full Member

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    In the Ring Magazine's latest pound for pound ratings released last November 5, 2007, Welsh world undisputed supermiddleweight champion Joe Calzaghe moved up from number 8 to number 5. This was the result of his unanimous decision win over Mikkel Kessler of Denmark on November 4 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

    The fight was a unification bout for the WBO/WBA/WBC/Ring Magazine super middleweight titles. With the win, Calzaghe became the first undisputed super middleweight champion of the world and overtaking the 20 title defenses made by Bernard Hopkins and Larry Holmes at the middleweight and heavyweight division, respectively. He is now equal to the number of defenses of Sven Ottke (super-middleweight) and Ricardo Lopez (flyweight).

    The only boxers with more successful title defenses than Joe are Dariusz Michalczewski (light heavyweight) with 23 defenses and Joe Louis (heavyweight) who made 25 defenses.

    More significant is that Calzaghe is five fights away from equaling Rocky Marciano's unbeaten record for a champion in any weight division. The Pride of Wales is now 44-0-0 with 32 wins by KO. Marciano is 49-0-0 with 43 KO wins when he retired.

    Also known as the “Italian Dragon” because of his Italian descent, Calzaghe is the former IBF super middleweight world champion. He is the longest reigning title holder in any weight class in boxing, recently passing the ten year mark as the WBO super middleweight champion.

    Floyd Mayweather, Jr. remains in the number 1 position followed by Manny Pacquiao at number 2. At number 3 is still Juan Manuel Marquez and Bernard Hopkins stays at number 4. To complete the top ten are: 6. Israel Vasquez (from no. 5), 7. Winky Wright (from no. 6), 8. Rafael Marquez (from no. 7), 9. Ricky Hatton, and 10. Miguel Cotto.

    Hatton and Cotto and have maintained their respective rankings so far. Rafael, the brother of Juan Manuel, is a former world champion at the IBF / IBO bantamweight and WBC superbantamweight divisions. Juan Manuel is also a former WBA and IBF featherweight world champion, and the current WBC superfeatherweight champion.

    In the more widely accepted Ring Magazine rankings, Juan Manuel is number 2 to Manny Pacquiao’s number 1 standing in the junior lightweight/superfeatherweight division; while Rafael is number 1 ranked contender to the champion Israel Vasquez in the junior featherweight/superbantamweight division.

    Source
     
  2. sues2nd

    sues2nd Fading into Bolivian... Full Member

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    He should be #3...but what are ya gonna do.

    Im sure some idiot will mention its because he is not from the US...even tho there are only 3 US fighters in the top ten.

    Just wait, some moron will say it.
     
  3. blueballs1978

    blueballs1978 Active Member Full Member

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    The one that really baffles me is Hopkins at number 4. Before anyone starts I am not saying that he is ****, but #4 P4p??? :lol:
     
  4. yesihavearm

    yesihavearm Active Member Full Member

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    ****ing hell these ring rankings.

    If Calzaghe was from the US he'd be number 1 easy
     
  5. andyZOR

    andyZOR Obsessed with Boxing banned

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  6. sues2nd

    sues2nd Fading into Bolivian... Full Member

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    I can easily make a case for it....

    Defense, timing, ring generalship, chin, accuracy, etc. Still one of the VERY best in the sport. Plus, jumped 2 weight classes and beat the man at LHW (Tarver) without a tuneup to become a 2 division champ. Then beat a top 5 p4p fighter in Winky Wright.

    All at his advanced age.

    Easily make a case.....
     
  7. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    I agree, he beat Tarver knocking on 18 months ago and then outpointed 154lber Winky.....
     
  8. sues2nd

    sues2nd Fading into Bolivian... Full Member

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    :patsch

    See, told ya....

    :-(
     
  9. Boom_Boom

    Boom_Boom R.I.P Boxing 6/9/12 Full Member

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    Im not a Hopkins hater, but anyone who has him in their top 5 P4P, should be be disregarded when making P4P lists.
     
  10. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    The P4P rankings has absolutely NOTHING to do with age.......Beating Winky shouldn't mean that much, Pac is also Top 5 P4P but beating him shouldn't help Hopkins ratings either..
     
  11. sues2nd

    sues2nd Fading into Bolivian... Full Member

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    Its not the age that has to do with it...its the age that makes his win and way he won more impressive.
     
  12. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    No, its how you perform and who you beat that gets you the P4P ranking. The age you do it at is completely irrelevant where the ranking is concerned.
     
  13. sues2nd

    sues2nd Fading into Bolivian... Full Member

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    EVERYTHING should be taken into account.
     
  14. sues2nd

    sues2nd Fading into Bolivian... Full Member

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    Off topic, Ortiz just DESTROYED Maussa.
     
  15. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Well it isn't.....;)

    Its hard enough making mythical P4P rankings without throwing age, height, diabeties or whatever else into the mix.